Rail transport in Sri Lanka

Rail transport in Sri Lanka
Intercity train at a station in Sri Lanka
Operation
National railway	Sri Lanka Railways
Major operators	Sri Lanka Railways, for most services Airport & Aviation Services Limited, for Airport Express J.F. Tours & Travels (Ceylon) Ltd, for Viceroy Special
Statistics
Ridership	300,000 per day
System length
Total	1,508 kilometres (937 mi)
Track gauge
Main	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge.
Electrification
Electrified	0 km (0 mi)
Features
No. stations	320
Highest elevation	1,900 metres (6,200 ft) at Pattipola (highest broad gauge railway in the world)
Map

Map

Sri Lanka Railways, for most services
Airport & Aviation Services Limited, for Airport Express
J.F. Tours & Travels (Ceylon) Ltd, for Viceroy Special

Rail transport in Sri Lanka consists of a heavy-rail intercity network connecting major population centres and commuter rail serving Colombo commuter traffic. State-run Sri Lanka Railways, originally known as Ceylon Government Railways, is the nation's railway owner and primary operator.

The railways were conceived in the 1850s as an instrument to develop and unify Sri Lanka. Service began in 1864, with the construction of the Main Line from Colombo to Ambepussa, 54 kilometers to the east. During the first half of the twentieth century, a tram system operated on the streets of Colombo, carrying commuters within the city.

The railway now moves 300,000 passengers daily on 324 trains between 320 stations across the country. At a peak of 1,900 metres (6,200 ft), Sri Lanka has the highest broad gauge railway in the world. Also, Sri Lanka has broad gauge railway which in the closest to equator line in the world.

The Railway was initially built to transport coffee and tea from the hill country to Colombo for export. For many years, transporting such goods was the main source of income on the line. With time and population growth, however, passenger traffic increased. In the 1960s, passenger traffic overtook freight as the main source of revenue. The railway is now primarily engaged in the transport of passengers, especially commuters to and from Colombo, thereby helping to reduce road congestion.

The railway moves 300,000 passengers daily on 324 trains between 320 stations across the country. Despite heavy over-crowding on the railways, its share of the passenger market is only 7 percent, while it only handles 2 percent of the freight market.

The railway is currently undergoing modernisation, under the government's 10-year Railway Development Strategy. New train sets are being imported and track upgraded. In an effort to raise rail transport's appeal to the public, premium services were launched through the private sector on certain lines.