Restarting the Ocean Queen service became a symbol of the island nation's rebuilding efforts after the devastation caused by the tsunamis, which killed nearly 31,000 people in Sri Lanka.
On Sunday dignitaries inaugurated a run of the train with several religious services along the way.
As the tsunamis struck Sri Lanka, local residents clambered on the Ocean Queen believing that it would keep them above the rising waters.
However, the huge waves toppled the coaches like a toy train and tore the tracks. The wreckage has turned into a tourist attraction as well as a shrine for survivors.
The Ocean Queen runs from Colombo to Matara, a distance of 160 kilometres (100 miles), and began regular services Tuesday because of a strike by railway employees Monday. - AFP A woman was killed by a train Tuesday on a coastal track in Sri Lanka reopened after more than 1,000 people died when eight coaches were swept away in the December tsunamis, police said.
Sirimadura Thilakawathi, 57, tripped on