Sri Lanka: Colombo–Peradeniya trains are back after cyclone repairs; Kandy station not yet in the timetable

Update — 16 October 2026: trains run to Peradeniya again

Regular trains between Colombo Fort and Peradeniya and Gampola resumed on 2 October after about ten months, including the Podi Menike Express from 3 October. Peradeniya is about 6 km from Kandy. The published timetable does not list Kandy station, where bridge repairs were still under way. A landslide derailed a train near Kadugannawa on 5 October and services resumed after an inspection, so check with Sri Lanka Railways before you travel (Daily Mirror, 28 September; Ada Derana, 6 October).

Our earlier updates below are kept as published.

Update — 25 September 2026: the strike has ended; still no date for Colombo–Kandy

The 48-hour token strike by 29 railway trade unions ended at midnight on 18 September, Sri Lanka Mirror reported on 19 September. During the strike, tickets were not issued at 99% of stations and goods acceptance stopped, and the Railway Department recorded a revenue loss of nearly Rs 50 million. The unions’ demands include the removal of the General Manager of Railways; we have not found a statement that the dispute is settled, so check before travelling in case of further action.

On the Colombo–Kandy line, we have found no official statement since 5 September confirming when trains will run beyond Rambukkana again. The railway’s “October” expectation, reported below, remains unconfirmed. Research on this point is incomplete, and we will revisit it in early October. Our 17 September update and the original report of 6 September follow unchanged.

Update — 17 September 2026: a 48-hour rail strike, and the repair target has passed

This update covers two separate things: a rail strike happening now, and the Colombo–Kandy repair work that this article was first about.

The rail strike, 17–18 September (developing)

Confirmed: Sri Lanka’s railway trade unions began a 48-hour strike at midnight on 16 September, running through 17 and 18 September. Their demands include the removal of the current General Manager of Railways. The Morning and Sri Lanka Mirror both reported the strike on 17 September. The Station Masters’ Union chairman, Sumedha Somarathna, said most station masters had joined it.

Developing: the effect on services is disputed. Sri Lanka Railways’ media spokesperson, Asanka Samarasinghe, said all office trains were running and that all trains except one were scheduled to operate as usual. According to Sri Lanka Mirror, 13 Coastal Line, 11 Puttalam Line, 15 Main and Northern Line and 7 Kelani Valley Line services were scheduled on the morning of 17 September. Both outlets report that several trains were cancelled on the afternoon of 16 September, before the strike formally began, leaving passengers stranded at Colombo Fort. We have not been able to confirm the full list of cancellations.

Separately, the railway is short of engines regardless of the strike. Newswire reported on 14 September, citing a Railway Department report, that only 50 of 98 engines are in service against at least 74 needed for normal operations, and that unions link the shortage to daily cancellations. If you are travelling by train in Sri Lanka on 17 or 18 September, check your train with Sri Lanka Railways on the day and keep a road alternative for any connection that matters. We will revisit this after 18 September.

The Colombo–Kandy repairs: the target date has passed without an announcement

The Rambukkana–Kadugannawa track work was due to be finished by 15 September. As of 17 September we have found no official statement that it was, and no announcement that trains are running beyond Rambukkana. The Sri Lanka Railways website carries no Colombo–Kandy resumption notice. Treat the section as still closed until the Railway Department says otherwise.

The October target still stands on the record. On 5 September Newswire quoted the Railway Department’s Chief Engineer, Priyantha Digala, saying that arrangements were being made to restart services as reconstruction between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa neared completion, with Colombo–Kandy trains expected to resume the following month. That is a second, official voice behind the date, but it is still a target and not a timetable. Earlier targets for this line slipped over the course of the year.

One correction to our original text: we wrote that “both sources” cautioned that temporary speed restrictions may remain after reopening. Only The Traveler says that; the Hiru News report does not. The advice holds regardless: for October and November travel, keep a road transfer as a fallback for the Colombo–Kandy leg. The report of 6 September follows unchanged.

Where the repairs stand (report of 6 September)

Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr Prasanna Gunasena said construction on the Upcountry line between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa is scheduled for completion by 15 September, with Peradeniya–Colombo services expected to resume in October 2026. Cyclone Ditwah damaged 97 locations on the Upcountry line.

Two sites remain under construction. Repairs to the Peradeniya Black Bridge, known locally as Yaka Palama, have been set back by high water on the Mahaweli River submerging machinery. Trains currently run only as far as Rambukkana, with passengers transferring to road transport for the onward leg.

What travellers need to know

The Colombo–Kandy train is a fixture of almost every Sri Lanka itinerary, and the hill-country line beyond it — Kandy to Ella through the tea country — is one of the most-booked rail journeys in Asia. Since the cyclone, that first leg has been a road transfer.

Treat October as a target rather than a date. It is the first dated official signal that the line is coming back, but the bridge work is weather-dependent and both sources caution that temporary speed restrictions may remain once services resume. If you are travelling in October or November, keep the rail leg as a preference and hold a road alternative, and confirm with Sri Lanka Railways closer to the time.

Sources

This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.

• Peradeniya to Colombo train services to resume in October following Cyclone Ditwah repairs — Hiru News, 06 September 2026
• Sri Lanka to restore Colombo–Kandy train services next month — The Traveler, 05 September 2026
• Colombo–Kandy Train Services to Resume Next Month — Newswire, 05 September 2026
• Sri Lanka Railways — official website (no Colombo–Kandy resumption notice as of 17 September 2026) — Sri Lanka Railways
• Railway trade unions launch 48-hour strike — The Morning, 17 September 2026
• Office trains working despite railway strike — Sri Lanka Mirror, 17 September 2026
• Only 50 engines in service out of 98 : Railway operations hampered — Newswire, 14 September 2026
• Nearly Rs. 50 mn. lost due to railway strike — Sri Lanka Mirror, 19 September 2026
• Upcountry train services to Gampola resume from Oct. 2 — Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka), 28 September 2026
• Upcountry train services resumed after collective assessment by relevant agencies: Minister — Ada Derana, 06 October 2026