Misadventures on the Train Tracks

Our plan for the day was to take the train from Colombo Fort Station to Galle.

I had initially intended to walk to the train station which was less than 1km away from our hotel, but I changed my mind due to the rain, and so we ended booking an Uber for under $1. Our journey started to go awry right from the start when our somewhat manic Uber driver got lost navigating the very short journey from our hotel to Colombo Fort Station. We ended up going in circles before we got to the train station. He also tried to converse with us but we couldn't figure out half of what he was trying to say to us.

We arrived at the railway station around 40 minutes before our train's scheduled 10.30am departure time. After buying our second class tickets with unreserved seats, we made our way to Platform 5 and waited... and waited, and waited. Our train finally arrived about 30 minutes late. The carriages were already full when it arrived, and there was a mad rush with lots of people getting on and off. We couldn't identify whether we were in a second or third class cabin, and our subsequent internet search revealed conflicting information. The cabin was packed to the gills, with barely enough standing room even.

The train was only supposed to stop for 5 minutes, but there was no movement for over 30 minutes. The cabin was sweltering, and I was sweating buckets. I started to wonder if I wanted to stand for 2-3 hours in these conditions. Finally, after 35 minutes of waiting, we made a decision to exit the train. We walked the length of the train thinking that there may be a second class compartment that was less crowded, but it seemed as if every cabin was packed.

Looking at our Uber app, we found that it cost about $47 to hire an Uber to Galle. We secured a ride within a minute, and we were happily on our way before the train pulled out of the station.

Our Uber ride was very comfortable and far more civilized than the train. It took us quite a while to get through the congested city streets to the expressway. Along the way, we drove past Galle Face which appeared to be full of life with street vendors and crowds enjoying the weekend. I made a mental note to spend more time in Colombo if I return so that I can get a sense of what makes this city buzz.

Once we hit the southern expressway, it was smooth sailing. The expressway looked as if it had recently opened. There was intermittent rain along the way.

Halfway to Galle, we readily agreed when our driver suggested we take a 15 minute break at a service station just off the expressway. At the service station, we tucked into a delicious egg roti and some corn, and we had our first taste of local ice cream.

I had the best of intentions to experience train transport in Sri Lanka, but alas, this was not meant to be. We later found out that it was a long public holiday weekend, which explains the crowds. In hindsight, I should have gone for the afternoon train with a first class compartment and reserved seats. I also have to keep reminding myself that I’m no longer a young, hardy, budget conscious backpacker; as with everyone else, age has exacted its toll on me.Read more