A blend of rail and sea travel that left a lasting legacy in the history of South Asian transport

The Boat Mail Express linked India and Ceylon for more than half-a-century. After the Pamban Bridge was opened in February 1914, the train started running between Madras and Dhanushkodi. Ferries were operated from Dhanushkodi to Talaimannar in Ceylon, a distance of 22 miles. From Talaimannar, another train took passengers to Colombo