Yeah a lot of railway lines in once colonized countries like Sri Lanka were built for transporting goods with passenger travel being an after thought. Another example is Cuba, which actually got trains before Spain itself did. The then Queen Regent of Spain, Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, approved the building of the first line in Cuba, which was a 27.5 km/17.1 miles line from Havana to Bejucal built by the Compañía de Caminos de Hierro de la Habana in November 1837. Cuba even has an interurban, the Hershey Electric Railway, which is Cuba's only electric line and was built by the Hershey Company between Havana and Matanzas via Hershey (now Camilo Cienfuegos) to transport sugar to the port at Havana. Even St. Kitts has a railway. The track of the St. Kitts Scenic Railway was originally laid from 1912 to 1926, to deliver sugar cane from the plantations to the new centralized sugar mill in Basseterre. Previously, each plantation had its own sugar mill. Today, the 18-mile/29 km long line is a tourist train.
Just came back from Sri Lanka and honestly, I loved their trains! I didn't take this one, and I'll admit, it doesn't look luxurious, but it smells like adventure (the literal smell may be of something else though). I'd probably have the time of my life on board of this one :)
While the sleeper doesn't look the best, the surrounding Sri Lankan nature definitely makes up for it. The Class M6 was specifically manufactured by Thyssen-Henschel in Kassel under license from Electro-Motive Division in the US. These locomotives were originally imported for use on flat terrain, but they are very successful in higher terrain because of its Flexicoil bogies and dynamic brakes. As you brought up, this was built during the colonial period, and was first founded in 1858. During then, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. Ceylon was based off the name the Portuguese gave to the island, Ceilão. Ceylon then became a dominion in 1948, and then a republic in 1972 when they changed the name. Sri Lanka has such a unique flag. The lion and the maroon background represent the Sinhalese, while the saffron border and four bo leaves represent the four Buddhist virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. The eight hairs on the lion's tail represents the Noble Eightfold Path. The stripes represent the country's two largest minorities, with the orange representing the Tamils living in Sri Lanka, and the green stripe representing the Sri Lankan Moors (Muslims of Sri Lanka). The golden yellow border represents the other minority communities of the country like Malays, Burghers, Kaffirs, and the indigenous Vedda.
Beautiful knowledge, bro. Thank you. We in Bengaluru also consume something called "Ceylon Paratha". Probably based of Sri Lanka as a name or eaten there. 👍
I mean for $15.....compared to what most hotels look like for that same price it honestly didn't look like the worst thing ever. Yeah it was run down and all but...$15!
@@NonstopEurotrip the more I was thinking about it it seems like this train was marketed more for locals so probably for the average Sri Lankan it's a pretty nice service. But yes as a tourist I'd totally take the other train you rode during the day with AC.
We rode the same train in 2016. The rough condition of the track made it scarely bumpy in places, we worried the train would come off. But we enjoyed the excitement of it all! IIRC our toilet, shared with the compartment next door, had a linkage to the locks so by locking yours it locked the other one. And vice versa - otherwise you could leave their door locked meaning your neighbours couldn't use it!
My late Father was a head engine driver & drove this train for five years.He was nicknamed "on time boss"by daily commuters of this train as he all way kept to time & no train tablet would be given to station master or assistant if not in full uniform (the tablet is to inform next station that train is on its way to its location )He was feared due to his strict decipline but loved by passengers & Badulla towns people .I used to love traveling by train as a kid & going thourgh tunnels as all kids,teens would hoot in passing tunnels.Sri lankas rails are very old & needs up grading & better compartments .
Still impressed at the amount of mail an express being hauled. Not many old-school mail trains left in the world. Would’ve been neat to see how many “head end” cars of mail and express were on this train. Hopefully Sri Lanka can modernize its railways while maintaining this level of service, It’s something we’ve lost in most of the developed world.
I travelled in this Badulla night mail train from Colombo in a second-class wagon 50 years ago during the school holidays in 1973 with my uncle. I remember the night mail left Fort at 8 p.m and arrived at Badulla the following day morning. It is the same train, same carriages, nothing changed. (But I still love these old rickety trains pulled by Hanschel locomotives). Then we caught Badulla to Potuvil bus and travelled to Siyambalanduwa (approximately 100 km from Badulla between Moneragala and Potuvil) where my uncle worked as a government surveyor. It took nearly a day for us to reach Siyambalanduwa from Colombo and there was only one bus that left Badulla at around 11 a.m. If you miss it that's it, wait for the next day. I remember reaching Siyambalanduwa at dusk and a few of his workers came to accompany us to the camp. I remember Siyambalanduwa only as a jungle, nothing was there. But I had real fun as a child at the surveyor's camp in the middle of the jungle.
Nice. I was in Bandarawela, nearly 25 years ago. We visited a SLBC station which should be modernized. I was very impressed by the beautiful nature. And I will never forget when the managers of the SLBC in Colombo made us (german IT broadcast engineers) a special present. A old vinyl record with a speech from Adolf H. We were a little bit confused, but kept on smiling. 😅
My favourite part of the video are the dusk and dawn segments, where the lights of the train, and the houses in the distance, give you the illusion of being in a safe, although not particularly clean, cocoon. What I don't quite understand is the different attitudes towards cleanliness in public spaces. Not just between countries; it differs between people as well. Unless people live in abject poverty, it's rare to walk into someone's house and find it dirty. Maybe for a single male, but it's rare. Friends of mine went to India. one strait on from Sri Lanka, and described how tables would be laden with lovely flower petals - but underneath, there would be rubbish. Obviously, if you go and visit someone, you'll find everything spic and span. Sorry that you had to endure this for our benefit. At least, now we know how not to travel inside Sri Lanka. There's always that.
Yeah, it's very strange and I agree with you. I couldn't live like that, but I guess millions do on a daily basis. I'm glad I won't be taking this particular train again! The day trains are good though 😃
Thanks for the update I've been on this train during our school holidays, a good 70 years ago. We hardly slept. Enjoyed the ride by night. It's sad to note how times have changed. Fortunately ,age does not permit a dismal trip. Thank you.
Sri Lankan people love to point fingers at their leaders, but they don't want to reflect on their own behaviour and mentality, that is contributing to the nations problems. If you don't understand what I mean, go and spend time in Japan or Korea and observe the general public over there. Then you will understand how the mindset of those people is so different to Sri Lankans, and why they managed to develop and rise so fast!
I have been on this track nearly 55 years back when the engines were steam. The steam engine would pull the train saying something like this "Uredata Manikata Pataputta Dekadeka"....those were the days fun nice clean and enjoyable especially when we were kids.
I'm sorry you had to experience this... These carriages are from the 1980s and most of them have been newly refurbished and they are quite comfortable. This sleeper coach doesn't seem to have been refurbished for a while, the authorities should really look into maintaining these. As a railfan, it makes me really sad to see that everyone says our trains are dirty and all..
This railway was built by the British to replace bullock carts and horse-driven carriages. In the present this railway is already outdated, as trains running at speeds over 500km/h have become a reality. The distance of the railway from Colombo to Badulla is 288km compared to the road distance of 232km. The maximum possible speed along the stretch from Nawalapitiya to Badulla (150km) is around 32km/h. This railway cannot be developed, but can be preserved as a heritage railway. Even local passengers use this railway for the purpose of admiring the beauty of the Central Highlands and not as a fast and efficient transport mode.
It doesn't have to be fast, but has to be punctual, clean and comfortable. It's a shame on authorities as to how they maintain them. Don't think it had been washed even once after buying!!!
I watched this video and thank you for same!! I am a Sri Lankan and i am very sorry for the inconveniences you have to bear with due to the poor conditions of this night train. I hope you will have a better ride next time. Please avoid the night trains.
Hey! Nonstop. I have watched every video uploaded on this channel in the last 2-3 years. All that time I thought how bad our railway system is. Apart from some countries in Africa, I have seen the dirtiest trains with very little comfort in Sri Lanka. As a Sri Lankan, my experiences in these trains are the same, so there is nothing to be surprised about. Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you and ashamed of ourselves for seeing these things. Waiting for the next train ride vlog (from Sri Lanka)
My bolas , these cheap tourists come to our country and want everything good and cheap. And our beggars bow for a dollar. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself why dont you go out and protest against those sangams who hold our transport, health and education for ransom.
