Public transportation in Sri Lanka is represented by trains and buses.
1. Buses
Bus service on the island is well developed, the transport is of two types: state buses STV (red or yellow) and private buses of all brands and colors. Public buses travel on a strict schedule. Private buses depart as they fill up and have no timetable. Unfortunately, local buses are often overcrowded and not particularly comfortable. Private buses are rarely air-conditioned, while public buses have no air-conditioning at all. The average speed of buses, taking into account bad roads and frequent stops, is 40 km/h, slightly higher in the north of the country and lower in mountainous areas. Bus stations in the cities are extremely chaotic, so it's best to find an English-speaking local and check with him when your bus leaves.
2. Trains
The rail network in Sri Lanka is extensive. Colombo Fort is the hub station from where passenger trains depart daily for the following destinations:
- Colombo - Galle - Matara (4-5 times a day)
- Colombo - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Badulla (3 times a day)
- Colombo - Kandy (5-6 times a day)
- Colombo - Anuradhapura - Vavuniya (2 times a day)
- Colombo - Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa (once daily)
- Colombo - Habarana - Trincomalee (once daily)
There are electric trains around Colombo, and there is a separate line Colombo - Bandaranaike Airport - Negombo. Trains leave once an hour, and the travel time between Colombo center (Colombo Fort) and the airport is about 1 hour..
Rail transportation in Sri Lanka is very cheap. However, the cars are often overcrowded, air-conditioning is available only in company trains, but the trains are usually accompanied by army guards, and the routes themselves are very picturesque. It is not uncommon for tourists to be advised to take a trip solely for the sake of seeing the country. Some routes have glass-roofed trains for such trips, such as the Colombo to Kandy line.
3. Taxi
The most popular type of cab in Sri Lanka is a three-wheeled scooter with a cab for 1-3 people called a tuk-tuk. The trip is paid by prior arrangement with the driver (usually not exceeding 20 LKR (0.14 USD) per km).
In Colombo and the suburbs, there are the usual metered cabs that can be hailed over the phone. Boarding them and the first kilometer costs 28-30 LKR, each subsequent kilometer is 24-26 LKR. Often, instead of formal fares per kilometer, there are steady point-to-point tolls. A trip from Colombo to Bandaranaike Airport will cost at least 1,600 LKR (15 USD), three times the meter rate. Travel within cities costs a minimum of 50 LKR (0.5 USDUSD), and an average of 50-100 LKR within the city center.
