Sri Lanka — Transport & Getting Around

Colombo runs on the PickMe app (tuk-tuks, cars, bikes) with upfront pricing; Uber also operates in the capital. Street tuk-tuks rarely use meters — agree the fare before boarding or just book through the app. The rail network is slow but scenic: reserved seats on the Colombo–Kandy–Ella line sell out days ahead, so book early through the railway reservation system or an agent. Air-conditioned intercity buses cover the rest of the island cheaply.

Bandaranaike International (CMB) sits about 35 km north of Colombo at Katunayake; the airport expressway makes the taxi run 45–75 minutes depending on traffic, and app pickups work from the arrivals car park. Domestic aviation is thin — seaplane taxis serve resort lakes and a small number of scheduled flights link Colombo with Jaffna — so most travellers move by road and rail.