Getting Around

Crime and Security

Getting Around
Most travellers head to Colombo and make an onward journey from there. If your holiday is part of a package, transfer from the airport should be included and the local representative will be on hand to meet you. If you arrive independently and have not arranged for a transfer, you must make your own way to Colombo or your holiday resort. Colombo's major hotels have desks at the airport where hotel transport can be booked.

Train Timing

Getting Around Colombo
Trishaws
(Auto rickshaws in India) or three-wheelers are the best way of negotiating Colombo's busy streets if you don't mind the speed at which they travel. Fix the fare beforehand which should be cheaper than hiring an air-conditioned taxi, but often isn't, as much depends on the whims of your driver. Change is rarely given so try to have the exact money or ensure that you have a supply of small denom- ination notes.

Taxi 
Only a few taxi companies have metered air-{;onditioned vehicles. Yet despite the heat, you can feel comfortably safe using these, even late at night, and they can be just as cheap and sometimes cheaper than trishaws when there is little traffic.Public transport should be avoided if you are a first-time visitor because the buses are unreliable and the train station is a long walk away and the service (for Free Trade Zone workers) operates only three times a day. Taxis are inexpensive and can be booked through a desk in the airport lobby. A taxi really is the best way for the journey to the hotel, especially as you will be hot. tired and have luggage to worry about. Expect to pay around Rs l000 to Colombo

Getting Around the Island
Security posts are stationed all over Colombo, particularly in Fort, and securitY checks are common. Foreigners must be in possession of passports at all times. If you are stopped, a police officer will simply check your passport and then hand it back to you.

On Foot 
Colombo pavements are good in places but many are bad and sometimes there are none at all. Getting around on foot can be an ordeal, particularly in the midday heat, but it is often the quickest form of transport during rush hour. An A-Z street map booklet of the citY is available from bookshops and is an invaluable aid to orientation. 

By Road
A rush-hour bus journey in Colombo is the closest thing to hell on earth. Buses are dangerously overcrowded to the point that four or five people may be hanging out of the doorway, holding on perfectly calmly for dear life, while drivers barely stop long enough to allow anyone to get on or off the vehicle. Bus journeys, whether short or long distance, are hot, slow and uncomfortable but they are cheap even if you are stifled, stepped upon and sometimes groped. Private bus companies run intercitY buses which are air- conditioned and generally carry Seating-only passengers who have to pay a fare to the bus's destination even if getting off halfway through the journey(Such as at Aluthgama on a bus bound for Galle). 

By Train 
Trains are more comfortable than buses and provide a fascinating, and sometimes leisurely, insight into island life, since they pass through scenic areas not touched by road. Some express trains carry special observation cars with seats that can be reserved in advance. Most trains have only 2nd and 3rd class and it is always preferable to opt for 2nd class as the chances of getting a seat are better. Train fares are low. If you want stunning views of the lush landscapes on the Colombo- Kandy train, and peace and quiet, reserve a seat in the observation saloon. It is not air-conditioned but is off limits to other passengers. 
For more Information Contact Enquires Tel: 434215.