How to get from and to Colombo Airport

Colombo Airport (Bandaranaike)

Colombo Airport or Bandaranaike International Airport is located 35 km north of Colombo city centre and only 10 km south of Negombo.

In the first section of this post, you can find how to get to Colombo city and in the second section how to get to Negombo.

As Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka, most travellers tend to stay here. An advantage is also the direct railway connection to Galle, most travellers next destination in the South of Sri Lanka.

However, there are also many travellers who prefer to stay in Negombo because it is closer to the airport. There are also more accommodations to choose from, which are located next to an accessible beach. If you decide to stay in Negombo, it’s still easy to travel from Negombo to Colombo in about 1.5 hours.

3 ways to get from How to get from and to Colombo Airport

Ordinary buses depart every 45 minutes during the day, but less frequently at night. A ticket costs 150 LKR ($0.50). These buses make a lot of stops to pick up and drop off passengers so you can expect the travel time to take between 1.5 to 2 hours.

You can find these ordinary buses at Avariwatta Airport Bus Stand, about 1 km away from Colombo Airport. The good news is that the road is flat so you can get to the bus stand on foot for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a short tuk-tuk ride for around 200 LKR ($0.70).

From Avariwatta Bus Stand, take bus #187 bound for Colombo.

Are you coming from Colombo city centre? You can hail bus #187 from several bus stands. Ask your hotel for assistance in finding its nearest stop.

Note that ordinary buses are far from the most comfortable ride you will have in Sri Lanka. They feature wooden chairs and do not provide a lot of space. If you’re carrying bulky luggage, the driver might ask you to pay double the fare so that your luggage can “sit” beside you.

If you’re heading to Negombo instead of Colombo, the journey will be slightly faster: you can take a taxi for 20 minutes from 2,000 LKR ($6.80), hop on a tuk-tuk for 30 minutes at 1,300 LKR ($4.40), or travel by ordinary bus #240 for 30 minutes with fares from 110 LKR ($0.40).

To/From Negombo by Ordinary Bus

The taxi is the most expensive yet the only direct option when travelling from Colombo Airport to Negombo. The bus is cheaper, but not available inside the airport.

Buses bound for Negombo depart from Avariwatta Bus Stand, about a kilometre walk or a short tuk-tuk ride from Colombo Airport. Ticket prices start from 110 LKR ($0.40).

To/From Negombo by Tuk-tuk

Tuk-tuks are also not allowed to enter Colombo Airport. You will find them at Avariwatta Bus Stop as well. From here, a tuk-tuk ride to Negombo takes about 30 minutes. Fares start at 1,300 LKR ($4.40).

The Colombo Express Bus operates daily from 05:30 to 20:30, with a departure every 30 minutes. A ticket costs 320 LKR ($1.10) and the journey takes about 1 hour.

Express buses are coloured blue and you can easily spot them about 50 metres off the airport grounds.

From Colombo Airport, these buses make a stop at the Central Bus Stand, Pettah Fort, and Colombo Fort Station. When travelling from the city centre to the airport, you can hail the express bus from any of these stops.

If travelling in a group or if you have large pieces of luggage, the taxi is your best bet. Fares start at 2,900 LKR ($9.90) for a car that can accommodate 3 to 4 people, depending on the size of your luggage. Vans are also available for larger groups, for a few dollars more.

Taxis are available at the airport, but we think that taxis booked online are cheaper and more reliable. Uber and Pickme offer spacious cars for good rates. TaxiGo is also a good backup when the other two choices are not available.

To/From Negombo by Taxi

The taxi is the only direct option when travelling from Colombo Airport to Negombo.

A 3 to 4-seater taxi costs about 2,000 LKR ($6.80) if you book them with reliable apps like Uber and Pickme. Taxis are also readily available at the airport, but they might be a bit more expensive.