The 'Sense of Heritage' is all about iconic train, legendary railway line and World Heritage City. Sri Lanka Railway or Ceylon Railway made its first journey to Kandy in 1867, making a way for the planters to transport their coffee production to Colombo, 25 years after it was originally discussed in 1842. Today, you can travel along the same rail line to Kandy, the way your great grand parents did. The Viceroy Special vintage train adds glamour to the historic journey to the hill capital of Sri Lanka.
Combining Edwardian splendor with modern luxury, this authentic train has captured the imagination of many train enthusiasts and fans. It threads its way through majestic scenery and engineering marvel along its way to Kandy. Luxury seating and dining at your table ensures that you won't miss a single minute of the spectacular views.
The journey begins from the Fort Railway Station, a symbol of colonial architecture and reaches Maradana Hub Station, passing Beira Lake; followed by beautiful Hindu Kovil (place of worship). The train then crosses the 800 ft long main bridge over the Kelani River beyond the Dematagoda station to move out of Colombo. The train travels besides slums of city suburbs prior to reach Ragama, (9 miles away from Colombo) the first railway junction on the track where the northern and main railway lines meets.
Giving way to crowded residential areas, the train enters into the stretch of about 30 km of the greenery of paddy and coconut cultivations amidst sleepy villages and small towns. The change of environment is evident with the presence of mid range hills closer to Mirigama station, followed by the first tunnel on the Main Line, which is 274 ft. long, before reaching Ambepussa station, 54 km from Colombo. This was the terminus of the first train destination in 1864. The old station is still visible by the side.
The train continues its journey through moderate gradients, crossing the bridge over Maa Oya River and runs along the river bank before arriving at Polgahawela, the second railway junction that joins the northern railway line. The next main railway station is Rambukkana, 52 miles away from Colombo is significant for two reasons. Firstly, the train enters the hill country through a major climb which raises the railway line from 313 ft to a height of 1698 ft to reach Kadugannawa involving 13 miles. Secondly, this serves as the transit point to visit 'Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage' which has the largest number of elephants in captivity.