COLOMBO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's transport authorities have activated special bus and train services over the weekend to manage an expected surge of passengers returning to the capital following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays.

The National Transport Commission said additional bus services have been arranged, particularly along expressway routes, as large numbers of travelers are anticipated to return to Colombo over the weekend and on Monday.

The Sri Lanka Railway Department has scheduled additional train services to support the return flow of commuters to the city.

According to the department, these special train services will operate on Saturday and Sunday, with routes originating from Anuradhapura, Kankesanthurai, Matara, and Beliatta and heading towards Colombo.

The railway authorities added that the additional trains will run alongside regular services, providing extra capacity during the peak return period following the New Year celebrations.