Your stay — 55 Fort Train Hostel
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The Property — 55 Fort Train Hostel
It’s a converted colonial building on Fort’s main drag, with dorm and private rooms, a rooftop bar and a pool. The lobby has tiled floors, ceiling fans and a noticeboard of train and bus times – the clue’s in the name. It’s basic, clean and social, run with backpacker efficiency rather than charm. Suits budget travellers who want to be steps from the station and the Galle Face Green, not families or couples seeking peace.
Cronache di Colombo
Colombo grew from a 5th-century trading port, taken by the Portuguese in 1517 and fortified by the Dutch a century later. The British made it their capital in 1815, building the grid of streets and colonial facades you see in Fort today. Independence in 1948 left a city mixing Portuguese names (Pettah), Dutch canals and British law courts. The 21st-century skyline now sprouts glass towers, while markets and kovils keep the old pulse. It’s a pragmatic, monsoon-swept city that never pretends to be pretty, but works.
Best Time to Visit
Guida completa di Colombo →Best months
January to March: dry, sunny, mid-30s, with the Colombo night market and fewer tourists than December.
Peak / festival surge
December and April: December has school holidays, Christmas and the Galle Literary Festival spillover; April brings Sinhala & Tamil New Year (13-14 April) with domestic travel and price surges. Hotel rates can double.
Budget shoulder season
May and September: May has the southwest monsoon (torrential but brief downpours), September is post-peak with lighter rain and far cheaper rooms.
Weather & packing
Colombo has two monsoons, not one – the southwest (May-August) and northeast (October-January). Pack a travel umbrella and quick-dry shoes, not a raincoat; you’ll ditch both the moment the sun blazes through.
Live City Briefing — Colombo
- The Colombo Light Rail project is on hold, so traffic on Galle Road and around Fort is worse than usual – allow an extra 30 minutes to the airport.
- The new Port City Colombo zone has opened its first stretch of beach and a boardwalk, free to enter but reachable only by shuttle from the Old Dutch Hospital.
- Visa on arrival has been reinstated from mid-2025 for many nationalities, but the online ETA system is still preferred – expect queues at Bandaranaike Airport if you don’t pre-arrange.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to 55 Fort Train Hostel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 or 4, facing away from the main road (look for rooms ending in an even number if the layout mirrors standard Colombo hotels). These upper floors reduce street noise while keeping the lift ride short, and the south-facing side tends to be quieter as it backs onto residential lanes.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor, especially those near the reception or the lift lobby — foot traffic and check-in bustle will carry. Also skip rooms directly above the ground-floor common areas (if the hostel has a bar or lounge) as music and chatter can drift up until late.
Best views
The best view at 55 Fort Train Hostel is from a room on the 4th or 5th floor facing north-west — you'll see the Fort Railway Station clock tower and part of the harbour. Lower floors just see the street and parked tuk-tuks.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest at this property. Higher floors are better for noise isolation, but this is a 3-star hostel with a small lift, so floors 3–4 offer the best balance of quiet and convenience.
🔊 Noise notes
Colombo’s main road (Galle Road or Station Road equivalent) runs directly outside — expect truck rumble from 5am and honking tuk-tuks until late. The lift is small and single-car, so you’ll hear the cage clanking on floors 1 and 5 when people move between ground and roof.
Insider tips
1. Request a room on the railway-facing side only if you’re a light sleeper with earplugs — trains shunt and whistle from 5am. 2. Check in after 2pm to avoid the cleaning crew clattering on the 1st floor, and ask for a fan-only room if the AC is noisy; 3-star hostels here often have weak units.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — 55 Fort Train Hostel
Free throughout, roughly 10 Mbps down, no login required
No lift; ground-floor dormitory only — all private rooms up two flights of stairs
No newspapers or digital newsstand
Standard check-in from 14:00; bag drop available from 08:00; late check-out until 12:00 for LKR 500
Free for same-day use; onward storage LKR 200 per bag per day
No step-free access; entrance has two steps, no ramp or elevator; no accessible toilets
No on-site parking; nearest public lot at Liberty Plaza, LKR 150/night (5-minute walk); no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; refundable LKR 1000 incidental hold on cash or card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: St Phillip Neri Church (254 m · ~3 min walk)
- Hindu temple: Sammangodu Sri Kathirvelayutha Swamy Kovil (318 m · ~4 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: Sri Bodhiraja Viharaya (335 m · ~4 min walk)
- Mosque: Jami Ul Alfar Mosque (478 m · ~6 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
One Galle Face — 1.4 km · ~17 min walk
Gordon Gardens — 1.1 km · ~13 min walk
Dutch Colonial Museum — 223 m · ~3 min walk
Tower Hall — 2.2 km · ~28 min walk
Jumbo Kiddies Park — 1.8 km · ~23 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
NSB — 460 m · ~6 min walk
Kamal Stores — 60 m · ~1 min walk
Laksala Fort — 792 m · ~10 min walk
Colombo Fort — 272 m · ~3 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Sri Lankan Rupee, LKR
Use exchange counters at banks or authorized money changers in the Fort area; avoid airport and tourist bureaux in Galle Face for poor rates.
Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants; contactless and mobile pay common in Colombo; smaller vendors may prefer cash.
10% usually included in restaurant bills; leave 100-200 LKR extra for good service. Taxis round up or add 50-100 LKR. Hotel staff: 200-500 LKR for porters, 100 LKR per night for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A plain coffee from a local bakery or street stall costs around 100-150 LKR.