I like the station and its surroundings, it looks vintage and quite clean, but inside the sleeper train it's really unacceptable, it should be fine if the train is old but at least it should be clean... standard seat is much better.. love the video
Dulu kereta api di Indonesia seperti itu, tapi sekarang berbeda. Sekarang sudah jauh lebih baik. Saya berharap Sri langka, Banglades dan Taiwan bergabung dengan Asean.
The opening seconds of this video told you all you needed to know about this trip !! Definitely the day trip with AC. Have to say a fantastic sunset with great views also ! :)
I totally agree with you; I had to face this situation a while ago. The challenges with the sleeper train in Sri Lanka can be quite frustrating at times. Let's hope for improvements to make the experience more comfortable for passengers.
As always an excellent vlog. Camera work and narration is always top notch! That room really doesn't look so bad, the "Special Sleeper" on the train between Bagan and Rangoon was every bit as dire and came with terrible track conditions and a very odd room arrangement. The bog was unspeakable. On the other hand the scenery was very dramatic. The crew accommodating and the group of Tatmadaw officers were friendly and we traded many rounds of beers. The overnight train from the Chinese border to Hanoi was about the same when the meter gauge line was still used for the overnight train connecting to Beijing. So this looks like real elemental railroading nothing fancy, nothing to separate you from a real travel experience.
Wow it doesn’t look the best 😂 but I’m from Sri Lanka and I’ve never even knew we had sleeper trains. Because Sri Lanka is small country normally people just go on the normal seats. But still interesting to see thanks for the video😊
At Colombo Fort Station there is an office called 'BERTH BOOKING'. I tried to find what this office is, and found that it is for booking Night Sleeper Cabins in advance so that you are sure to get a sleeping facility.
I've been on the Columbo to Kandy journey. No first class on my train and SriLankans all have very sharp elbows That train looked quite grubby, yes. There was no really rough bumpy parts on the video but I sure there were quite a few in reality. Yes wonderful views and Cheap tickets, my cheapest was 5p. Also all the beautiful British manual Signals and stations.
Lol, the shared toilet could prove problematic. I note your warning to lock both sides ... and hope that the person on the other side remembers to unlock both sides as well.
I can only say i admire your courage to have taken that train! We hear too often about train accidents and issues from Sri Lanka, so i guess it's the whole system that doesn't work. The country has an incredible beauty and it's sad to see that they don't care about basic needs in transports for their citizens. Awesome report like always!
Problem is more about corruption and stuff like that from who is in charge, but better don't talk about cause we are in an relaxing channel-@@shrey.kalinga_nat
Well Mr. Bandula The Minister of Transport Sri Lanka please consider into this regard ...... And please see other country Railway lines & imagine what we should do here ...... For foreigners of coure no matter ...... We shoul raised the ticket up to 30 USD For Sri Lankan's of course it would be 20 USD ...... Now also you are charging Rs.5000/- for this instant ..... Colombo to Badulla Fairs ..... Do better with out failure ..... As it is very essential & important for all Sri Lankans & Foreigners as well who visit here ......
I once took Amtrak from NYC to Savannah and I was sound asleep somewhere in either southern NC or northern SC and it felt like the train slammed sideways. It was incredibly hard and loud and I thought we had hit another train or derailed but we hadn't. I don't know if a switch was lined wrong or what but we definitely went sideways in a violent slam motion. It was like nothing I have ever felt before. The Amtrak trains are very bad but compared to the Third World they look amazing. The cost of a coach plane ticket is 250 dollars one way The cost of an Amtrak sleeper is 850 dollars one way It is sickening how much they charge for so little. The fact that I was able to sleep the whole night was the best part and the fact that I could take a shower an hour before I arrived.
We only took one train in Sri Lanka, from Fort to our hotel along the coast in the direction of Galle. Ours was a commuter train which was full. When I say full, I really really mean it. I noticed that everyone with a backpack would put it on the overhead luggage racks (thanks!) and the train filled up. We were totally jammed in the train - forget seats. Some people were double decking on the seats. The breath was being squeezed out of our bodies! When we arrived at my station it was almost impossible to get out - it required rugby scrum efforts to get to the door - where of course others were trying to get in. I was resigning myself to travelling to a far station and taking a taxi back. First (and perhaps last) time on a Sri Lanken train. Additional cars, trains and facilities are desperately needed, I wish the Chinese would provide some of these instead of just providing new port facilities.
Sorry, you picked up the worst train on best scenic route in a good country! Perhaps, the better choices are the newer Ella Odyssey or Yaal Nila. ... and please do take into consideration that Sri Lanka is just modernising their railway with Chinese / Indian help ... but most you see is British legacy.... that will change in some years.
5:20 At least it's got its own private restroom facilities :) Back in the China in the 70's and 80's, the sleeper trains had two types: "hard bunk" and "soft bunk". The hard version (the bed is still padded, though) didn't have walls or doors; the soft one did have its own compartment, with door that could be closed, but no bathroom/toilet :)
Been to Sri Lanka several times, but never rode a train. We always (as tourists) hired Taxi, notably up to Kandy on a two day trip. Beautiful country. We mean to go back soon. However, the prices have escalated so much, and now coupled with high Visa prices, it may not happen. If we do we will try the train to kandy .
In Sri Lanka, night train is a last option even for a local (cz longest train ride may be 12 hrs and u can reach same destination by bus within 5-6 hrs or less) that may be the reason authorities don’t bother upgrading the quality of night trains. Night trains are mostly use as mail trains and not as passenger trains (the may had used as passenger trains in past). The day trains are upgraded and u can reach to the same destination with a lower cost. But thank u for showing us another tourist attraction, so we can upgrade the quality of service…
Thanks for sharing. It would be nice to take that trip during daylight for the scenery. The "first class" cabin looked discusting. How much would it take, to do a quick refurb, or a coat of paint, or even a good cleaning??
Nice video! Probably the reason for the below average maintenance of this particular Train is the lack of patronage from the general public due to its route, which appears uneconomical. However it is an anachronism considering how neat & clean Sri Lanka generally is!
I like my comforts so that would be a no from me. But I'm just not sold on sleepers or night trains in general. I love looking out of the window and taking in the views. Maybe if it was a boring route I'd done a few times before, but I don't think any route could be boring for 8 hours.
Hi, I'm from Sri Lanka, and I'm truly sorry for the bad experience you had in there. Honestly, I hope this train is a night mail train which is for the locals and especially not suitable for tourists. I accept that it's not even suitable for locals even. But if you are still in SL, I advise you to have an experience with trains dedicated to tourists to get the best experience. Again, I'm sorry for what happened to you. 🙏🙏
Imagine how nice it would be if they just cleaned and upgraded a bit. The cabin size was roomy, and an on-site bathroom is convenient. Even that little sink area would be useful and is unusual for a train sleeper. It's just too bad they don't keep it vintage like the train station.
Yes, but their politicians have not yet figured out how to get a piece of the investent cake for themselves. Once they do, the refurbishing will come swiftly.
1. The train travels at that pace due to the steep recline gradient of 1:55 at some points. Once it passes Rambukkana it will travel around at an average 60-80kmph which is the average speed of trains in Sri Lanka. 2. There is a buffet compartment in the middle of the train and the crew goes from compartment to compartment also. 3. The sleeper cabin that you had to take looked horrible. Seems like the one they've taken out of the service recently. There have been a major overhaul since then but one might come across situations like this as Sri Lanka is going through a lot of problems these days and the Railway is barely keeping up.
@@NonstopEurotrip probably they weren't allowed in the sleeper compartments or they just assume the passengers are asleep. However in other compartments things are different.
Did you see the token (a ring) given @1:25? A simple but working safety system. The token meant the train had the rignt to drive to this particular station. A new token is given when it has the right to continue.
sistema de bloqueo por palo de vía libre acá en Argentina, todavía lo usamos en prácticamente toda la red, las señales automáticas no llegan mucho más allá de Buenos Aires.
I have been on the train to Badulla when it was pulled by a steam engine in the 1960's. It was a day train from Colombo Fort. We were kids then and enjoyed the train ride.
Yeah, I know that Sri Lanka has a pretty terrible train, but we, in Sri Lanka lack the funding for it, we get new car sets in 2019 called "ICF" which are very new and modern compared to these, however, they haven't ordered SLEEPER carriages, this is due to not so high-demand for it, even if night-mail trains are daily and branch out to many parts of Sri Lanka, people can't usually afford the sleeper compartment due to the price, so Sri Lanka prefers to spend their funding on the newer passenger cars used also for long distance but which are sadly not adapted (if I remember correctly) for the up-country line [or the Mainline] (Polgahawela Junction - Badulla). So yeah, a quick little reason why they're so terrible, but nevertheless, at least it's something, at least they try to provide a service, unlike my home country... Spain which removed their "Trenhotels". Anyways, I do feel bad for you having to experience it this way, but I do hope they get an improve, tho, most of these old 1980 romanian coaches are finally getting refurbished, which maybe soon the 1st class sleeper trains will too, so then it will be slightly less more "worse". But anyways, thanks for reviewing Sri Lanka's Upcountry line (on the worst possible service, I always recommend the Ella Odyssey if doing the full up-country line [Runs on Thu/Sat from Colombo to Badulla and Fri/Sun from Badulla to Colombo]). And with that written down, bye bye, and hoping to see another video of Sri Lanka!
I apologize to you as a Sri Lankan for the inconvenience caused. For a long time, we have been living under this evil rule. Not only the railways, Education, Government offices, Government hospitals, transportation facilities that provide all the facilities for the common people have collapsed in this way and become unusable. The taxes collected from the people are used by the civil servants and politicians for their own needs and do not try to improve any public facilities.
I feel for you & completely understand. We have the same problem here in the US with an unqualified & inept president and his merry band of socialist misfits.
Fabulous! Thank you for the report. If I may suggest, lack of A/C would be more interesting if you described the ambient temperatures. Conditions aboard seem very pleasant for the locality you're in - I'm sure those 2nd/3rd class seats are packed to the gills at times, with good folks who can only dream of the hardships you endured! Might I suggest you constrain your further adventures to the likes of the Orient Express?
Hi, We are Sri Lankan, born New Zealand citizens. During our last trip we went on a day time trip to Badulla by Ella Odyssey train in first class. That was an awesome journey. I recommend it to anyone who visit Sri Lanka.
I travelled on the Night Mail Train in 1978. The cabin currently looks like it has not been maintained since then, including cleaning. I find that, in Sri Lanka, it is better to take newer trains. At least the seats are somewhat modern...
This is true, I can remember my father used to take me in a sleeper cab in 1988 from my Colombo boarding school to my home in Batticaloa for holidays and it was the same as today
Yeah, the train fare is ok - they just should rename it as the "night mare service" 😬😱. This so-called train certainly looks like it came straight out of Silent Hill 🚂👻💀🤣 !
Cleaning it for 8 minutes will make those hours following so much more enjoyable. The other classes didn't look that bad to me...expected the worst possible.
the world is a big place... to call this the worst, would certainly be a little melodramatic. though I do agree a country like Sri Lanka should have afforded slightly better.... still, this is actually a somewhat dirty, but functional and OK looking old colonial carriage... both the lights and the fan was working, and to be honest, whilst the cleanliness is not the best, the WC could be a lot worse... generally, it looks a little better than other railways with similar period rolling stock (arguably, better than some services even in greater historic-Europe, though that is a point of contention)... I would say it looks from the inside what one expects looking from the outside.... a working, not falling apart, but not particularly cared for, Indian meter-gauge sleeper style design/ for "worst sleeper" many former colonies operate this same train type of carriage, but in a far worse condition... even still calling it "1st class"
@@NonstopEurotrip worst sleeper, or worst sleeper to claim first class??? some elements of the feeling (the amount of odor or rattling) the are obviously non-filmable in nature... but I would say it's probably a grade to half a grade better than my personal worst experience.... to make my point clearer: here I'll just list a few things that did work: 1. most or all of the lights are operational (and as an additional extra bonus stay so throughout the journey) 2. the train is sub-divided into coupes (not open plan "Platzcart") 3. whilst in bad need of a wash, all parts of the internal subdivisions are structurally sound. 4. all shown windows, are actual windows (rather than metal grates), not cracked, & even mostly transparent....
In Australia, just to go from one station to another cost about aud 5/=, that is about Rs.1100/=. So it is much cheaper. I agree with you that the toilet are so dirty. I can remember as a child, good old days, first class compartment was really first class, every thing was clean and well maintained. This shows lack of concerned from the staff who should supervise. It is unfortunate, that other countris are developing and our country is going down.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you by travelling on a most expensive(compared to normal sri lankan public) sleeper on SL Railways. This was mainly due to the highly corrupted regimes we have at present. They won't spend funding to improve the infrastructure unless they get large sum of commissions in foreign currency as commissions for their personal bank accounts operating from Sri Lanka. They have funding to import their own luxurious vehicles such as Porschs, Ferraris, AshtonMartins, BMWs, Mercs and Toyota 4WDs while others travelling on unmaintained public transport. This country is now governed by fully corrupted bunch of politicians..nothing pass thru the parliament of sri lanka unless each person get a cut/Commision or bribe even the normal labourer get a commission. All major projects such as New Int.Airport and Harbour in Hambanthota, Nelum Kuluna-Colombo City, Colombo City beach Reclamation with BOI were done with high level of corruptions with Corrupted Chinese Govt. These were the reasons that SriLanka Govt did not have funding to maintain or update the public transport infrastructure upto the world standards. We lost a new city rail project with JICA (Japan) due to high level of political corruptions. Hope and wish the next govt of sri lanka under NPP will sort them out from top to bottom next year. All the best for the new political party NPP. NPPyata jayamah vewaa !! NOTE: Thanks so much for the photos of the sleeper, toilets and cupboards on that sleeper for the public viewing. This is how we treat the tourists who were our foreign exchange earners !
The Sri Lankan people themselves are a big part of the problems their nation faces. Politicians are indeed crooks, but the people are doing the same things as their leaders on a smaller scale. The collective mindset of the nation has to change. Spend time in a country like Japan and observe their society as a whole. Observe their discipline, worth ethic, professionalism, civic consciousness etc then you will understand, why their country managed to rise from almost being totally wrecked at the end of WW2, to surpassing the west in just a few decades.
the fact that you've got a running water and a semi-private toilet (WITH BIDET!!!) is good enough rather than having to share toilet with the rest. there's nothing good 'ol water, a little soap & wet wipes couldn't do. and westeners usually don't clean themselves with water after, so what's a little filthy cabin can do to you? it's all part of the experience😂 Love the video tho. I've been wanting to go to Sri Lanka but too scared to go solo. this train ride is so interesting~~
@@akr.... there is a huge demand and potential for train travel in Sri Lanka, but severe lack of funding, courrupt politics and powerful railway workers trade unions prevents anything good from happening to the railway system. As a result massive train delays, train derailments, signalling system break downs, train cancellations are very common. But even so, still hundreds of thousands of people use the railway system everyday in Sri Lanka.
Di indonesia jakarta - yogyakarta jaraknya lebih dari 500 km ditempuh waktu sekitar 6 jam, tapi kenapa di srilanka jarak 300 km memakan waktu sampai 11 jam ??
@@Emilyy552 sorry my mistake, we booked with 12go.asia and they booked them on our behalf and we collected the paper ticket from their agent in Colombo when we arrived.
As a Sri Lankan I'm totally agree with you. But this night train is not suitable and 100% not recommend for tourist and it is a night mail train. (not suitable for locals too, but locals are used this train for their easy travel purposes!). But if you are a real adventure seeker, it will be amazing tour. Mostly this night mail train is used by the locals for travel. You should try day trains!
Thanks for the video. It is indeed the world's worst 1st class sleeper compartment. It is a bit of a surprise that SL railway has invested money in nice daytime trains but disregarded the night mail. Maybe it's not popular among tourists but regardless there is no excuse for leaving the compartment so dirty especially the empty bottle and used napkins. Why couldn't they spend 10 minutes cleaning the compartment with disinfectant? I've heard that sleeper compartments were beautiful and clean in the 50s and before. British cleaning standards and discipline still applied back then but slowly started to deteriorate when Sri Lankan authorities started taking over.
Never thought I’d feel so much respect for Indian Railways😂 After this video I feel Indian Railways is heaven. Faster, cleaner washrooms, coaches, and rapid modernisation that is underway too. Can’t imagine they call this “first class” even Hope they can fix it for the better soon enough!
For the price and that it’s not a country that puts money into its infrastructure for the railways I’m not surprised about the conditions but saying that a bucket of water and cleansing liquids wouldn’t go amiss and a few gallons of paint would spruce it up a bit,nice honest report
Hi friends, don't forget to try the first fast train in Southeast Asia in Indonesia with the Jakarta Bandung route which was just inaugurated yesterday by President Jokowi. This train travels at a speed of 350km/hour which makes it the fastest train in the southern hemisphere.
Sri Lanka is very small country where the requirement for a sleeper train for local transport is pretty much less. While Accepting the below average condition in this Train for a passenger I would recommend you far more better options for the same trip. If you are a tourist or even a local who wishes to experience this breath taking journey try something like odyssy train. There are some more morning trains which are far better as s well.
Yes, night mail first class not much comfortable. I accept that. But why do u see only this? Why dont u ride udarata manike morning train? Then may be u will realize how beauty this journey is only if u dont judge the book by its cover
Sri Lankans tom tomming themselves about how clean and great their country is needed a reality check. This video nicely gives it. While the country is a gem however people there will leave no stone unturned to demean other countries while praising theirs.
What a shame such a lovely scenery & gorgeous country site & i don't mind old wagons or locomotives they have lots of charm BUT hygiene is simply non negotiable, i don't care how cheap or expensive the ride is, it HAS to be clean. I guess no one has complained enough about the horrific state of those wagons... You are a real trooper m8, if id seen the filthy mess inside, i would have canceled my ride.
Bersyukur di indonesia kereta macam itu telah punah...saya telah melihat vidio anda di indonesia..terima kasih telah memberi tanggapan positif untuk transportasi indonesia...
I can understand where you are coming from. However, please remember: Thanks to British rule or should I say loot for 200 years, no one should expect countries like India, Sri Lanka etc to have a great luxury in their lifestyle, obviously railways included so soon. It takes a lot of time. I agree that the compartments should be clean etc. What I am saying is someone coming from UK and criticizing like this is not very appropriate. In India, I have seen worst situations earlier. Things are improving a lot there, due to the economic growth. Sri Lanka needs a big boost on that front. Until then you will see many things you can criticize, not just this one train. If you guys want to enjoy great trains and other facilities, please do that in the UK, where all those are provided through the looted wealth.
Yeah a lot of railway lines in once colonized countries like Sri Lanka were built for transporting goods with passenger travel being an after thought. Another example is Cuba, which actually got trains before Spain itself did. The then Queen Regent of Spain, Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, approved the building of the first line in Cuba, which was a 27.5 km/17.1 miles line from Havana to Bejucal built by the Compañía de Caminos de Hierro de la Habana in November 1837. Cuba even has an interurban, the Hershey Electric Railway, which is Cuba's only electric line and was built by the Hershey Company between Havana and Matanzas via Hershey (now Camilo Cienfuegos) to transport sugar to the port at Havana.
Even St. Kitts has a railway. The track of the St. Kitts Scenic Railway was originally laid from 1912 to 1926, to deliver sugar cane from the plantations to the new centralized sugar mill in Basseterre. Previously, each plantation had its own sugar mill. Today, the 18-mile/29 km long line is a tourist train.
Nombre tu si sabes la historia jeje
I saw you many where.
Interesting!
Now Europe is going to get colonized, that is karma😂
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Just came back from Sri Lanka and honestly, I loved their trains! I didn't take this one, and I'll admit, it doesn't look luxurious, but it smells like adventure (the literal smell may be of something else though). I'd probably have the time of my life on board of this one :)
Absolutely amazing place isn't it!
Adventure smell that you've talking about is sweat and fart mixed with curry
@@EvaDers669your mistaken Sri Lanka for India
It's not Badolla it's Badulla ID10T
While the sleeper doesn't look the best, the surrounding Sri Lankan nature definitely makes up for it. The Class M6 was specifically manufactured by Thyssen-Henschel in Kassel under license from Electro-Motive Division in the US. These locomotives were originally imported for use on flat terrain, but they are very successful in higher terrain because of its Flexicoil bogies and dynamic brakes. As you brought up, this was built during the colonial period, and was first founded in 1858. During then, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. Ceylon was based off the name the Portuguese gave to the island, Ceilão. Ceylon then became a dominion in 1948, and then a republic in 1972 when they changed the name.
Sri Lanka has such a unique flag. The lion and the maroon background represent the Sinhalese, while the saffron border and four bo leaves represent the four Buddhist virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. The eight hairs on the lion's tail represents the Noble Eightfold Path. The stripes represent the country's two largest minorities, with the orange representing the Tamils living in Sri Lanka, and the green stripe representing the Sri Lankan Moors (Muslims of Sri Lanka). The golden yellow border represents the other minority communities of the country like Malays, Burghers, Kaffirs, and the indigenous Vedda.
U r an imposter.
Very nice briefing of Ceylon Flag. Thanks for the details.
❤❤❤❤
Thanks for your explanation!
Beautiful knowledge, bro. Thank you. We in Bengaluru also consume something called "Ceylon Paratha". Probably based of Sri Lanka as a name or eaten there. 👍
I mean for $15.....compared to what most hotels look like for that same price it honestly didn't look like the worst thing ever. Yeah it was run down and all but...$15!
I mean, at least the sheets were clean, right?
@@NonstopEurotrip the more I was thinking about it it seems like this train was marketed more for locals so probably for the average Sri Lankan it's a pretty nice service. But yes as a tourist I'd totally take the other train you rode during the day with AC.
@@NonstopEurotripClean sheets surrounded by shyte
You travel with an air mattress and a tarp. No wonder a 15 USD, ½ star hotel is luxurious to you
@@firstlast1047 ?
We rode the same train in 2016. The rough condition of the track made it scarely bumpy in places, we worried the train would come off. But we enjoyed the excitement of it all! IIRC our toilet, shared with the compartment next door, had a linkage to the locks so by locking yours it locked the other one. And vice versa - otherwise you could leave their door locked meaning your neighbours couldn't use it!
Thanks for sharing ☺️
You should try Myanmar, the line from Thazi to Shwenyaung and Inle Lake had switchbacks, rough track that landed one coaches wheels on the ties.
My late Father was a head engine driver & drove this train for five years.He was nicknamed "on time boss"by daily commuters of this train as he all way kept to time & no train tablet would be given to station master or assistant if not in full uniform (the tablet is to inform next station that train is on its way to its location )He was feared due to his strict decipline but loved by passengers & Badulla towns people .I used to love traveling by train as a kid & going thourgh tunnels as all kids,teens would hoot in passing tunnels.Sri lankas rails are very old & needs up grading & better compartments .
Thank you for sharing, that's very interesting 🙏🏻😊
Still impressed at the amount of mail an express being hauled. Not many old-school mail trains left in the world. Would’ve been neat to see how many “head end” cars of mail and express were on this train. Hopefully Sri Lanka can modernize its railways while maintaining this level of service, It’s something we’ve lost in most of the developed world.
Yes, but I guess with a comprehensive road network it's easier to do it that way. It was still a great experience!
Some Russian long distance trains have a very heavy mail business.
I travelled in this Badulla night mail train from Colombo in a second-class wagon 50 years ago during the school holidays in 1973 with my uncle. I remember the night mail left Fort at 8 p.m and arrived at Badulla the following day morning. It is the same train, same carriages, nothing changed. (But I still love these old rickety trains pulled by Hanschel locomotives). Then we caught Badulla to Potuvil bus and travelled to Siyambalanduwa (approximately 100 km from Badulla between Moneragala and Potuvil) where my uncle worked as a government surveyor. It took nearly a day for us to reach Siyambalanduwa from Colombo and there was only one bus that left Badulla at around 11 a.m. If you miss it that's it, wait for the next day. I remember reaching Siyambalanduwa at dusk and a few of his workers came to accompany us to the camp. I remember Siyambalanduwa only as a jungle, nothing was there. But I had real fun as a child at the surveyor's camp in the middle of the jungle.
Thanks for sharing!
Nice. I was in Bandarawela, nearly 25 years ago. We visited a SLBC station which should be modernized. I was very impressed by the beautiful nature. And I will never forget when the managers of the SLBC in Colombo made us (german IT broadcast engineers) a special present. A old vinyl record with a speech from Adolf H. We were a little bit confused, but kept on smiling. 😅
My favourite part of the video are the dusk and dawn segments, where the lights of the train, and the houses in the distance, give you the illusion of being in a safe, although not particularly clean, cocoon.
What I don't quite understand is the different attitudes towards cleanliness in public spaces. Not just between countries; it differs between people as well. Unless people live in abject poverty, it's rare to walk into someone's house and find it dirty. Maybe for a single male, but it's rare.
Friends of mine went to India. one strait on from Sri Lanka, and described how tables would be laden with lovely flower petals - but underneath, there would be rubbish. Obviously, if you go and visit someone, you'll find everything spic and span.
Sorry that you had to endure this for our benefit. At least, now we know how not to travel inside Sri Lanka. There's always that.
Yeah, it's very strange and I agree with you. I couldn't live like that, but I guess millions do on a daily basis. I'm glad I won't be taking this particular train again! The day trains are good though 😃
Thanks for the update
I've been on this train during our school holidays, a good 70 years ago. We hardly slept. Enjoyed the ride by night. It's sad to note how times have changed. Fortunately ,age does not permit a dismal trip. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it 😁
I’m a Sri Lankan and I feel sorry about it. :( Political leaders ruining my beautiful country 🥺
as if there was anything to be proud of....A failed nation...Always been
And of course crisis and corruptions🗿
I as an Indian share your sorrow and pain. My best wishes that the future is happy and prosperous for you and your country
@@abhijeetsharma3189Thank You god bless you
Sri Lankan people love to point fingers at their leaders, but they don't want to reflect on their own behaviour and mentality, that is contributing to the nations problems. If you don't understand what I mean, go and spend time in Japan or Korea and observe the general public over there. Then you will understand how the mindset of those people is so different to Sri Lankans, and why they managed to develop and rise so fast!
I have been on this track nearly 55 years back when the engines were steam. The steam engine would pull the train saying something like this "Uredata Manikata Pataputta Dekadeka"....those were the days fun nice clean and enjoyable especially when we were kids.
Interesting! I'd love to have experienced that 😀
I did too around that time. Railway was well maintained those days.
Haha it's ""Udarata Manike" which means Upcountry Darling - the name of the Highland train. All the trains have wonderful names 🙂🙂👍🏼👍🏼
I'm sorry you had to experience this... These carriages are from the 1980s and most of them have been newly refurbished and they are quite comfortable. This sleeper coach doesn't seem to have been refurbished for a while, the authorities should really look into maintaining these. As a railfan, it makes me really sad to see that everyone says our trains are dirty and all..
This railway was built by the British to replace bullock carts and horse-driven carriages. In the present this railway is already outdated, as trains running at speeds over 500km/h have become a reality. The distance of the railway from Colombo to Badulla is 288km compared to the road distance of 232km. The maximum possible speed along the stretch from Nawalapitiya to Badulla (150km) is around 32km/h. This railway cannot be developed, but can be preserved as a heritage railway. Even local passengers use this railway for the purpose of admiring the beauty of the Central Highlands and not as a fast and efficient transport mode.
I had a great time riding it 😄
EXACTLY!!!
That's the truth.
Dayananda Imbulaani (Nanda Imbulagoda )
It doesn't have to be fast, but has to be punctual, clean and comfortable. It's a shame on authorities as to how they maintain them. Don't think it had been washed even once after buying!!!
I watched this video and thank you for same!!
I am a Sri Lankan and i am very sorry for the inconveniences you have to bear with due to the poor conditions of this night train. I hope you will have a better ride next time. Please avoid the night trains.
I just wanted to try them, but I'll stick to the day trains now!
@@NonstopEurotrip Thank you for replying me!
No need to be sorry bro. Tourist come to experience things. If the trains were exactly same as their own countries, there's no experience.
මෙයා අපේ රට දුප්පත් කියලා දැනගෙනනේ ආවේ. ඒ නිවන මැදිරිය සුව පහසු නැතිනම් ඊළග ස්ටේශන් එකෙන් බැහැලා වෙනත්ලස්
Hey! Nonstop.
I have watched every video uploaded on this channel in the last 2-3 years. All that time I thought how bad our railway system is. Apart from some countries in Africa, I have seen the dirtiest trains with very little comfort in Sri Lanka.
As a Sri Lankan, my experiences in these trains are the same, so there is nothing to be surprised about.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you and ashamed of ourselves for seeing these things.
Waiting for the next train ride vlog (from Sri Lanka)
Well the views probably make up for everything else...the bed looked great.
My bolas , these cheap tourists come to our country and want everything good and cheap. And our beggars bow for a dollar. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself why dont you go out and protest against those sangams who hold our transport, health and education for ransom.
I still enjoyed the experience but I don't want to repeat it!
I like the station and its surroundings, it looks vintage and quite clean, but inside the sleeper train it's really unacceptable, it should be fine if the train is old but at least it should be clean... standard seat is much better.. love the video
Dulu kereta api di Indonesia seperti itu, tapi sekarang berbeda. Sekarang sudah jauh lebih baik. Saya berharap Sri langka, Banglades dan Taiwan bergabung dengan Asean.
Did you see those beautiful wooden rails at the ticket office!?!?!
The opening seconds of this video told you all you needed to know about this trip !! Definitely the day trip with AC. Have to say a fantastic sunset with great views also ! :)
Yeah maybe I shouldn't put the co conclusion at the start lol 😆
@@NonstopEurotrip it's fine :)
I hope they preserve this station for its historical value
Absolutely!
I totally agree with you; I had to face this situation a while ago. The challenges with the sleeper train in Sri Lanka can be quite frustrating at times. Let's hope for improvements to make the experience more comfortable for passengers.
Absolutely 💯
As always an excellent vlog. Camera work and narration is always top notch!
That room really doesn't look so bad, the "Special Sleeper" on the train between Bagan and Rangoon was every bit as dire and came with terrible track conditions and a very odd room arrangement. The bog was unspeakable. On the other hand the scenery was very dramatic. The crew accommodating and the group of Tatmadaw officers were friendly and we traded many rounds of beers.
The overnight train from the Chinese border to Hanoi was about the same when the meter gauge line was still used for the overnight train connecting to Beijing.
So this looks like real elemental railroading nothing fancy, nothing to separate you from a real travel experience.
Glad you enjoyed the video and thand you for your kind kind comments 🙏🏻 I hope to go to Burma soon! 😀
Wow it doesn’t look the best 😂 but I’m from Sri Lanka and I’ve never even knew we had sleeper trains. Because Sri Lanka is small country normally people just go on the normal seats. But still interesting to see thanks for the video😊
Thanks for watching!
At Colombo Fort Station there is an office called 'BERTH BOOKING'. I tried to find what this office is, and found that it is for booking Night Sleeper Cabins in advance so that you are sure to get a sleeping facility.
I don't mind run down so much as not clean. As long as the room is scoured clean, I can put up with a lot.
Same tbh
I've been on the Columbo to Kandy journey. No first class on my train and SriLankans all have very sharp elbows
That train looked quite grubby, yes. There was no really rough bumpy parts on the video but I sure there were quite a few in reality. Yes wonderful views and Cheap tickets, my cheapest was 5p. Also all the beautiful British manual Signals and stations.
Lol, the shared toilet could prove problematic. I note your warning to lock both sides ... and hope that the person on the other side remembers to unlock both sides as well.
Exactly 😹
The locks are actually linked. When u lock from inside both lock and vice versa so not an issue :)
I can only say i admire your courage to have taken that train! We hear too often about train accidents and issues from Sri Lanka, so i guess it's the whole system that doesn't work. The country has an incredible beauty and it's sad to see that they don't care about basic needs in transports for their citizens. Awesome report like always!
Problem is more about corruption and stuff like that from who is in charge, but better don't talk about cause we are in an relaxing channel-@@shrey.kalinga_nat
Yep, I agree with all that!
Very well presented with a sprinkle of historic facts and most importantly without sugar coating 😅. Hats off to you.
Thanks a lot 😊
Well Mr. Bandula
The Minister of Transport
Sri Lanka
please consider
into this regard ......
And please see
other country
Railway lines & imagine what we should do here ......
For foreigners
of coure no matter ......
We shoul raised the ticket up to 30 USD
For Sri Lankan's
of course it
would be
20 USD ......
Now also you are charging Rs.5000/-
for this instant .....
Colombo to Badulla
Fairs .....
Do better with
out failure .....
As it is very essential
& important for all Sri Lankans & Foreigners as well who visit here ......
I once took Amtrak from NYC to Savannah and I was sound asleep somewhere in either southern NC or northern SC and it felt like the train slammed sideways. It was incredibly hard and loud and I thought we had hit another train or derailed but we hadn't.
I don't know if a switch was lined wrong or what but we definitely went sideways in a violent slam motion.
It was like nothing I have ever felt before.
The Amtrak trains are very bad but compared to the Third World they look amazing.
The cost of a coach plane ticket is 250 dollars one way
The cost of an Amtrak sleeper is 850 dollars one way
It is sickening how much they charge for so little.
The fact that I was able to sleep the whole night was the best part and the fact that I could take a shower an hour before I arrived.
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻
this video makes Indian Railways look really good ... i guess it's all relative !
😬😬😬
We only took one train in Sri Lanka, from Fort to our hotel along the coast in the direction of Galle. Ours was a commuter train which was full. When I say full, I really really mean it. I noticed that everyone with a backpack would put it on the overhead luggage racks (thanks!) and the train filled up. We were totally jammed in the train - forget seats. Some people were double decking on the seats. The breath was being squeezed out of our bodies! When we arrived at my station it was almost impossible to get out - it required rugby scrum efforts to get to the door - where of course others were trying to get in. I was resigning myself to travelling to a far station and taking a taxi back. First (and perhaps last) time on a Sri Lanken train. Additional cars, trains and facilities are desperately needed, I wish the Chinese would provide some of these instead of just providing new port facilities.
I've experienced some of those too 😆
Sorry, you picked up the worst train on best scenic route in a good country! Perhaps, the better choices are the newer Ella Odyssey or Yaal Nila. ... and please do take into consideration that Sri Lanka is just modernising their railway with Chinese / Indian help ... but most you see is British legacy.... that will change in some years.
-ha ha youtube creators doing this very often for views and $$$$$, they try to chock people and on YT it works, people like to watch crap videos ;)
Don't worry, I did the others too 😜
I know and they are very good, In fact Im thinking here about other creators who are much "worse he ha" than you ;)
I know and they are good too !
5:20 At least it's got its own private restroom facilities :)
Back in the China in the 70's and 80's, the sleeper trains had two types: "hard bunk" and "soft bunk". The hard version (the bed is still padded, though) didn't have walls or doors; the soft one did have its own compartment, with door that could be closed, but no bathroom/toilet :)
Shared bathroom
Check out the China High Speed Rail video from this same content creator
bullsht ive been take China soft and hard bunk. every train on the earth have toilet otherwise people will shit on their bed
@@csl3989 *Private* bathroom within the compartment.
Been to Sri Lanka several times, but never rode a train. We always (as tourists) hired Taxi, notably up to Kandy on a two day trip.
Beautiful country. We mean to go back soon. However, the prices have escalated so much, and now coupled with high Visa prices, it may not happen.
If we do we will try the train to kandy .
Thanks for sharing!
The best part is Hatton to Ella roughly 4hrs...All touristes come to visit this part..
@@donmudit2257 video coming soon 😉
In Sri Lanka, night train is a last option even for a local (cz longest train ride may be 12 hrs and u can reach same destination by bus within 5-6 hrs or less) that may be the reason authorities don’t bother upgrading the quality of night trains. Night trains are mostly use as mail trains and not as passenger trains (the may had used as passenger trains in past). The day trains are upgraded and u can reach to the same destination with a lower cost. But thank u for showing us another tourist attraction, so we can upgrade the quality of service…
Hardly, the train was full.
Thanks for sharing. It would be nice to take that trip during daylight for the scenery. The "first class" cabin looked discusting. How much would it take, to do a quick refurb, or a coat of paint, or even a good cleaning??
Good call!
Higher expenses due to inflation, I think, is the problem, year after year.
Nice video! Probably the reason for the below average maintenance of this particular Train is the lack of patronage from the general public due to its route, which appears uneconomical. However it is an anachronism considering how neat & clean Sri Lanka generally is!
I like my comforts so that would be a no from me. But I'm just not sold on sleepers or night trains in general. I love looking out of the window and taking in the views. Maybe if it was a boring route I'd done a few times before, but I don't think any route could be boring for 8 hours.
The route is great, and the day time trip will show this!
Hi, I'm from Sri Lanka, and I'm truly sorry for the bad experience you had in there. Honestly, I hope this train is a night mail train which is for the locals and especially not suitable for tourists. I accept that it's not even suitable for locals even. But if you are still in SL, I advise you to have an experience with trains dedicated to tourists to get the best experience. Again, I'm sorry for what happened to you. 🙏🙏
Don't worry, I did. The video will be coming soon!!!
Imagine how nice it would be if they just cleaned and upgraded a bit. The cabin size was roomy, and an on-site bathroom is convenient. Even that little sink area would be useful and is unusual for a train sleeper. It's just too bad they don't keep it vintage like the train station.
I totally agree! A small refurb would make all the difference!
Yes, but their politicians have not yet figured out how to get a piece of the investent cake for themselves. Once they do, the refurbishing will come swiftly.
Yup, I liked the style just not the hygiene.
Cleaning up is a no-no in the genetic makeup of South Asians.
1. The train travels at that pace due to the steep recline gradient of 1:55 at some points. Once it passes Rambukkana it will travel around at an average 60-80kmph which is the average speed of trains in Sri Lanka.
2. There is a buffet compartment in the middle of the train and the crew goes from compartment to compartment also.
3. The sleeper cabin that you had to take looked horrible. Seems like the one they've taken out of the service recently. There have been a major overhaul since then but one might come across situations like this as Sri Lanka is going through a lot of problems these days and the Railway is barely keeping up.
Thanks for sharing! We weren't offered food at any point in the journey
@@NonstopEurotrip probably they weren't allowed in the sleeper compartments or they just assume the passengers are asleep. However in other compartments things are different.
i think do you want meal ticket price should increse.@@NonstopEurotrip
@@NonstopEurotripThat's too bad. Didn't this train had a canteen at least!?
@@janath9118 it does have a canteen wagon in the middle of the train
Did you see the token (a ring) given @1:25? A simple but working safety system. The token meant the train had the rignt to drive to this particular station. A new token is given when it has the right to continue.
Indeed, yes
Yes. It has a technical name or a nick-name called TABLET. It comes back to the station when the next train comes in the opposite direction.
sistema de bloqueo por palo de vía libre acá en Argentina, todavía lo usamos en prácticamente toda la red, las señales automáticas no llegan mucho más allá de Buenos Aires.
@@eduardosantabaya5348 Un método simple y bueno, a menudo los sistemas antiguos pueden ser más seguros que las nuevas tecnologías complejas.
I have been on the train to Badulla when it was pulled by a steam engine in the 1960's. It was a day train from Colombo Fort. We were kids then and enjoyed the train ride.
Great fun!!
This train is very old one,but their are so many modern train to go round for Sri Lanka
Hopefully they will upgrade soon 😃
@@NonstopEurotrip only the night mail is not upgraded. Unfortunately u have travelled only the night mail. That is unfortunate
Yeah, I know that Sri Lanka has a pretty terrible train, but we, in Sri Lanka lack the funding for it, we get new car sets in 2019 called "ICF" which are very new and modern compared to these, however, they haven't ordered SLEEPER carriages, this is due to not so high-demand for it, even if night-mail trains are daily and branch out to many parts of Sri Lanka, people can't usually afford the sleeper compartment due to the price, so Sri Lanka prefers to spend their funding on the newer passenger cars used also for long distance but which are sadly not adapted (if I remember correctly) for the up-country line [or the Mainline] (Polgahawela Junction - Badulla). So yeah, a quick little reason why they're so terrible, but nevertheless, at least it's something, at least they try to provide a service, unlike my home country... Spain which removed their "Trenhotels". Anyways, I do feel bad for you having to experience it this way, but I do hope they get an improve, tho, most of these old 1980 romanian coaches are finally getting refurbished, which maybe soon the 1st class sleeper trains will too, so then it will be slightly less more "worse". But anyways, thanks for reviewing Sri Lanka's Upcountry line (on the worst possible service, I always recommend the Ella Odyssey if doing the full up-country line [Runs on Thu/Sat from Colombo to Badulla and Fri/Sun from Badulla to Colombo]). And with that written down, bye bye, and hoping to see another video of Sri Lanka!
Thanks for sharing... more Sri Lanka coming soon!
I apologize to you as a Sri Lankan for the inconvenience caused.
For a long time, we have been living under this evil rule.
Not only the railways, Education, Government offices, Government hospitals, transportation facilities that provide all the facilities for the common people have collapsed in this way and become unusable.
The taxes collected from the people are used by the civil servants and politicians for their own needs and do not try to improve any public facilities.
It's a shame but they do well with limited resources!!
I feel for you & completely understand. We have the same problem here in the US with an unqualified & inept president and his merry band of socialist misfits.
Also dysfunctional US congress due to merry band of bible and gun wielders! @@chrisdean6700
Fabulous! Thank you for the report. If I may suggest, lack of A/C would be more interesting if you described the ambient temperatures. Conditions aboard seem very pleasant for the locality you're in - I'm sure those 2nd/3rd class seats are packed to the gills at times, with good folks who can only dream of the hardships you endured! Might I suggest you constrain your further adventures to the likes of the Orient Express?
Why would I do that?
You should go to Indonesia now that it has a bullet train with a speed of 350kmh I hope you come and try it
It's not open yet
@@NonstopEurotrip You can also try our country's local trains which have executive class, business class, luxury. I hope you can come.
Hi, We are Sri Lankan, born New Zealand citizens. During our last trip we went on a day time trip to Badulla by Ella Odyssey train in first class. That was an awesome journey. I recommend it to anyone who visit Sri Lanka.
Absolutely! See my next Sri Lankan video :)
I travelled on the Night Mail Train in 1978. The cabin currently looks like it has not been maintained since then, including cleaning. I find that, in Sri Lanka, it is better to take newer trains. At least the seats are somewhat modern...
This is true, I can remember my father used to take me in a sleeper cab in 1988 from my Colombo boarding school to my home in Batticaloa for holidays and it was the same as today
Maybe a bit better then lol
For scenery Srilanka is amazing. But if you talk about the train. 😢
This video made me respect Indian Railways a bit. The 1A of Indian Railways is just incredible and 2A as well. Things go downhill after them.
Why didn't you take the intercity express train???😮😮😮. Very comfy and AC compartments, clean toilets. Double the price though.
I did, in the other direction 🙂
Intercity train seat not comfortable but train interior is looks cool
You’ve got the wrong train 😅, you should go with blue one.
Nope, this is the one I wanted to review. We went out on the blue train. Video coming soon.
Yeah, the train fare is ok - they just should rename it as the "night mare service" 😬😱. This so-called train certainly looks like it came straight out of Silent Hill 🚂👻💀🤣 !
You should ride it bro! Better than spending 10+ hours on B777 economy.
😬😬😬
Depends where you're going, I guess.
World's worst, I don't think so, and I don't even have to think hard. Clean bedding and doors that lock. Pretty spiffy to me.
Seems you haven't travelled in some African trains 0:14
Yet 😂
Cleaning it for 8 minutes will make those hours following so much more enjoyable. The other classes didn't look that bad to me...expected the worst possible.
Exactly this ✌🏻
the world is a big place... to call this the worst, would certainly be a little melodramatic. though I do agree a country like Sri Lanka should have afforded slightly better....
still, this is actually a somewhat dirty, but functional and OK looking old colonial carriage... both the lights and the fan was working, and to be honest, whilst the cleanliness is not the best, the WC could be a lot worse...
generally, it looks a little better than other railways with similar period rolling stock (arguably, better than some services even in greater historic-Europe, though that is a point of contention)... I would say it looks from the inside what one expects looking from the outside.... a working, not falling apart, but not particularly cared for, Indian meter-gauge sleeper style design/
for "worst sleeper" many former colonies operate this same train type of carriage, but in a far worse condition... even still calling it "1st class"
Oh no sir. I’m a Sri Lankan and all the “night mail train in Sri Lanka” are worst you could Find.
It's definitely the worst of the 200+ i've been on
@@NonstopEurotrip worst sleeper, or worst sleeper to claim first class???
some elements of the feeling (the amount of odor or rattling) the are obviously non-filmable in nature... but I would say it's probably a grade to half a grade better than my personal worst experience....
to make my point clearer:
here I'll just list a few things that did work:
1. most or all of the lights are operational (and as an additional extra bonus stay so throughout the journey)
2. the train is sub-divided into coupes (not open plan "Platzcart")
3. whilst in bad need of a wash, all parts of the internal subdivisions are structurally sound.
4. all shown windows, are actual windows (rather than metal grates), not cracked, & even mostly transparent....
In Australia, just to go from one station to another cost about aud 5/=, that is about Rs.1100/=. So it is much cheaper. I agree with you that the toilet are so dirty. I can remember as a child, good old days, first class compartment was really first class, every thing was clean and well maintained. This shows lack of concerned from the staff who should supervise. It is unfortunate, that other countris are developing and our country is going down.
A great experience and good value but one I won't be repeating 😁
I am a Sri Lankan it’s not good to be in this I would like to take the day intercity a/c train it is comfortable
I did :)
Definitely people here don't complain abt it cos they're never used to anything new.hope they improve trains in south Asian countries
Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you by travelling on a most expensive(compared to normal sri lankan public) sleeper on SL Railways. This was mainly due to the highly corrupted regimes we have at present. They won't spend funding to improve the infrastructure unless they get large sum of commissions in foreign currency as commissions for their personal bank accounts operating from Sri Lanka. They have funding to import their own luxurious vehicles such as Porschs, Ferraris, AshtonMartins, BMWs, Mercs and Toyota 4WDs while others travelling on unmaintained public transport. This country is now governed by fully corrupted bunch of politicians..nothing pass thru the parliament of sri lanka unless each person get a cut/Commision or bribe even the normal labourer get a commission. All major projects such as New Int.Airport and Harbour in Hambanthota, Nelum Kuluna-Colombo City, Colombo City beach Reclamation with BOI were done with high level of corruptions with Corrupted Chinese Govt. These were the reasons that SriLanka Govt did not have funding to maintain or update the public transport infrastructure upto the world standards. We lost a new city rail project with JICA (Japan) due to high level of political corruptions. Hope and wish the next govt of sri lanka under NPP will sort them out from top to bottom next year. All the best for the new political party NPP. NPPyata jayamah vewaa !! NOTE: Thanks so much for the photos of the sleeper, toilets and cupboards on that sleeper for the public viewing. This is how we treat the tourists who were our foreign exchange earners !
