Fort Railway Station (Colombo)
Encyclopedia
Fort Railway Station is a major rail hub in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways
, with many inter-city and commuter trains entering each day. Fort Station is the main rail gateway to central Colombo; it is the terminus of most intercity trains in the country.
(Sri Lanka) in 1864, trains terminated at Colombo Terminus Station
, a now-retired station near Maradana. The earliest station to be called Fort was a small station, built in 1877 when the Coast Line was built. This original station sat on the site of present-day Secretariat Halt just west of today's Fort Station.
The present Fort Station was opened in 1917, as a new central station for Colombo. The station was built on land reclaimed from the Beira Lake
. This project was part of a scheme started in 1906 to reorganise the railway within Colombo, where Colombo Terminus Station was closed and replaced by the new Maradana Station
. Fort was added in 1917 to serve the city centre.
highways.
Fort Station is a couple kilometres away from Maradana Station, the other major rail station in Colombo.
Fort station is also a hub for commuter rail within the Colombo metropolis.
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways
Sri Lanka Railways
Sri Lanka Railway Department, branded "Sri Lanka Railways", is a key department of the Sri Lankan Government under the Ministry of Transport with a history that begins in 1858...
, with many inter-city and commuter trains entering each day. Fort Station is the main rail gateway to central Colombo; it is the terminus of most intercity trains in the country.
History
When the railways first opened in CeylonBritish Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
(Sri Lanka) in 1864, trains terminated at Colombo Terminus Station
Colombo Terminus Station
Colombo Terminus Station was the primary railway station in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the nineteenth century. It was retired from service at the beginning of the twentieth century and replaced by Maradana Station...
, a now-retired station near Maradana. The earliest station to be called Fort was a small station, built in 1877 when the Coast Line was built. This original station sat on the site of present-day Secretariat Halt just west of today's Fort Station.
The present Fort Station was opened in 1917, as a new central station for Colombo. The station was built on land reclaimed from the Beira Lake
Beira Lake
Beira Lake is a lake in the heart of the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The lake is surrounded by many important businesses in the city. It occupied approximately 165 hectares of land 100 years ago and has been reduced to mere 65 hectares today due to various reasons. During the colonial era of the...
. This project was part of a scheme started in 1906 to reorganise the railway within Colombo, where Colombo Terminus Station was closed and replaced by the new Maradana Station
Maradana Railway Station
Maradana Railway Station is a major rail hub in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways, with many inter-city and commuter trains entering each day. It is the terminus of several intercity trains.- History :...
. Fort was added in 1917 to serve the city centre.
Location
Fort Station is in the heart of the city, located next to Colombo Fort and Pettah and close to the meeting points of the A1 and A4A4 Highway (Sri Lanka)
The A4 Highway is the longest highway in Sri Lanka, at in length. It connects Colombo with Batticaloa, through a large number of important cities in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Eastern provinces....
highways.
Fort Station is a couple kilometres away from Maradana Station, the other major rail station in Colombo.
Services
The station is served from the east by the Main line, which leads to several other major routes in Sri Lanka's railway network. Most of these trains terminate at Fort Station. The station is served to the south-west by the Coastal line, leading to Gale and Matara.Fort station is also a hub for commuter rail within the Colombo metropolis.
| Preceding station | Sri Lanka Railways Sri Lanka Railways Sri Lanka Railway Department, branded "Sri Lanka Railways", is a key department of the Sri Lankan Government under the Ministry of Transport with a history that begins in 1858... |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
See also
- Railway stations in Sri Lanka
- Rail transport in Sri LankaRail transport in Sri LankaRail Transport in Sri Lanka consists of a heavy-rail intercity network connecting major population centres and commuter rail serving Colombo commuter traffic. State-run Sri Lanka Railways, originally known as Ceylon Government Railways, is the nation's railway owner and primary operator. The...
- List of railway stations by line order in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka RailwaysSri Lanka RailwaysSri Lanka Railway Department, branded "Sri Lanka Railways", is a key department of the Sri Lankan Government under the Ministry of Transport with a history that begins in 1858...