Colombo Court Blog Colombo
Getting around Colombo: tuk-tuks, apps and the coastal train
How each way of getting around works, when walking is faster than driving, how to avoid being overcharged, and the train journey worth planning a morning around.
Colombo is easy to get around, but the best option depends on the time of day. Here is when to use each one.
Tuk-tuks
Tuk-tuks are the most common way to get around, and you will rarely wait more than a minute for one. Two simple rules help.
Use a meter or an app. Metered tuk-tuks have a meter on the dashboard and are inexpensive. If a driver will not use the meter, he is likely to charge a tourist price. Politely decline and take the next one, which will usually arrive quickly.
Carry small notes. Drivers rarely have change.
Ride apps
PickMe is the local app and generally the better choice. Uber also operates here. Both offer tuk-tuks as well as cars, both show the fare before you confirm, and both remove the need to agree a price. Install PickMe before you travel and buy a local SIM card at the airport so that it works when you arrive.
Choose a car when it is raining, when you have luggage, or after dark. At other times a tuk-tuk is usually the better option, and it is often faster in traffic because it can fit through smaller gaps.
Walking, which is underrated
Between about five and seven in the evening, any journey of under two kilometres is faster on foot. Pavements in Colombo 3 are in reasonable condition, and the area is safe for walking in the evening. Carry water, walk on the shady side, and avoid walking between noon and three, when it is hottest.
The coastal train
This is the journey worth planning a morning around. The railway line south from Colombo Fort follows the coast, at times just a few metres from the sea, all the way to Galle and beyond. The train is slow and busy and the doors stay open, but it is one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world.
Travel second class rather than first, because the windows open. Board at Fort or at Kollupitiya station, which is a short ride from the hotel. Buy your ticket on the day, and avoid travelling with large luggage.
Buses
Buses go everywhere and are very cheap, but they can be difficult to use if you do not read Sinhala. Expressway coaches between cities are comfortable and fast. For journeys within Colombo, a tuk-tuk is easier.
What we can arrange
We can arrange airport transfers (please contact our front office for rates), a car and driver for a day trip to Galle or Kandy, and a tuk-tuk to the hotel entrance within minutes. Ask at the front desk rather than at the gate: the fare will be fairer and the driver will know the way.
