▁The ▁coast al ▁line ▁( s ometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁coast ▁line ▁or ▁the ▁southern ▁line ) ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁railway ▁line ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka , ▁running ▁between ▁Col om bo ▁Fort ▁and ▁Bel iat ta , ▁via ▁G alle ▁and ▁Mat ara . ▁ ▁Oper ated ▁by ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁Rail ways , ▁the ▁line ▁includes ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁bus iest ▁rail ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁line ▁has ▁been ▁extended ▁to ▁Bel iat ta ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁and ▁is ▁proposed ▁to ▁be ▁extended ▁to ▁Kat ar ag ama , ▁via ▁Hamb ant ota . ▁With ▁a ▁designed ▁maximum ▁speed ▁of ▁ ▁between ▁Kal ut ara ▁and ▁Mat ara , ▁and ▁a ▁maximum ▁speed ▁of ▁ ▁between ▁Mat ara ▁and ▁Bel iat ta , ▁the ▁line ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fast est ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁ ▁Route ▁definition ▁The ▁Coast al ▁line ▁begins ▁at ▁Mar ad ana ▁Station ▁and ▁runs ▁west ▁towards ▁Col om bo ▁Fort . ▁ ▁It ▁then ▁turns ▁south ▁and ▁runs ▁through ▁much ▁of ▁Col om bo ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁be aches ▁on ▁the ▁city ' s ▁west ▁coast , ▁passing ▁many ▁comm uter ▁rail ▁stations , ▁such ▁as ▁S lave ▁Island . ▁ ▁It ▁passes ▁Pan ad ura ▁before ▁reaching ▁Kal ut ara . ▁ ▁The ▁comm uter ▁rail ▁services ▁end ▁as ▁the ▁line ▁continues ▁south ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁towards ▁G alle . ▁ ▁G alle ▁station ▁is ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁termin us ▁station . ▁