Sri Lanka by Train

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rain travel truly is the best way to get around this island with its unfathomable distances. A 60km journey can easily take 2.5 hours in a taxi and if you’re considering local buses then add at least another hour on maybe double it. The train is cheap and mostly comfortable – if you avoid the cockroach coach we were on in the south. You also benefit from stunning views which you can appreciate best from (carefully) hanging out the open doors!
The southern route from Colombo to Matara mostly follows the coast sometimesjust metres from the sea, while the central hill country route takes you round dramatic hillsides covered in tea plantations or lush forests and spectacular waterfalls. 
Plus there’s an abundance of lovely people ready to play hit balloon: although this game is fraught with danger (two balloons were lost out the window from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy.