Train Number

How do SLR Assign the Train Number?

Sri Lanka Railways assign a unique number for every running turn of a train. It’s a number between the range of 1-999 & it’s assigned like this. That  number is called the Train Number.

Numbers from No. 1 to No. 99 are assigned for Long Distance Express trains & Intercity trains. These trains run as pairs as the UP train & DOWN train on the same day. Therefore these numbers are assigned giving an even number for the DOWN train & giving an ODD number for the UP train.

Examples:

No.58: Maradana – Matara (Ruhunu Kumari)

No.59: Matara – Maradana (Ruhunu Kumari)

No. 15: Fort – Badulla (Udarata Menike)

No. 16: Badulla – Fort (Udarata Menike)

Train Numbers above 100 are reserved for slow, mixed, freight & local trains. These numbers are again classified as follows.

100-199: Main Line – UP

200-299: Matale & Kelani Valley Lines – UP

300-399: Coastal Line – UP

400-499: Puttlam, North & Eastern Lines – UP

500-599: Main Line – DOWN

600-699: Matale & Kelani Valley Lines – DOWN

700-799: Coastal Line – DOWN

800-899: Puttlam, North & Eastern Lines – DOWN

The specialty of this system is the train number changes when a train travel between lines through Maradana or Colombo Fort. If it’s travelling UP number changes at Fort & if it’s travelling DOWN number changes at Maradana.

According to recent changes every train number have four digits & the first digit denotes its line. These numbers are as follows.

1: Main Line – Maradana to Badulla

2: Matale Line – Peradeniya Junction to Matale

3: Puttlam Line – Ragama to Noor Nagar

4: Nothern Line – Polgahawela to Kankasanthurei

5: Mannar Line – Medawachchiya to Thalai Mannar

6: Eastern Line – Maho Junction to Baticaloa

7: Trincomalee Line – Galoya Junction to Trincomalee

8: Coastal Line – Colombo Fort to Matara

9: Kelani Valley Line – Maradana to Awissawella

Threfore the format of new numbers are as follows

1015 – Udarata Menike, Colombo to Badulla

4452 – Colombo – Anuradhapura mixed train

Apart from these the train number of special trains are assigned with SP prefix.

Examples: SP1, SP2

Source: Document of Yakada Yaka – Sri lanka Railway facebook Group by Thurya Owitipana