Stutiyi Sri Lanka - Tonic Called Train

Reading up about Sri Lankan, one of the first things you find is about how the train journeys are enchanting. 

About how it is one of the must-dos while here. This post describes one of them. There are two train journeys in particular, from Colombo to Ella, and the one from Galle to Colombo (or Matara to Colombo, the ride we took). Some quick info – there are two types of trains – one run by the Sri Lankan government – which are the colonial type of trains, and the ones run by Chinese, which are more modern. The trick is to travel in the golden olden, as the lack of comfort is more than made up by the beauty you encounter first hand.

So, which train to take? Well, we are fond of them beaches, and love the perfect sunset, hence we took the train departing from Matara at 2 PM, which would reach Colombo at 7 (and mathematically, we would get to view the sunset over the ocean from a train, that’s what I thought, and boy was I wrong). We got to view the MOST PERFECT sunset over the ocean from a train, it was breathtaking!

Picture Perfect Sunset...

...From a Train!!

To rewind a bit – there were two parts to the train journey – the first from Matara to Galle, where you  go through trees and villages and small towns, see the manually operated crossings at work – where you are the impediment for the person on his bike to get to where he/she wants. It gives a quaint country like feel, like time standing still (like the air around you, see video below). 

This went on for an hour until we reached Galle. The train changed direction, and suddenly we were out in the front – in about 30 minutes it was the Ocean, the beach and the train (See Below for a sample view).

 On the train , right there as we waved final goodbyes to what would be known as 21^st January , 2019 – you could literally see on the horizon that it was the beginning of the that date for those living yonder – just like passing a baton!

Ocean on your (Train)Door step

Points to Note

• The train number we took was the 8051 from Matara to Colombo, which was Government run. As such, it had only unreserved 3^rd Class, but there was one 1^st class Observation Saloon which we had booked (Costing about USD 14, at the back of the train, with a glass wall to give a panoramic view). 
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• Though it was perfect till Galle, the engine changed direction, and we could only see the blue butt of an engine for a good part of the journey – which kind of defeated the purpose. However since the people were few, during the sunset, we could roam around the carriage and get good vantage points to click amazing photos and watch the perfect sunset. 



Good Ol' Steam Engine

• The train gets filled up at Galle, and starts empty at Matara, if one can get there in time, getting a window seat could be easy (in the unreserved 3^rd class, costing about USD 1 only). 



Inspection of Guard!

• If in the 1^st class, please sit on the left side, though it seems wrong initially, you will have a sunset view by the window once the train changes direction in Galle.
• We visited in January, good season, clear skies and no rains. 
• LKR and USD are used at all tourist spots.