The Colombo Light Rail is a light rail transit system that is being designed and developed within the Colombo District of Sri Lanka. The project is also known as the Western Region Megapolis Light Rail Transit System.

The Colombo LRT System has been planned in place of the Colombo Monorail, Colombo BRT, and railway electrification; all projects that were later cancelled. The system is set to be developed as a combined private & public partnership, and funding for the project is headed by several organizations such as JICA.

Colombo Light Rail Route Map

The present scope of the project is set to cover major cities between Colombo Fort and its suburbs towards the East. Thereby, the stations of the Colombo LRT will be Colombo Fort, Western Province Transport Centre, St. Joseph’s College, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Borella, Cotta Road, Welikada, Rajagiriya, Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla, Palan Thuna, Robert Gunawardene Mawatha, Lumbini Temple, Thalahena, Malabe, Malabe IT Park.

Details of Colombo Light Rail

• Transit Type:               Light Rail
• Number of Lines:       7
• Operations:                  Initiation in 2025
• Train Length:              4 and 6 compartments
• System Length:           75km
• Maximum Speed:       80km/h
• Total Cost:                    USD 6 billion

Colombo LRT Latest Updates

100% of the Feasibility Study and Consultant Selection have been completed. Detailed Design, Land Acquisition, Resettlement, Environmental Consideration, and Utility Diversion is in progress. Preliminary construction commenced in August 2019. The Colombo Light Rail is also set to be the first woman-friendly public transport system in Sri Lanka.

Further Expansion of Colombo Light Rail

Once the initial lines have been developed, plans are in place to expand the Colombo LRT network to other towns such as Colombo Port City, Mattakkuliya, Peliyagoda, Dematagoda, Bambalapitiya, Kottawa, Kaduwela and Kadawatha.