Practical tips to move from one city to another in Sri Lanka and try all available means: you will experience an unforgettable journey!
Getting around Sri Lanka it can be difficult because the means are unreliable, the quality is well below that of Europe and the information available and certain is few. The great thing, however, is that to move from one city to another or to visit an attraction from your hotel, you will always spend very little, especially if you are traveling in a group. Among the most used vehicles in Sri Lanka we find the classic tuk tuk, perfect for short distances and rough roads, but also scenic trains, crowded buses and comfortable cars with drivers private.
Observe the locals traveling from one village to another by train, bargain with the tuk tuk drivers and be careful they don't charge you as a tourist. Try all the means available: it will be an unforgettable experience.
1. Tuk tuk
As in much of Asia, getting around by tuk tuk is the best way because the quality / price ratio is unbeatable. You pay very little and in two (but also in three) it is quite comfortable. Are you worried about the heat? Air conditioning is included and natural!
In Sri Lanka it is not so obvious to stay in very populated areas, so many times you will have to ask the owners of your hotel or guesthouse to call you their trusted tuk tuk driver. Looking out onto the street when surrounded by the forest will not bring you many results, so you might as well rely on the structure you are staying in, which will also tell you the cost of the trip in advance.
The situation changes if you are in tourist areas or in cities like Galle and Kandy. Here you just have to raise your hand or wait for the fateful question: “tuk tuk?“. In Colombo you will not have time to set foot outside your hotel when in five minutes you have already heard ten times "tuk tuk?".
It's hard to say how much a tuk tuk can cost because drivers mainly take two things into consideration besides distance: if you are a tourist and the conditions of the roads. In fact, it happened many times to hear them say "the road is ruined" or "there is no asphalt" because this would have affected the condition of the tires and consequently the (higher) price. On the fact of tourists ... Well, it is like this almost everywhere in the world, but you just need to be respected.
My advice is to choose the tuk tuks for not too long journeys (under an hour) because it gets a bit stressful with all that vibration and noise, and to always bargain. Go down 100-150-200 rupees and agree on the price before going up. You will have to get used to it the first few days and take into account the old trips to save on the future and understand what the standard rates are.
2. Private driver
Renting a private driver is the best solution if you are looking for comfort and speed in moving around. In some areas cars do not venture, but for the most popular attractions you will have no problems.
If you are traveling low cost and will choose tuk tuks most of the time, consider private drivers for long journeys. For example from the airport to the hotel or from the cultural triangle (in my case from the region where I was sleeping, Habarana) to Kandy. In this way you will save money and time for routes that are almost impossible by tuk tuk due to the length.
Advice to save with the driver: in Sri Lanka it is easy to meet other travelers, especially if you sleep in a guesthouse and eat together. Talk about your plans and, if they match, agree to split the treats.
3. Bus
Buses in Sri Lanka are not the most reliable means but the cost is negligible and they are a good alternative to drivers or the train.
The stops are often not well marked except by a small sign and, during my 10-day itinerary for the Mirissa-Galle route, it was not very easy to find it.
As for trains, there is also for buses seat problem. It works according to the law of "first come, best stay", the others stand or half in and half out like San Francisco cable cars to understand. Most buses don't have air conditioning and every inch is taken up to get as many people as possible. Other buses, more expensive, are equipped with air conditioning and are the classic grand tourism coaches; comfortable and less ramshackle. An example is the express bus that you can take from Galle bus station to Maharagama, from which you need to take a tuk tuk to reach the center of Colombo. The cost is approximately € 2,50.
Another question is the price. Although it was very short, the conductor on board who dealt with the sale of the tickets (a guy in normal clothes, without a uniform) asked me a lot more than what he asked the locals. How did I notice? I saw that everyone was giving coins, about 60-70 rupees. He asked me about twice as much and I asked a guy to tell me how much he had paid. My friends and I made the difference back. As I said before, be respected, regardless of the fact that for us Westerners these are derisory figures.
4. Train
Hens, fried sweets, bags with vegetables and street vendors at every stop offering food from the windows. There is this and more in Sri Lankan trains as the green landscapes of the tea plantations roll by.
It is an experience to do because the Kandy-Ella-Nuwara Eliya route is one of the most scenic in the world and because I think traveling by train is one of the most authentic ways to get to know a country, especially in Asia.
Before embarking on a real cultural adventure, make sure you have a good dose of patience and a spirit of adaptation with you. Trains are always packed and securing a seat isn't easy unless you're traveling first class. However, the latter costs very little, but the tickets are sold out quickly and sometimes even well in advance. In the other two classes, on the other hand, you just need to push and push your way through (it's not easy with backpacks!) And stand up as best you can. My first experience on a Sinhalese train was exhausting: three hours standing without being able to move, with the 70-liter backpack over my feet and zero space around me. Try to stay close to the doors to both see out and breathe decently.
To buy tickets you must necessarily go to the station in person on the day of departure or, if you can, at the first useful station in order to reserve seats.
For detailed information on costs, types of trains and routes, I highly recommend this site, very useful for all train journeys.
