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| Sri Lanka
Getting Around - Internal Travel |
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Air
Ratmalana at Colombo is the domestic airport. Flights operate every day to smaller airports at Gal
Oya, Batticaloa, Palali and Trincomalee.
The airport at Jaffna is temporarily closed.
Departure
tax: None.
Helicopter tours
Helitours of Ceylon along with
pilots from the Sri Lanka Air Force, offer charter tours to main
tourist destinations.
Rail
Trains operate from Colombo to all the tourist cities and towns, but good quality
carriages, air-conditioned and dining cars are available on only
a few. Newer fast services are available on the major routes, which include
an inter-city express service between Colombo and Kandy,
otherwise journeys are quite slow paced. The total network covers
1,500 kilometres or 900 miles.
Road
Traffic drives on the left. Most roads are
tarred. The speed limit in built-up areas is 56 kilometres per hour or 35 miles per hour, and
75 kilometres per hour or 45 miles per hour outside towns.
Bus:
The Sri Lanka Central Transport Board
offers a massive network of services of reasonable quality.
Taxi: Most towns have taxis available.
Travellers are advised to agree a price before a journey.
Car
hire: Car hire is available from several international
operators. Air-conditioned minibuses are also available. Chauffeured
cars are cheaper and advised. Avoid driving in remote
areas and traveling dark hours.
Documentation:
To avoid bureaucratic formalities in Sri Lanka, an International
Driving Permit should be acquired before departure. A temporary
license is procurable on presentation of a valid
national driving licence. This needs to be indorsed at the AA office
in Colombo. 18 is the minimum age for driving.
Urban
Bus: The Central Transport
Board offers extensive urban bus operations in Colombo,
where there are also private buses and minibuses. Conductors generally
collect fares and services are usually crowded.
Taxi:
Metered taxis with yellow tops, and red and white plates. Drivers expect
a 10% tip.
Travel Times
The following chart provides
rough
travel times (in hours
and minutes) from Colombo to other major cities/towns
in Sri Lanka. |
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Air |
Road |
Rail |
Kandy |
- |
2.30 |
3.00 |
Galle |
- |
3.00 |
3.00 |
Bentota |
- |
1.45 |
1.45 |
Matara |
- |
4.00 |
4.30 |
Badulla |
- |
9.30 |
9.00 |
Negombo |
- |
0.45 |
0.45 |
Nuwara
Eliya |
- |
3.30 |
5.00 |
Anuradhapura |
0.45 |
5.30 |
6.00 |
Polonnaruwa |
1.00 |
6.00 |
7.00 |
Trincomalee |
1.00 |
6.00 |
7.00 |
Kataragama |
- |
6.30 |
- |
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