Sri Lanka Transportation

  A treat for train buffs
by Maxus
 
  • A treat for train buffs
      A treat for train buffs
    by Maxus
  • Nallur Temple
      Nallur Temple
    by Kumeresh
  •   Transportation
    by bayerovi
  •   Transportation
    by bayerovi
  • Pinnawala
      Pinnawala
    by nisansi
 
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Hitching a Ride

by Maxus

Public transport is so cheap in Sri Lanka that there really is no economic advantage to hitching a ride but if you find a friendly lorry driver going your way its a good way to get around and probably more comfortable than a crowded bus. You are guaranteed a seat and as large vehicles have right of way in Sri Lanka, its usually pretty quick. You should discuss any expected contribution towards the diesel in advance (it may cost you no more than the drivers lunch) and the usual warnings apply to woman travelling alone etc.

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The buses are .. an interesting ride

by Cockleshell

Whilst in Sri Lanka I took many local buses.. It is one of my fondest memories of Sri Lanka .. I chatted to an almost blind 86 year old tamil man for hours on one bus. erm and on one bus I stood up (with another 200 people!) for three hours .. yeah, a difficult and bumpy trip but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.. give it a go.

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around sri lanka

by micy1000

HiThis is regarding my wonderful trip in sri lanka . I started tour from air port colombo with a great driver KARNAL DE SILVA . visited anuradapura,sigiriya,polonnaruwa,kandy,nuwaraeliys,ela,tissamaharama ,yala then stop fro a week at unawatuna .karnal he showed us his beautiful country sheared his wide knowledge. It was very relax full holiday.If any one need to contact please mail to the karnal3@hotmail.com and visit his site www.karnaldesilv.com .Thanks ,Micky

Car and Driver is the way forward...

by pabski74

My partner and I went on an 8 day break to Sri Lanka and decided to hire a car and driver for 5 days as we wanted to get around and see a lot of things in the short time we were there. We're glad we did as the roads are pretty shocking, the signs are all in Sri Lankan and it's quite normal to see cars, buses and tuk-tuks 4 abreast overtaking on a narrow road!! It's great to sit back and soak up the sights instead of concentrating on the road.Someone here on VT had recommended a guy called Karnal de Silva and we're really glad we went with him. We were mobbed by 'drivers for hire' as we came out of the airport to meet him who were really pushy. Karnal spoke good English and he was polite and friendly. He was registered with the tourist board too so he was knowledgeable about the sites we visited (Sigirya, Pollonawura, Dambulla etc). He taught us a lot about Sri Lankan culture and...

Driving tours of Sri Lanka

by timmustoe

Having done a bit of driving in Sri Lanka (only a few kilometers!), I wouldn't self-drive a long trip. Exhausting if you're not used to it, and the Sri Lankans are crazy drivers.We did a 5 day tour with a guide/driver and it was amazing - highly recommended. I thought the guide and the trip was so good I built him a website when I got home!www.sanjeewatours.comThe example tour on the site is a very abridged version of what we did - it includes bits of the cultural triangle, Kandy, Ella and and a Safari in Yalla National Park.Send him your itinerary and he'll give you all the info and give you a tailored price according to how long you've got. There's a few extra things he can organise for you like the traditional dance show, a guide for the temple, ayurvedic treatments, the mountain train ride, that sort of thing.

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Transport-Cabs/taxi

by udeshika

I recently used Unique cabs based in Mount lavinia, for my friends who came from Abu Dhabi(Indian) they gave us a good and reliable driver and the trip from mount -kandy -mount cost them around SLR. 17,000...compared with DXB rates taxies are cheap in SL.The driver was good and knowledgeble and acutally took the role of a tour guide as well..he took them to pinnawala, spice gardens, Kandy temple, Kings palace(next to the temple) and back.

Open air train in hill country

by josephescu

We tried this from Hatton to Ella, but all seats were taken. Hence, all the advice I can give – book a few days in advance. I guess the trip with the open air carriages in the hill country is worth the journey, since the landscape is wonderful.

