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Cars 4 Rental Guide To Travel In Sri Lanka
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Note:
All but essential travel to the north or east (other than Trincomalee, Nilaveli and Arugam Bay) is advised. Much of the north and east of Sri Lanka remains heavily mined, particularly around the A9 road to Jaffna. There is a threat from domestic terrorism in Sri Lanka. However, most visits to Sri Lanka are trouble-free.
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International Airports
Colombo Bandaranaike (CMB) (Katunayake) is 32km (20 miles) from the city. Buses go to the city every 30 minutes. Taxis are available. There are trains to Maradana Station, located 1.6km (1 mile) from the city centre (travel time – 1 hour 25 minutes). Airport facilities include duty-free shop, restaurant, bar, snack bar, bank, post office, tourist information and car hire.
Departure tax:
None.
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Air Travel
The major domestic airport is Ratmalana at Colombo. There are daily flights to smaller airports at Batticaloa, Gal Oya, Palali and Trincomalee. The airport at Jaffna is currently closed.
Departure tax:
None.
Helicopter tours:
Helitours of Ceylon, with pilots from the Sri Lanka Air Force, offers charter tours of major tourist areas.
AIR:
Sri Lanka’s national airline is SriLankan Airlines (UL) (website: www.srilankan.lk).
Approximate flight times:
From Colombo to London is 13 hours 45 minutes, to Hong Kong is 5 hours 10 minutes, to the Seychelles is 3 hours 55 minutes and to Tokyo is 12 hours.
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Travel By Water
International ports include Colombo, Galle, Talaimannar and Trincomalee. Passenger services to Sri Lanka are operated by CIT, Cunard, Holland America, P&O and Royal Viking.
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Rail
Trains connect Colombo with all tourist towns, but first-class carriages, air conditioning and dining cars are available on only a few. New fast services operate on the principal routes, including an inter-city express service between Colombo and Kandy, otherwise journeys are fairly leisurely. The total network covers 1500km (900 miles).
Note: Rail services to Jaffna have recently ceased owing to the violent political disruptions in the northern area.
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Travel By Road
Traffic drives on the left. Most roads are tarred, with a 56kph (35mph) speed limit in built-up areas and 75kph (45mph) outside towns. Bus: An extensive network of services of reasonable quality is provided by the Sri Lanka Central Transport Board. Taxi: These are available in most towns. It is advisable to agree a rate before setting off. Car hire: This is available from several international agencies. Air conditioned minibuses are also available. Chauffeur-driven cars are less expensive and recommended. Avoid remote areas and travelling at night. Documentation: In order to avoid bureaucratic formalities in Sri Lanka, an International Driving Permit should be obtained before departure. If not, a temporary licence to drive is obtainable on presentation of a valid national driving licence. This must be endorsed at the AA office in Colombo. The minimum age for driving a car is 18.
URBAN:
Bus: The Central Transport Board provides intensive urban bus operations in Colombo, where there are also private buses and minibuses. Fares are generally collected by conductors. Services are often crowded. Taxi: These are metered with yellow tops, and red and white plates. Drivers expect a 10 per cent tip. Travel Times: The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Colombo to other major cities/towns in Sri Lanka.
TRAVEL TIMES:
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Colombo to other major cities/towns in Sri Lanka.
| Air | Road | Rail | | Kandy | - | 2.30 | 3.00 | | Galle | - | 3.00 | 3.00 | | Bentota | - | 1.45 | 1.45 | | Matara | - | 4.00 | 4.30 | | Badulla | - | 9.30 | 9.00 | | Negombo | - | 0.45 | 0.45 | | Nuwara Eliya | - | 3.30 | 5.00 | | Anuradhapura | 0.45 | 5.30 | 6.00 | | Polonnaruwa | 1.00 | 6.00 | 7.00 | | Trincomalee | 1.00 | 6.00 | 7.00 | | Kataragama | - | 6.30 | - |
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Car Hire Sri Lanka
Cars 4 Rental can provide car hire vehicles in all the popular locations throughout the Sri Lanka. Whatever your requirements Cars 4 Rental will be able to provide a car to meet your needs. Our hire cars can be equipped with many optional extras including child seats so that your car rental is ideally suited to your needs.
Hire a car in Sri Lanka
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