Getting around Sri Lanka is very much a tale of two halves. The construction of the island’s ever-expanding expressway network has given Sri Lanka its biggest infrastructure upgrade since colonial times and speeded up access to some parts of the country immeasurably. Equally, recent railway improvements mean that major inter-city expresses are now both swift and comfortable. Away from the expressways and major train lines, however, getting around many parts of the island can still be a frustratingly time-consuming process.
- By train
- By air
- By car
By bus
Buses are the staple mode of transport in Sri Lanka. Buses screech past on the island’s major highways every few seconds, and any town of even the remotest consequence will be served by fairly regular connections. That’s the good news. The bad news is that bus travel in Sri Lanka is almost uniformly uncomfortable and frequently nerve-racking as well, given the gung-ho driving styles of some drivers. The average Sri Lankan bus journey is a stop-start affair, with stomach-tightening bursts of speed alternating with periods of creeping slowness. This is all played out to an accompaniment of parping horns, blaring Sinhala pop music and the awful noises of mechanical protest as the long-suffering bus careers around yet another corner with every panel rattling. The inevitable slamming-on of brakes which follows sends everyone lurching forward in their seats. And if you haven’t got a seat, so much the worse. If you do, you’ll probably find yourself serving as an impromptu armrest to one of the countless unfortunates standing packed in the aisle.
Buses come in a variety of forms. The basic distinction is between government or SLTB (sri lanka Transfort board) buses and private services.
Fares, timetables and stops
Bus fares, on both private and SLTB services, are extremely low. Note that on the latter you may have to pay the full fare for the entire route served by the bus, irrespective of where you get off. If you do want to get off before the end of the journey, let the driver/conductor know when you board.
Services on longer and/or less frequently served routes run to fixed timetables. Services on shorter or particularly popular routes tend to leave as soon as the vehicle is full. In general, departures on longer-distance routes tend to be more frequent in the morning, tailing off in the afternoon. Seat reservations are almost unheard of except on Colombo- Jaffna services.
Another problem with Sri Lankan buses is the difficulty of finding the relevant service. Most buses display their destination in both Sinhala and English, although it’s useful to get an idea of the Sinhala characters you’re looking for. All bus stations have one or more information booths (although they’re often not signposted) where staff can point you in the right direction, as well as providing latest timetable information. If arriving at a larger terminal by tuktuk, it’s a good idea to enlist the help of your driver in locating the right bus.
Express services generally only halt at bus terminals or other recognized stops. Other types of services will usually stop wherever there’s a passenger to be picked up – just stand by the roadside and stick an arm out. If you’re flagging down a bus by the roadside, one final hazard is in getting on. Drivers often don’t stop completely, instead slowing down just enough to allow you to jump aboard. Keep your wits about you, especially if you’re weighed down with heavy luggage, and be prepared to move fast when the bus pulls in – or risk seeing it simply pull off again without you.
By train
Sri Lanka’s train network, originally built by the British during the nineteenth century, has seen massive changes over the past decade, meaning getting around Sri Lanka by train is no longer conducted at a snail’s pace. It has been transformed from a charmingly antiquated but not particularly useful relic of a bygone era to a comfortable and, on some routes, refreshingly fast way of getting around. The lines to Jaffna and Mannar, closed for decades, have been reopened, while islandwide track improvements and the addition of modern rolling stock (including smart new a/c carriages on intercity lines) have brought the entire system into the twentieth century. However, many of the old rust-red-coloured colonial carriages remain in use, and trains on the gorgeous hill-country line are as grindingly slow as ever.
Timings and timetables
Timings for journeys on some routes vary massively between express services (making only a few stops), standard intercity services, which make more stops, and slow services (such as night mail trains), which halt at practically every station en route.
Latest railway timetables can be checked at railway.gov.lk and at slr.malindaprasad.com. Check out the excellent seat61.com for more detailed coverage of Sri Lanka’s railways and latest developments.
The train network
The network comprises three principal lines: the coast line, which runs along the west coast from Puttalam in the north, heading south via negambo, clombo, Kalutara, benthota Beruwala, Aluthgama, Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa and galle to weligama and Matara (with an extension as far as Kataragama now largely complete). The hill country line runs from Colombo to kany then on to Hatton , Nanu Oya (for nuwara eliya), Haputale, Bandarawela, ella and Badulla. The northern line runs from Colombo through Kurunegala to Anuradhapura and Vavuniya before terminating at jaffana. Three additional branches run off this line: the first to Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa, the second to trincomali, and the third to Madhu Road, Mannar and Talaimannar.
By air
Domestic air services provide a superfast alternative to long journeys by road or rail and are memorable in their own right, with frequently beautiful views of the island from above. The main operator is cinoman air, which has regular scheduled flights out of Katunayake international airport and from Water’s Edge (on the southern side of Colombo) to Koggala, Dickwella, Weerawila (near Tissamaharama), Kandy, Castlereagh (near Adam’s Peak), Sigiriya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Fares aren’t particularly cheap, although the flights are wonderfully scenic. Also, on many routes you’ll either take off from and/or land on water, which adds an extra pinch of fun.
By car
As Sri Lankans say, in order to drive around the island you’ll need three things: “good horn, good brakes, good luck”. Although roads are generally in quite good condition, the myriad hazards they present – crowds of pedestrians, erratic cyclists, crazed bus drivers and suicidal dogs, to name just a few – plus the very idiosyncratic set of road rules followed by Sri Lankan drivers, makes driving a challenge in many parts of the island.
Prices
Prices depend more on quality than size of transport – a posh air-conditioned car will cost more than a non-air-conditioned minivan. Rates start from around $40 per day for the smallest cars, plus the driver’s fees and living allowances. Most top-end hotels provide meals and accommodation for drivers either for free or for a small additional charge. If you’re staying in budget or mid-range places, you’ll have to pay for your driver’s room and food. As ever, it’s best to try to establish a daily allowance for this at the outset of your trip to avoid misunderstandings and arguments later. Your driver will probably also expect a tip of $5–10 per day, depending on how highly trained they are.
By rickshaw
The lines of motorized rickshaws that ply the streets of every city, town and village are one of Sri Lanka’s most characteristic sights. Known by various names – tuktuks, three-wheelers, trishaws or (rather more optimistically) “taxis” – they are the staple means of travelling short distances in Sri Lanka, principally short hops within towns, although they can also be useful for excursions and can even, at a pinch, be handy for long journeys if you get stranded or can’t be bothered to wait around for a bus.
beware of rickshaw drivers who claim to have no change – this can even apply when trying to pay, say, for a Rs.70 fare with a Rs.100 note, with the driver claiming (perhaps truthfully) to have only Rs.10 or Rs.20 change, and hoping that you’ll settle for a few rupees less. If you don’t have change, check that the driver does before you set off. If you make the position clear from the outset, you’re guaranteed that your driver will go through the hassle of getting change for you rather than risk losing your fare.
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