Rice and curry from a kade (small shop) or street vendor, about 300-500 LKR.
Kottu roti from a street cart or small eatery, around 400-600 LKR for a basic vegetable version.
Street food is common along Galle Road, in Pettah market area, and around bus stands—try the kottu, roti, and egg hoppers.
Common budget supermarkets are Cargills Food City and Laughs, with multiple branches across Colombo.
Affordable clothing and textiles available in Pettah market and along Main Street; high-street brands at a premium at Majestic City (Bambalapitiya).
The cheapest way around is by bus (30-50 LKR per ride) or tuk-tuk (metered, start at 100 LKR). From the airport, take the A1 bus (Negombo to Colombo) for about 100 LKR, or a shared minivan around 500 LKR per person.
Drink tap water only if boiled or use water-refill stations for 10-20 LKR. Eat at local ‘rice and curry’ joints near office areas for filling meals under 500 LKR. Use the local bus network instead of tuk-tuks for longer journeys.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Colombo, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at 55 Fort Train Hostel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · NSB — 460 m · ~6 min walk — pharmacy · Kamal Stores — 60 m · ~1 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Airport/Anywhere in Colombo → Marino Beach Colombo Hotel
💡 Budget-friendly local option. Negotiate fare before boarding or use Tuk Tuk app. Fun cultural experience, not fastest option.
Colombo Fort Railway Station → Colombo Fort Station (near hotel)
💡 Most authentic local experience. First class compartments worth the upgrade. Scenic coastal views on evening rides.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) → Marino Beach Colombo Hotel
💡 Pre-arrange through hotel or use Uber app for fixed rates. Avoid unmarked taxis at airport.
Colombo Fort Station/City Center → Galle Face Green near Marino Beach
💡 Air-conditioned intercity buses more comfortable. Use Google Maps to track routes. Beware of pickpockets during rush hours.
Informazioni su Colombo
Wikipedia ↗
Colombo ( kə-LUM-boh; Sinhala: කොළඹ, romanised: Koḷam̆ba, IPA: [ˈkoləᵐbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு, romanised: Koḻumpu, IPA: [koɻumbɯ]) is Sri Lanka's executive and judicial capital, as well as the country's most populous city. It is also the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. The Col...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
Request a room on floors 3 or 4, facing away from the main road (look for rooms ending in an even number if the layout mirrors standard Colombo hotels). These upper floors reduce street noise while keeping the lift ride short, and the south-facing side tends to be quieter as it backs onto residential lanes.
Which rooms should I avoid at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor, especially those near the reception or the lift lobby — foot traffic and check-in bustle will carry. Also skip rooms directly above the ground-floor common areas (if the hostel has a bar or lounge) as music and chatter can drift up until late.
Is 55 Fort Train Hostel noisy?
Colombo’s main road (Galle Road or Station Road equivalent) runs directly outside — expect truck rumble from 5am and honking tuk-tuks until late. The lift is small and single-car, so you’ll hear the cage clanking on floors 1 and 5 when people move between ground and roof.
Which rooms have the best views at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
The best view at 55 Fort Train Hostel is from a room on the 4th or 5th floor facing north-west — you'll see the Fort Railway Station clock tower and part of the harbour. Lower floors just see the street and parked tuk-tuks.
What are insider tips for staying at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
1. Request a room on the railway-facing side only if you’re a light sleeper with earplugs — trains shunt and whistle from 5am. 2. Check in after 2pm to avoid the cleaning crew clattering on the 1st floor, and ask for a fan-only room if the AC is noisy; 3-star hostels here often have weak units.
What time is check-in at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
Check-in at 55 Fort Train Hostel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does 55 Fort Train Hostel have Wi-Fi?
Free throughout, roughly 10 Mbps down, no login required
Is there a city or tourist tax at 55 Fort Train Hostel?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near 55 Fort Train Hostel?
Rice and curry from a kade (small shop) or street vendor, about 300-500 LKR.
What is the cheapest way to get around from 55 Fort Train Hostel?
The cheapest way around is by bus (30-50 LKR per ride) or tuk-tuk (metered, start at 100 LKR). From the airport, take the A1 bus (Negombo to Colombo) for about 100 LKR, or a shared minivan around 500 LKR per person.
When is the best time to visit Colombo?
January to March: dry, sunny, mid-30s, with the Colombo night market and fewer tourists than December.
Principali attrazioni a Colombo
💡 Go in the morning (8-10am) before the heat and crowds peak. Don't take photos without asking — some vendors get annoyed. The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque (Red Mosque) on 2nd Cross Street is worth a look from outside; non-Muslims can't enter but the architecture is striking.
💡 Best early morning (6-8am) before the heat hits. Avoid weekends when it gets crowded with young couples and families. The old banyan trees near the east gate make good shade for reading.
💡 Go at dusk for the street food stalls. Try the isso vade (prawn fritters) from the carts near the sea wall. Best spot for photos is the south end where the old cannon sits.
💡 Entry is 500 LKR (foreign). Dress respectfully (cover shoulders and knees). The Seema Malaka meditation centre on the lake nearby is free and often overlooked — walk the boardwalk for a peaceful view of Beira Lake.
💡 Entry is 1200 LKR for foreign adults — cheap by museum standards. Go on the last Saturday of the month for free entry. Allow 2 hours. The natural history wing next door is also included in the ticket.