How to get around Sri Lanka

Although small in size in terms of landmass, Sri Lanka does require some getting used to when it comes to commuting within city limits or rural parts of the country. However, all that is required is a bit of practice en route to travelling to the desired destination of your choosing. Outlined below is an overview of the available options and the experiences that can be had.

Bus service

From a convenience point of view, travelling by bus will have you covering the breadth and scope of the nation with little or no fuss whatsoever. This is attributed to the fact that the local bus network is known to offer its services to all corners of Sri Lanka and importantly, is one of the cost-effective means of travelling. A good way to access the same will be to head over to the Pettah Central Bus Depot. located in the Fort area where a private bus or a state-owned bus managed by the Sri Lanka Transport Board can be boarded. A majority of these buses are air-conditioned and function in accordance with a timetable with the average bus known to leave every 30 minutes to coastal towns and villages found away from Colombo.

Trains

For a more scenic take on travelling within beautiful Sri Lanka, why not consider reserving a seat or hopping onto a 3rd class carriage on the next available train? In short, commuting by train in the country will present a plethora of opportunities to uncover and learn about the natural environs that encompass Sri Lanka. From serving as a springboard to dive into the brilliance and charm of the deep south to affording a gateway to embracing the pageantry and peace of the hill country, accessing the local train service by far will be one of the best decisions you end up making. From night-mail trains, 1st class carriages and their luxurious services to intercity locomotives that will escort you past oceans, tea estates and waterfalls, one’s options are wide as they are appealing. For example, should you have checked into one of the Sri Lanka luxury resorts as part of Aitken Spence Hotels in the city of Kandy, then it would make better sense to commute via the Colombo – Kandy intercity train that will have you in the hill capital well within 2 hours. Importantly, purchasing train tickets to leading towns and cities in Sri Lanka must be done so at the Colombo Fort Railway Station in Pettah.

Car hires

For the ‘do it my way’ traveller,’ perhaps, hiring a car from the car hire companies will be the way forward. This way, you do not have to wait in line for tickets but can pack your belongings and head off into the distance, equipped with an appetite for adventure and exploration. Although you will have to agree to the company’s rules and regulations, one can easily choose from daily hires to ones that involve a greater duration.

Trishaws (Tuk-tuks)

Trishaws, three-wheelers or ‘tuk-tuks’ as they are fondly referred to cannot be ignored, especially when wanting to move from one location to another in areas such as Colombo. While being convenient as a result of private companies such as PickMe and Uber coming into the picture, one will have a wealth of facilities to choose from. The aforementioned can be opted for as they offer the ease of making a booking through a mobile application where the fares will be generated as per the distance that you intend on covering with the aid of a meter. On the contrary, hailing one on the road may not be the wisest as some of these vehicles do not have a meter and you might run the risk of pocketing out more for a relatively short distance. While bargaining is recommended, it is more prudent to select a facility conducive to your travel style that will, in turn, leave no room for any inconveniences.