Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Purchase
Expect to pay US$125 to US$500 for a new bike, depending 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
BICYCLE
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 Japan-
ese 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-dis-
tance travel they are more comfortable and faster than other bus services. Note that com-
pletion of the Southern Expressway has 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 interactions. 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 challen-
ging, 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.
