Check before you travel Hill-country railway: repairs after Cyclone Ditwah Checked 3 October 2026
Cyclone Ditwah damaged the hill-country railway in November 2025, and it is reopening in stages. Since 2 October 2026, trains run again from Colombo Fort to Peradeniya and Gampola, but Kandy station itself is not served yet. Trains between Nanu Oya and Badulla, which stop at Haputale, Ella and Demodara, restarted on 20 June 2026. The section between Gampola and Nanu Oya is still under repair, so you cannot yet go by train from Colombo or Kandy all the way to Ella. Check the latest services before you plan a rail journey, and book reserved seats on the Sri Lanka Railways seat reservation site.
Most international flights to Sri Lanka land at Bandaranaike International Airport (airport code CMB) at Katunayake, north of Colombo and close to Negombo. Once you are through immigration, baggage and customs, three things are worth sorting out before you leave the terminal: rupees, a SIM card and a ride. All three are in the arrivals hall, and the banks and phone counters there are open 24 hours.
Before you fly
- An approved ETA. Every foreign visitor needs an Electronic Travel Authorization before arriving; apply on the official Sri Lanka ETA website. Since 25 May 2026 the tourist ETA has been free for citizens of 40 countries. Our Sri Lanka visa guide explains who pays and how to apply.
- Your passport, ticket and funds. The ETA site says your passport must be valid for at least six months from the day you arrive, and that you should have a confirmed return ticket and enough money for your stay.
- A yellow fever certificate, but only if you are travelling from a country listed as a yellow fever transmission risk.
Two things cause real trouble at this border, according to the UK government’s travel advice. Visible tattoos of the Buddha can get you refused entry or deported. And penalties for drugs, including cannabis, are severe: the airports use scanning technology to detect illegal items, also in transit passengers’ bags. If you plan to fly a drone, check the registration rules with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka first.
From the plane to the arrivals hall
The airport describes four steps:
- Immigration. If you are not a Sri Lankan national, you fill in an arrival (disembarkation) card and hand it in at the immigration counter with your passport. Keep your ETA approval to hand. Recent visitors (2025–26) report that the queue for foreign nationals can take 30 to 60 minutes when several long-haul flights land together, and much less at quieter times.
- Baggage. You walk through the arrival duty-free shops and down the escalator to the baggage hall; the screens show which belt is yours.
- Customs. Declare foreign currency worth more than US$15,000, and any gold, jewellery or gems. If you have nothing to declare, use the green channel. A visitor’s duty-free allowance covers personal belongings, one and a half litres of spirits, two bottles of wine and a small amount of perfume and souvenirs up to US$250.
- The arrivals lobby. Here you find the currency exchange counters, ATMs, phone company counters, the taxi counter and travel and hotel desks.
If you feel unwell on arrival, with a fever or diarrhoea, the airport asks you to go to the Health Inspector’s room.
Getting rupees
Sri Lanka’s currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR, usually written Rs). The airport lists several banks in the arrival public concourse open 24 hours, some with currency exchange counters, some with ATMs and some with both.
The UK government says most major banks let you withdraw cash with Visa and Mastercard, but not every ATM accepts international cards. It also warns that bank card fraud is common: use ATMs inside banks or hotels where you can, check machines on the street for signs of tampering, and keep your card in sight when you pay. Take out enough cash for the ride and your first day before you leave the airport, while you are next to a bank.
A SIM card
Airtel, Dialog, Hutch and SLT-Mobitel all have counters in the arrival public concourse, open 24 hours. You need your passport, because a Sri Lankan SIM has to be registered in the user’s own name. It is worth doing before you walk out: recent visitors point out that ride-hailing apps need a working data connection, and the airport’s own transport page lists two of them. Our Sri Lanka SIM and eSIM guide compares the tourist plans and the eSIM options.
