Udarata Menike

Udarata Menike (උඩරට මැණිකේ, Up-Country Maiden) is a daytime passenger train operated by the Sri Lanka Railways that runs between Colombo and Badulla in the Highlands. Introduced in 1956, it is one of the first Named-passenger trains and one of the most popular trains among tourists and even among railfans in Sri Lanka.

End-to-end travel time of the route is 10–12 hours as the train climbs through the steep mountainous terrain during the majority of it's journey.

History
Named-Express Passenger trains were introduced in Ceylon in 1955 with the arrival of Class M1 and Class M2 locomotives from the United Kingdom and Canada respectively. The first train to be inaugurated was Ruhunu Kumari Express from Colombo to the Southern Sri Lankan cities of Galle and Matara. This train became very popular among Sri Lankans so the Government decided to introduce two another long-distance trains; Udarata Menike Express from Colombo to Badulla and Yarl Devi Express from Colombo to the Northern cities of Anuradhapura and Jaffna.

Both Udarata Menike and Yarl Devi made their maiden journeys on 23 April 1956. Udarata Menike was numbered as No. 15 for the Upward journey to Badulla and No. 16 as the Downward journey to Colombo.

In the 1960s, The Badulla-bound train departed Colombo at 9.30 a.m., while the Colombo-bound train left Badulla at 5.45a.m. The Train was equipped with 9 Carriages with an Observation Saloon attached to the end.

Services
The train offers three classes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd, The latter sometimes gets very crowded and carries only basic facilities. The train also includes a buffet car.

The observation saloon has been removed since the introduction of Class S12 DMUs.

Route
The Udarata Menike travels the length of Sri Lanka Railways' Main Line through the hill country.

The Udarata Menike begins its eastbound service at Colombo Fort Station and runs east and north past the centers of Ragama, Gampaha, Veyangoda, and Polgahawela. At Rambukkana, the Main Line begins its steep climb into the hills of the upcountry. Between Balana and Kadugannawa, the track clings to the side of sheer cliffs, providing views of Batalegala ('Bible' Rock). The train then continues its climb through the scenic tea country, connecting local market centers at Gampola, Nawalapitiya, and Hatton before reaching Nanu-Oya. This is the connection to the former colonial resort of Nuwara Eliya, still visited for its temperate climate, classic hotels, and British-style gardens. The Udarata Menika continues its ascent to the summit at Pattipola, 1898 m above sea level, before descending past Bandarawela to Badulla railway station. In the upcountry, passengers can view the tea gardens, mountains, valleys, and waterfalls.

Rolling stock
The service was run by M6 locomotives pulling Romanian-built ASTRA passenger coaches. This service is now carried out by Class S14 DMUs.