Office train services will return to their normal schedule from Wednesday, April 16, as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holiday period draws to a close, the Department of Railways confirmed.
Railways Superintendent Asanka Samarasinghe said regular train operations will resume on key routes, with the Beliatta Sagarika service departing at 4:15 a.m. on April 16 and 17.
Meanwhile, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has deployed additional buses from April 15 to cater to returning travellers. NTC Director General Dr. Nilan Miranda said these special services will continue until April 20, with a possible extension beyond that date if demand persists.
The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) announced that approximately 50 percent of private buses — around 7,000 vehicles including long-distance services — will operate on April 16. LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said the reduced services reflect a temporary dip in passenger numbers, with full operations expected to resume by Friday, April 17.
The wind-down follows a record-setting Avurudu travel period during which 1,500 buses and extra trains were deployed and SLTB earned a record Rs. 1 billion in return-travel revenue.