Getting away from the airport
The Colombo–Katunayake Expressway (E03) links the airport with Colombo. Your choices, as the airport lists them:
- The airport taxi. The official taxi service, supervised by Airport and Aviation Services, has counters in the arrivals lobby and the arrival porch. Fares are fixed by destination: when we checked the airport’s published list in October 2026, an air-conditioned car cost Rs 3,780 to Negombo and Rs 8,100 to central Colombo (Fort or Kollupitiya), plus Rs 130 for each extra kilometre and Rs 300 for each extra drop.
- Ride-hailing apps. The airport lists Uber and PickMe. Recent visitors report that app fares are usually lower than the counter’s fixed rates.
- Bus 187 to Colombo Fort. Air-conditioned buses run 24 hours a day to Colombo and Colombo Fort railway station, taking about 50 minutes. Board at the outer porch of the departure terminal. The fare listed in October 2026 was Rs 325 per passenger, with the same again for baggage over 23 kg.
- The bus to Makumbura. Air-conditioned buses run to the Makumbura Multimodal Centre near Kottawa, the interchange for buses on the Southern Expressway, in about 50 minutes. Board at the arrival outer porch, opposite the Buddha statue. The listed fare was Rs 410, plus the same for baggage over 23 kg.
Recent visitors report drivers approaching new arrivals inside the terminal with rides at inflated prices. Use the taxi counter, an app or a pick-up you have arranged in advance. If a driver or friend is meeting you, agree on a meeting point: the airport charges visitors Rs 500 each to enter the arrivals lobby.
Colombo or Negombo for the first night?
Negombo is the nearest major town to the airport, which lies just south of it. After a long flight that short ride is its biggest advantage, and it is the obvious choice if you land late at night or fly out early. It also has a beach, a fish market and a lagoon to fill a spare day, though the sea can be rough, especially in the south-west monsoon from May to September.
Colombo is the bigger choice: Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, with temples, museums, markets and sunsets at Galle Face Green. Colombo Fort station, beside Pettah Market, is the hub of the rail network, with trains south along the coast, and the main bus stations are next to it. Stay here if you land in the morning with energy to spare, or want to catch a train the next day. If you are planning the hill-country train, see our train travel guide and the travel update at the top of this page.
If you are heading straight for the south coast, the Makumbura bus or a taxi lets you skip both.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How do I get from Colombo airport to Colombo city?
Take the official airport taxi (a fixed Rs 8,100 to central Colombo when we checked in October 2026), book Uber or PickMe, or take the 24-hour bus 187 to Colombo Fort, which takes about 50 minutes.
How far is Negombo from the airport?
Very close. Negombo is the nearest major town to Bandaranaike International Airport, which lies just south of it. The airport taxi’s fixed fare to Negombo was Rs 3,780 in October 2026.
Can I buy a SIM card at Colombo airport?
Yes. Airtel, Dialog, Hutch and SLT-Mobitel have counters in the arrival public concourse, open 24 hours. Bring your passport.
Are there ATMs and money exchange at Colombo airport?
Yes. Several banks in the arrival public concourse are open 24 hours, with currency exchange counters and ATMs.
Do I need to fill in an arrival card for Sri Lanka?
Yes, if you are not a Sri Lankan national: you hand a completed arrival (disembarkation) card to the immigration officer with your passport.
How much cash can I bring into Sri Lanka?
There is no need to declare small amounts, but foreign currency worth more than US$15,000 must be declared to customs on arrival.
Sources: airport.lk (procedures), airport.lk (customs), airport.lk (arrival services), airport.lk (bank money exchange), airport.lk (mobile communication), airport.lk (getting arround), airport.lk (taxi service), airport.lk (luxury bus service), airport.lk (makubura bus service), airport.lk (lobby rates), customs.gov.lk (travellers), customs.gov.lk (passenger services directorate katunayake), eta.gov.lk, gov.uk (entry requirements), gov.uk (safety and security), ft.lk, en.wikipedia.org (Bandaranaike International Airport), en.wikipedia.org (Negombo), dialog.lk and recent visitor reports. Header photo: ANKAN / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
