Transportation in Sri Lanka

Transportation in Sri Lanka

Getting there

By air - The only international airport in Sri Lanka is the Bandaranaike International Airport situated at Katunayake, 30 kilometers from Colombo; it is reachable by taxi or bus running regularly between the city and the airport every 30 minutes. Train can be caught to the airport as well. Airport facilities include bank counters for money exchange, bar, restaurant, and tourist information. The national airline of Sri Lanka is Sri Lankan Airlines. Air tickets can be bought at several airline office and travel agency with different rate; researching the current situation of the market is advised. The departure tax is SLRs1000, to be paid at the airport on departure.

By sea - There are four international ports in Sri Lanka including Colombo, Talaimannar, Trincomalee, and Galle. Some cruise liners running around India and Maldives, or on longer cruises from Singapore to Dubai port in Colombo. Others start at Colombo and head for Indonesia via Malaysia and Singapore. The cruising season is from October through May and cruises take about 12 to 16 days. However, due the enduring ethnic conflict, there is no longer ferry service plying between Rameswaram in South India and Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.

Getting around

Plane: The major domestic airport in Sri Lanka is Ratamalana at Colombo. There are daily flights to other smaller airports at Batticaloa, Gal Oya, Palali, and Trincomalee. However, flights to Jaffna are not available. Departure tax for domestic airport is SLRs 50.

Train: On train, it is a pleasant way to see Sri Lanka. You can get to all major tourist towns by trains, but a few first-class carriages, air-conditioning and dining cars are available. New fast services are launched by the government to operate on the principal routes, including an inter-city express service linking Colombo with Kandy. However, train services to Jaffna have recently been closed due to ethnic confrontation in the northern area.

Bus: Sri Lanka possesses an extensive network of bus service to all parts of the Island, offering a reasonable quality. There are two main types of bus in Sri Lanka: Central Transport Board buses and private buses; cost of both kinds of bus is very cheap, and services are often crowded.

Taxi: Taxis are available in most towns. It is recommended to discuss the price before getting in. The metered-taxis are few and confine in the big towns, agreement on fare before setting off is still needed though.

Three-wheeler: It is called bajajs or auto-rickshaws are found everywhere in Sri Lanka. It is common to agree on fare before you get in. Three-wheelers are often found in front of hotels and tourist spots.

Car rentals: There are several car rental shops to choose from. But often, you will rent a car with a driver for a day trip or a few days' tour. This way is convenient because you do not have to compete with the local people in public transport, and you can plan your trip on your own while having a driver taking you to there and there. Moreover, the cost is not expensive.