Transpor
T
(^) Bu
S
̈ (^) If you bring your own
bicycle, also pack a supply of
spare tyres and tubes. These
suffer from the poor road
surfaces, and replacement
parts can be hard to obtain.
The normal bicycle tyre size
in Sri Lanka is 28in by 1.5in.
Some imported 27in tyres for
10-speed bikes are available,
but only in Colombo.
̈ (^) Keep an eye on your
bicycle at all times and use a
good lock.
̈ (^) When taking a bicycle on
a train, forms must be filled
out, so deliver the bicycle
at least half an hour before
departure. At Colombo Fort
train station you may want
to allow up to two hours. It
costs about twice the 2nd-
class fare to take a bicycle on
a train.
Purchase
Expect to pay US$125 to
US$500 for a new bike, de-
pending on the quality. Most
are made in India or China.
There are bike shops (rentals
not available) along Dam St
in the Pettah market area of
Colombo. Also try:
Lumala (www.lumala.lk)
Bus
Bus routes cover about 80%
of the nation’s 90,000km of
roads. There are two kinds of
bus in Sri Lanka:
Central Transport Board (CTB)
buses These are the default
buses and usually lack air-con;
they ply most long-distance and
local routes. You’ll also see buses
with a Sri Lanka Transport Board
(SLTB) logo.
Private buses Independent
bus companies have vehicles
ranging from late-model
Japanese coaches used on
intercity-express runs to ancient
minibuses on short runs between
towns and villages. Private air-
con intercity buses cover some
major routes. For long-distance
travel they are more comfort-
able and faster than other bus
services. Note that completion
of the Southern expresswayhas sparked the introduction of
express services in fully modern
air-con coaches between
Colombo’s suburbs and Galle.General Tips
Bus travel in Sri Lanka can be
interesting and entertaining.
Most locals speak at least
some English, so you may
have some enjoyable interac-
tions. Vendors board to sell
snacks, books and gifts on
long-distance routes.
Important considerations
for bus travel:
̈ Major routes will have
service several times an hour
during daylight hours.
̈ Finding the right bus at
the chaotic bus stations of
major cities and towns can
be challenging, although
almost all buses now have
part of their destination sign
in English.
̈ There is usually no central
ticket office; you must locate
the right parking area and
buy your bus ticket either
from a small booth or on
board the bus.̈ (^) You may be able to reserve
a seat on a bus in advance;
check at the station.
̈ (^) ‘Semi-comfortable’ (or
‘semi-luxe’) buses are run by
private companies and have
larger seats and window
curtains compared to CTB
buses, but lack the air-con of
the best intercity buses.
̈ (^) Most people at bus
stations and on buses will
help you with your questions.
̈ Luggage space is limited or
non-existent; you may have
to buy a ticket for your bag.
̈ The first two seats on CTB
buses are reserved for clergy
(Buddhist monks).
̈ To guarantee a seat, board
the bus at the beginning of its
journey.
̈ (^) When you arrive at your
destination, confirm the
departure details for the next
stage of your journey.
Costs
In most cases, private bus
companies run services
parallel to CTB services.
Intercity expresses charge
about twice as much as CTB
buses, but are more than
twice as comfortable and
usually faster. Fares for CTB
buses and ordinary private
buses are very cheap.
Car & Motorcycle
̈ (^) Self-drive car hire is
possible in Sri Lanka, though
it is far more common to
hire a car and driver. If you’re
on a relatively short visit to
Sri Lanka on a midrange
budget, the costs of hiring a
car and driver can be quite
reasonable.
̈ When planning your
itinerary, you can count on
covering about 35km/h in
the Hill Country and 55km/h
in most of the rest of the
country.
̈ Motorcycling is an
alternative for intrepid
travellers. Distances
are relatively short and
some of the roads are a
motorcyclist’s delight; the
trick is to stay off the main
highways. The quieter
Hill Country roads offer
some glorious views, and
secondary roads along the
coast and the plains are
reasonably quick. But you
will have to make inquiries as
motorcycle and motorbike
rental is nowhere near as
commonplace as it is in
much of the rest of Asia.
̈ New expressways are
revolutionising how people
get around Sri Lanka.
̈ (^) Throughout Sri Lanka,
Mw is an abbreviation for
Mawatha, meaning ‘Avenue’.
Driving Licence
An International Driving
Permit (IDP) can be used
for driving in Sri Lanka; it’s
pricey, valid for three months
to one year and is sold by
auto clubs in your home
country. Note that many