These comments should be read by SL Railways and all the corruputed politicians of Sri Lanka on how other people think about Sri Lanka
I love your beautiful country 😍
The Sri Lankan people themselves are a big part of the problems their nation faces. Politicians are indeed crooks, but the people are doing the same things as their leaders on a smaller scale. The collective mindset of the nation has to change.
Spend time in a country like Japan and observe their society as a whole. Observe their discipline, worth ethic, professionalism, civic consciousness etc then you will understand, why their country managed to rise from almost being totally wrecked at the end of WW2, to surpassing the west in just a few decades.
the fact that you've got a running water and a semi-private toilet (WITH BIDET!!!) is good enough rather than having to share toilet with the rest. there's nothing good 'ol water, a little soap & wet wipes couldn't do. and westeners usually don't clean themselves with water after, so what's a little filthy cabin can do to you? it's all part of the experience😂
Love the video tho. I've been wanting to go to Sri Lanka but too scared to go solo. this train ride is so interesting~~
Sri Lanka isn't scary at all. All I ask is they learn how to use soap and water to clean the cabins.
Maybe Sri Lanka has better sleeper trains
As a sri lankan I wish we had better sleeper trains but no this is it unfortunately 😅
@@damianxavier7343 Oh, do you use trains a lot, like we do in India, where we use trains every time?
@@akr.... there is a huge demand and potential for train travel in Sri Lanka, but severe lack of funding, courrupt politics and powerful railway workers trade unions prevents anything good from happening to the railway system. As a result massive train delays, train derailments, signalling system break downs, train cancellations are very common. But even so, still hundreds of thousands of people use the railway system everyday in Sri Lanka.
@@damianxavier7343ooh
Spoiler: they don't
No need sorry bro because we also agree that worstest sleeper train 😂💔
Sri lanka always said old is gold😅
Amen 🙌🏻🤣
Thailand and Malaysia has, when you visit Indonesia sir?
It's really weird that many train trip vlog youtubers haven't been to indonesia
Hold that thought 🤔
@@NonstopEurotrip welcome to our homeland sir
Di indonesia jakarta - yogyakarta jaraknya lebih dari 500 km ditempuh waktu sekitar 6 jam, tapi kenapa di srilanka jarak 300 km memakan waktu sampai 11 jam ??
Sorry if I mentally skipped over it, how did you buy your ticket? And how far in advance?
Online, the day they went on sale 🙃
@@NonstopEurotrip haha nice. And you printed your ticket?
@@Emilyy552 sorry my mistake, we booked with 12go.asia and they booked them on our behalf and we collected the paper ticket from their agent in Colombo when we arrived.
The station is very retro and the ticket is printed on what we used to call computer paper.
Paper? Witchcraft..... 🪄
second and third class compartment look way better than sleeper one's 🙂, and this one is much better than Tanzanian one 😂
You're a brave man, Charlie Brown. At least the beds were clean.
I rode this train, so you don't have to 😂
I'd want to take the day train anyway for the view.@@NonstopEurotrip
As a Sri Lankan I'm totally agree with you. But this night train is not suitable and 100% not recommend for tourist and it is a night mail train. (not suitable for locals too, but locals are used this train for their easy travel purposes!). But if you are a real adventure seeker, it will be amazing tour. Mostly this night mail train is used by the locals for travel. You should try day trains!
I have don't worry- video coming soon!
Interesting video and indeed so pity that so old nation and so beautiful country is destroyed within, hm.. by whom and why?
By the shitty church and che guevara principles .
Another Excellent vlog! With that said, I have two words for this train set (Wrecking Ball)...
😂😂😂
Reminds me of Indonesian trains and stations in the 80s & 90s.
Thanks for the video. It is indeed the world's worst 1st class sleeper compartment. It is a bit of a surprise that SL railway has invested money in nice daytime trains but disregarded the night mail. Maybe it's not popular among tourists but regardless there is no excuse for leaving the compartment so dirty especially the empty bottle and used napkins. Why couldn't they spend 10 minutes cleaning the compartment with disinfectant? I've heard that sleeper compartments were beautiful and clean in the 50s and before. British cleaning standards and discipline still applied back then but slowly started to deteriorate when Sri Lankan authorities started taking over.
Exactly my thoughts!
இது ஆக குறைந்த விலைக்கு இருக்கும் கபின் ஆகும்.இதில் இங்கு உள்ளவர்களே பயணிப்பது இல்லை.குரைந்த விளைக்கு எது கிடைத்தாலும் அதில் ஓட்டை இருக்கும்😅
I know 😂😂😂
Thanks for the video, it very interesting
Glad you liked it!
Never thought I’d feel so much respect for Indian Railways😂
After this video I feel Indian Railways is heaven. Faster, cleaner washrooms, coaches, and rapid modernisation that is underway too.
Can’t imagine they call this “first class” even
Hope they can fix it for the better soon enough!
Yes, you are right 👍🏻
For the price and that it’s not a country that puts money into its infrastructure for the railways I’m not surprised about the conditions but saying that a bucket of water and cleansing liquids wouldn’t go amiss and a few gallons of paint would spruce it up a bit,nice honest report
Exactly my point ☝️
Hi friends, don't forget to try the first fast train in Southeast Asia in Indonesia with the Jakarta Bandung route which was just inaugurated yesterday by President Jokowi. This train travels at a speed of 350km/hour which makes it the fastest train in the southern hemisphere.
Can you provide a link to where I can get tickets please?
Sri Lanka is very small country where the requirement for a sleeper train for local transport is pretty much less. While Accepting the below average condition in this Train for a passenger I would recommend you far more better options for the same trip. If you are a tourist or even a local who wishes to experience this breath taking journey try something like odyssy train. There are some more morning trains which are far better as s well.
This is a review
Badulla night mail is a rail enthusiast's dream.
It sure is, but not again for me 😂
OMG, it's the "Toilet from Hell."
😬😬😬
After your video i know we have sleeper train😂😂😂
😂😂😂
@@NonstopEurotrip yeah no use sleeper train in Sri Lanka
Yes, night mail first class not much comfortable. I accept that. But why do u see only this? Why dont u ride udarata manike morning train? Then may be u will realize how beauty this journey is only if u dont judge the book by its cover
I have done this too
Instead of going onboard awful trains, please, do a review on Renfe's S121
Already edited 😉
@@NonstopEurotrip ok thanks. When will you release the video?
Sri Lankans tom tomming themselves about how clean and great their country is needed a reality check. This video nicely gives it. While the country is a gem however people there will leave no stone unturned to demean other countries while praising theirs.
Don't get me wrong, I love Sri Lanka!
What a shame such a lovely scenery & gorgeous country site & i don't mind old wagons or locomotives they have lots of charm BUT hygiene is simply non negotiable, i don't care how cheap or expensive the ride is, it HAS to be clean.
I guess no one has complained enough about the horrific state of those wagons... You are a real trooper m8, if id seen the filthy mess inside, i would have canceled my ride.
That's exactly my point ✌🏻
worst government services of the Best country in the world.
we are so sorry about this, as a Srilankan person we also hate government services.
Love Sri Lanka 😍😍😍
All over around sri lanka you can go within 6 hours. It's island For what sleeper train?😅
This one
Nice coverage
Thanks a lot 😊
Bersyukur di indonesia kereta macam itu telah punah...saya telah melihat vidio anda di indonesia..terima kasih telah memberi tanggapan positif untuk transportasi indonesia...
For a broad gauge route. Coaches looks very small. Once I thought it may be even be metre gauge
Pretty standard imo
As a srilankan im totally agree with this
I can understand where you are coming from. However, please remember: Thanks to British rule or should I say loot for 200 years, no one should expect countries like India, Sri Lanka etc to have a great luxury in their lifestyle, obviously railways included so soon. It takes a lot of time. I agree that the compartments should be clean etc. What I am saying is someone coming from UK and criticizing like this is not very appropriate. In India, I have seen worst situations earlier. Things are improving a lot there, due to the economic growth. Sri Lanka needs a big boost on that front. Until then you will see many things you can criticize, not just this one train.
If you guys want to enjoy great trains and other facilities, please do that in the UK, where all those are provided through the looted wealth.