Getting Around Sri Lanka

Arriving

Most visitors arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) at Katunayake, about 35 km north of Colombo and close to Negombo. The Colombo–Katunayake Expressway connects the airport with Colombo, usually in under an hour. Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, in the far south, has only a few flights.

Private car with driver

The most comfortable and flexible way to tour Sri Lanka is with a private car or van and an experienced driver, who often doubles as a local guide. You can stop for viewpoints, temples and roadside fruit stalls, and luggage stays with you. This is how most LankaLuxTravel journeys are run.

Trains

Sri Lanka Railways runs a slow but scenic network. The most famous section is the Main Line through the hill country — Kandy, Nanu Oya (for Nuwara Eliya), Haputale and Ella — past tea estates, waterfalls and mountain tunnels. Other lines follow the coast from Colombo to Galle and Matara, and run north to Jaffna and east to Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

• Trains have first, second and third class; some express trains have reserved and observation carriages.
• Reserved seats on popular routes sell out — book in advance through Sri Lanka Railways (seatreservation.railway.gov.lk).
• Journeys often take longer than scheduled; keep luggage light.

Buses

Government (SLTB) and private buses reach almost every town and are very cheap, but they are often crowded and have little space for luggage. Air-conditioned express buses run on the Southern Expressway between Colombo and the south coast.

Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing

Three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) are everywhere and ideal for short trips. Agree the fare before you set off, or use a metered tuk-tuk. In Colombo and other large towns, ride-hailing apps such as PickMe and Uber offer tuk-tuks and cars at fixed prices.

Domestic flights

A few small air-taxi and charter operators fly between Colombo and regional airstrips. Schedules change often — ask us if you would like to save time on a long journey.

Driving yourself

Traffic drives on the left. A foreign driving licence or International Driving Permit must be supported by a Sri Lankan recognition (temporary) permit issued by the Department of Motor Traffic; rules change, so check before you travel. Roads are busy and driving styles are unfamiliar to most visitors, so most travellers prefer a driver.

Good to know

• Distances look short on the map, but average road speeds are low — especially in the hill country.
• Avoid driving at night on rural roads, where wildlife, cyclists and unlit vehicles are common.
• Trains and buses are very full around the April New Year and on long holiday weekends.
• Winding hill roads can cause travel sickness — take precautions if you need to.