Hire something, car or tuk-tuk

by josephescu

In some other occasions, because of scarce public transport between cities/villages, it is worth to hire something, together with the driver. We hired a car for the Dambulla - Sigiriya – Polonnnaruwa – Dambulla route, one full day with an early start, as well as for Tangalla – Mulkirigala - Tangalla. We also hired a tuk-tuk for the segment Arugam Bay - Monaragala, almost 30 euros for nearly 4 hours.Inside villages and towns, with the exception of Colombo, distances are small enough to do them by walking.

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Criss-crossing the island by road

by josephescu

Travel by road is the most common transport across the island. All types of vehicles take their chances on the narrow lanes of bumpy roads across paddy fields, river valleys, forests and hills – old, very old, and extremely old ramshackle small and large buses, lorries, tuk-tuks, motors and bicycles, cars and carriages. You can travel by road/bus form any point to any point on the map, it is just a matter of time and patience. For Sri Lanka may look relatively small, but transport takes a lot of time, especially since in numerous occasions you need to change bus. Direct connections only between larger cities or on most frequent routes can make a 200 km trip between 2 points, let’s say from Nuwara Elyia to Arugam Bay, an 8 hours journey with 3 stops. Take you time, enjoy the landscape, talk to you neighbours and pat attention to the “bus etiquette” – Buddhist priests have priority on the...

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Eastern Europe to Ceylon on a budget

by josephescu

It was snowing heavily in Bucharest that Friday before Christmas. I finished work early, sent some Xmas emails, said happy holidays to colleagues and went home jumping through piles of snow and fog and started to pack. For the next day I was about to start a journey long way from there, to Sri Lanka. Next day, every corner of Gara de Nord in Bucharest was bursting with people going out of town, except for the platform with the Istanbul train. With only a few people in each wagon, the train started its slow crawl through motionless, white plains bathed by icy sun rays. I opened my LP and started to read about Ceylon’s history. It seemed so far away amid that landscape, like another world, yet it felt close.“Do you know how these things work?”, a guy with a strong Eastern European accent asked me in Sirkeci train station in Istanbul, pointing towards the luggage boxes. Since this was the...

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Getting Around Sri Lanka

Top 3 Hotels in Sri Lanka

Mount Lavina Hotel  Colombo

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Earl's Regency Hotel Kandy  Kandy

 4 Reviews and 235 Opinions  Kandy Perahara Starts on Esala Full Moon Poya Day in July & finishes on Nikini Full Moon Poya Day on... 

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Palm Garden Village Hotel  Anuradhapura

 3 Reviews and 111 Opinions  The Palm Garden Village is like a colonial club, but one with a relaxed and freestyle-air. It was... 

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227 Hotels in Sri Lanka
 
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Reviews and photos of Sri Lanka attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Sri Lanka sightseeing.

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Transportation: Cities in Sri Lanka
  1. Colombo Transportation
  2. Kandy Transportation
  3. Negombo Transportation
  4. Nuwara Eliya Transportation
  5. Hikkaduwa Transportation
  6. Galle Transportation
  7. Bentota Transportation
  8. Unawatuna Transportation
  9. Anuradhapura Transportation
  10. Sri Lanka Transportation
  11. Polonnaruwa Transportation
  12. Sigiriya Transportation
  13. Trincomalee Transportation
  14. Dambulla Transportation
  15. Beruwala Transportation
  16. Jaffna Transportation
  17. Mirissa South Transportation
  18. Wadduwa Transportation
  19. Kataragama Transportation
  20. Pinnawala Transportation
  21. Kalutara Transportation
  22. Bandarawela Transportation
  23. Ella Transportation
  24. Haputale Transportation
  25. Horton Plains Transportation
  26. Aluthgama Transportation
  27. Matale Transportation
  28. Mihintale Transportation
  29. Wellawaya Transportation
  30. Pottuvil Transportation
  31. Kalmunai Transportation
  32. Ambalangoda Transportation

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Popular Regions in Sri Lanka

Western Province Transportation  Southern Province Transportation  Central Province Transportation  North Central Province Transportation  North Eastern Province Transportation  Province of Uva Transportation  Province of Sabaragamuwa Transportation  North Western Province Transportation 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Thinking of traveling to Sri Lanka in the end of March for 3 weeks. I will go with my 6 yr old. Will take Medical precoushns bu... 

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A: Any special reasons why you want to stay in Colombo for 3 days. Everywhere in Sri Lanka is child friendly, but as you want to end up in Trinco (and spend part of your... 

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