Getting Around Sri Lanka: Transport Guide

Internal flights are non-existent in Sri Lanka so the only other way of getting around the country is to use either trains  or buses. Both trains and buses, though not as clean or as efficient as those in the west, serve the purpose well enough. The trains are obviously more expensive than the buses, but are definitely faster, more comfortable and less crowded. The one advantage buses have over the railways is that they go to a lot more places, so it is sometimes a question of either travelling by bus or not going at all. Hiring a car is a good idea and one with a chauffeur, even better.

Besides trains and buses, three-wheelers known elsewhere as auto-rickshaws and taxis are also available for hire. In larger cities like Colombo and Kandy, rent-a-car (whether self-driven or chauffeur driven) and rent-a-motorcycle are also options worth looking at, though of course if you’re driving yourself, you will need to get the necessary paperwork done – including getting a temporary Sri Lankan driving license. For the more adventurous and fit, a bicycle trip through the country is an excellent way of getting around.