Colombo–Badulla Night Mail

Last updated
Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train
Overview
Service type Night mail train
StatusIn service
LocaleSri Lanka
Current operator(s) Sri Lanka Railways
Former operator(s)Ceylon Government Railway
Route
Termini Colombo Fort railway station
Stops Badulla railway station
Distance travelled292.4 km (181.7 mi) [1]
Average journey time8 - 10 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)1045 (Colombo Fort - Badulla)
1046 (Badulla - Colombo Fort)
On-board services
Sleeping arrangementsAvailable [2]
Observation facilitiesN/A
Technical
Track gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Route map
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Badulla
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Tunnel No. 43
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Hali Ela
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Uduwara
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Demodara Loop
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Demodara & Tunnel No. 42
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Tunnel No. 41
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Nine Arch Bridge
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Tunnel No. 40
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Ella
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Kithal Ella
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Heel Oya
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Kinigama
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Tunnel No. 39
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Bandarawela
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Tunnel No. 38
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Diyatalawa
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Tunnel No. 37
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Haputale
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Glenonare
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Tangamale Sanctuary
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Tunnel No. 36
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Idalgashinna
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Tunnel No. 22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34 & 35
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Ohiya
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Tunnel No. 18 (Pattipola Tunnel),19,20 & 21
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Summit 1898.1m above MSL
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Pattipola
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Ambewela
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Horton Plains National Park
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Parakramapura
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Closed Uda Pussellawa Railway Line
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Nanu Oya
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Tunnel No. 17
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Radella
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Great Western
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Watagoda
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Upper Kotmale Reservoir
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Tunnel No. 16
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Thalawakele
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Tunnel No. 15
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St.Clair
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Kotagala
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Galkandawatta
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Tunnel No. 14 (Singha Malai Tunnel)
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Hatton
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Rozella
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Ihala Watawala
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Watawala
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Wewalthalawa
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Dekinda
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Galboda
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Tunnel No. 12 & 13
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Penrose
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Inguruoya
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Hightenford
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Selam
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Mahaweli Ganga
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Nawalapitiya
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Warakawa
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Pallegama
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Ulapane
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Warakapitiya
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Thembiligala
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Wallahagoda
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Gampola
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Kahatapitiya
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Gangathilaka
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Botalepitiya
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Weligalla
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Polgaha Anga
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Gelioya
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Koshinna
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A sub river of Mahaweli Ganga
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Matale Line
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Peradeniya Junction
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KiribathKumbura
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Barammane
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Pilimatalawa
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Urapola
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Kotabagolla
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Kadugannawa
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Tunnel No. 10 (Moragalla Tunnel) & 11
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Weralugolla
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Tunnel No. 9
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Balana
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Tunnel No. 6, 7 & 8
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Makehelwala
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Bambaragala
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Ihala Kotte
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Tunnel No. 5A (Meeyangalla Tunnel)
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Gangoda
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Tunnel No. 5
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Yatiwaldeinya
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Kadigamuwa
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Tunnel No. 2, 3 & 4
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Rambukkana
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Rambukkan Oya
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Yatagama
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Korossa
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Tismalpola
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Panaliya
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Northern Line
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Polgahawela Junction
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Walakumbura
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Alawwa
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Bujjomuwa
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Yattalgoda
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Maha Oya
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Ambepussa
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Botale
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Tunnel No. 1
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Wilwatta
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Mirigama
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Wijaya Rajadahana
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Ganegoda
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Pallewela
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Keenawala
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Wadurawa
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Veyangoda
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Heendeniya Pattiyagoda
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Magalegoda
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 E04  Central Expressway
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Bemmulla
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Daraluwa
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Gampaha
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Attanagalu Oya
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Yagoda
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 E04  Central Expressway
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Ganemulla
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Bulugahagoda
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Batuwaththa
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Walpola
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Puttalam Line
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Ragama Junction
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Horape
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 E02  Outer Circular Expressway
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Ederamulla
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Hunupitiya
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Wanawasala
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Kelaniya
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Kelani River
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Dematagoda
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Kelani Valley Line
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Maradana
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Colombo Fort
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Coast Line

