Getting There By Air:Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) Tel: (011) 2252 861.
Located 32km (20 miles) from the city center, the airport is served by more than 35 international and regional airlines including the national carrier
Sri Lankan Airways (tel: (01973) 35555; website:
www.srilankan.aero).
Airport facilities include ATM, airport hotels, banks, bureau de change, post office, duty-free, gift shop, 24-hour restaurant, cafes, bars, tourist desk, car hire and disabled facilities. There
is also a communication center with IDD, fax facilities and a business/VIP lounge near the airport hotel, with a full business center.
There are bus and train services from the airport to the city, but the buses can be very crowded and the train is infrequent and a long walk from the airport. Share taxis can be arranged from
Airport Taxi Booking Counter (tel: (011) 2252 861 ext 3174).
Getting There By Road:Sri Lanka has an extensive network of over 90,000km (56,000 miles) of roads, although many are over 50 years old and suffer from poor or almost non-existent maintenance. Many of the cities in Sri Lanka are on the west and south coasts, and a major coastal highway links Colombo with Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Weligama, Matara, Tangalla, Hambantota and Tissamaharama to the south; and Puttalam and Negombo to the north. The highway then moves inland to Anuradhapura, giving access to cities in the north – including the disputed region of Jaffna. Two other main highways head east from Colombo, linking it with the east coast and central cities like Kandy, Dambulla and Ratnapura. As both the major city and major port of the country, Colombo is well served by bus routes, which cover some 80% of the country.
Intercity buses are most comfortable, and you will get your own seat. There are occasional security checks on main roads, and foreigners should carry their passport at all times. Speed limits are 56kph (35mph) in built up areas and 75kph (45mph) otherwise. The drink-driving limit is 0.08%, the same as the UK and the USA. Buses leave from the Central Bus Station (tel: (011) 2328 081). It is generally not possible to book private buses in advance, but those run by the
Central Transport Board (CTB) can be (tel: (011) 2581 120).
Getting There By Rail:As an island, there are no external rail links to Sri Lanka, but there is a comprehensive rail network, comprising of nine lines that link Colombo with most major population and industrial centers. Main routes from Colombo include the
Intercity Express (ICE) trains to Kandy and Galle. Reservations are essential on these trains and can be made the day before travel at Fort Railway Station, or through a local travel agent. Rail services are run by
Sri Lanka Railways (tel: (011) 2421 281; website:
www.scienceland.lk/railway/index.htm). Trains from Colombo leave from Fort Railway Station where there is also a tourist office (tel: (011) 2435 838).
Getting Around:Public Transport Bus journeys within Colombo can be a nightmare: a combination of the heat, frenetic driving, and crowds. The situation is even worse in the rush hour when crowds are so great that passengers often hang out of the door. Bus colors vary with the operator:
Metrobus are yellow. For all
buses, you can buy tickets on board from the conductor. Although buses probably do follow a schedule, you would be hard pushed to work out what it is.
Taxis Taxis are cheap and far more comfortable than buses. Taxis can be flagged down or tend to hang around outside of hotels. Very few taxis have air-conditioning and meters, so you should be prepared to fix a price before you set off. Taxi companies in Colombo include
GNTC (tel: (011) 2688 688),
Kangaroo Cabs (tel: (011) 2588 588) and
Yellow Radio Cabs (tel: (011) 2942 942).
There are also a number of auto-rickshaws in the city. These noisy two-stroke three-wheelers can be flagged down anywhere. They tend to be a little cheaper than taxis but are not very comfortable and expose the passenger to all the traffic fumes.
Car Hire Driving in Sri Lanka can be a fraught experience. Officially traffic drives on the left but you will often find other vehicles coming straight towards you on the wrong side of the road. Luckily, it is possible to hire a chauffeur driven car for almost as much (and in some cases much less) than a self-drive car. Ask your hotel concierge or call
Kangaroo Cabs (see above).
To hire a car you will need an international driving license, or you will have to obtain a temporary license by attending the
Automobile Association office in Colombo (tel: (011) 2421 58) with your national driving license.
Avis (tel: (011) 2475 458; website:
www.avis.com) has a rental office in Colombo; travel agents can also arrange car hire.
Bicycle & Scooter Hire It is possible to rent motorbikes and mopeds from
Goldwing (tel:(011) 2685 750). Riding bicycles is not recommended.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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