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train is a night time passenger and mail train that runs between Colombo and Badulla in Sri Lanka. [3] [4]

Contents

The Badulla-bound train departs from Colombo at 8:30pm, [5] while the Colombo-bound train leaves Badulla at 6:30pm. The trip takes about 11 hours. [5] [6] This timetable is occasionally disrupted by unexpected events, [7] weather, [8] and track conditions. [9] [10] [11]

Services

The train offers three classes: [5]

Route

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train travels the length of Sri Lanka Railways' Main Line through the hill country.

Colombo - Badulla Night Mail Train begins its journey at Colombo Fort Station and stops only at Ragama, Gampaha, Veyangoda. Then it comes to Polgahawela junction, where the Northern Line Branches off. Train continues its journey on Main Line. At 9:45 pm, it reaches Rambukkana railway station, where the double line railway from Colombo Fort Station ends. From Rambukkana, it has to climb a steep slope of 1:44, into the hills of the upcountry. But it is a difficult task for M6 locomotive to do alone. So M5 class locomotive is attached at the rear end, as a banking engine. With the power of 2 engines, train departs Rambukkana and continues its journey to the next stop at Kadugannawa. The rear engine is removed and the train travels to the Peradeniya junction. Rear mail carriage is removed from the train and it will be attached to a train, which goes to Kandy. The train, carrying 12 carriages departs for Badulla. The next stop is Gampola Railway Station. Again a M6 class locomotive is attached at the rear end, to climb steep slopes, from Gampola to Pattipola. In the midnight, the train comes to Nawalapitiya station, where technical officers check braking systems for safe ride through the mountains. Also engine drivers change. After leaving Nawalapitiya station, The number 1046 Badulla-Colombo Night Mail Train, which was commenced from Badulla to Colombo Fort, meets at Inguru Oya Railway Station. The Train continues its journey passing Hatton, [12] Nanuoya, Ambewela and at 4:00am, it reaches Pattipola, the highest altitude railway station in Sri Lanka. In here, rear locomotive is uncoupled and brought to the front end of the train and re-coupled, as a pilot engine, to begin its descend from Pattipola to Badulla. Dynamic Brakes are used for this continuous braking to reduce the wear of friction-based braking components. The train passes Ohiya, Idalgashinna, Haputale, Diyathalawa, Bandarawela, Ella, Demodara and reaches Badulla, in the morning.

Rolling Stock

The service is run by M6 locomotives pulling Romanian-built ASTRA passenger coaches.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "COLOMBO FORT to BADULLA : Sri Lanka Train/Railway Schedule". slr.malindaprasad.com.
  2. 1 2 "Night Mail 1st class berths". www.seat61.com/SriLanka.htm.
  3. "Team dispatched to restore services on Colombo-Badulla rail route". News First Sri Lanka, 14 July 2017 Keshala Dias
  4. Ceylon Government Railway (1964). Ceylon Government Railway: one hundred years, 1864-1964. The Railway. p. 67.
  5. 1 2 3 "Visit Sri Lanka and take the train...". The Man in Seat 61 - A beginners guide to Train Travel in Sri Lankh.
  6. Devil’s Staircase". Sunday Observer, 3 September 2017. Nushka Nafeel and Jordana Narin.
  7. Employers' Federation of Ceylon (2004). 75th anniversary journal. Employers' Federation of Ceylon. p. 55.
  8. "Colombo- Badulla night mail train revived". Hiru News, 28 May 2016.
  9. "June 21–27 - A Diary of events in Sri Lanka and the World". Tribune. Ceylon News Service: 18, 30. 1975.
  10. "Earth slip hampers train travel on Badulla line". New First Sri Lanka, 29 November 2017 Keshala Dias
  11. "Badulla bound night-mail train derails". "Daily News", Asela KURULUWANSA, 14 July 2017
  12. Roosindu Peris. "Both night-mail trains travelling between Colombo and Badulla cancelled". Ada Derana, 13 July 2017