Name of the airport in Colombo. From the airport to Colombo by train. Get there by train
Sri Lanka is a popular destination for domestic tourists. It is more convenient to get to the island by plane. As well as moving along it over long distances. International airports are the gateway and face of the country. More details about their work: location, customs clearance, reviews.
Airports on the map
Sri Lanka has 3 airports that have international status. These include:
- Bandaranaike- in Colombo.
- Ratmalana- south of Colombo. The airport has international status, but regular passenger international flights to the airport does not accept. It is used for domestic flights, as well as for charter flights and cargo transportation.
- Mattala Rajapaksa- in Hambantota.
Airports for domestic flights:
- Kogalla.
- Ampara.
- China Bay.
- Vavuniya.
- Jaffna.
There are also other airports, much smaller. Domestic flights operate in charter format called air taxis.
The northern part of the island has 3 airports. 2 are located in the west and east. There are also 2 airports in the south. The central part is mountainous, so there are no airfields there.
International airports
Bandaranaike Airport is located near the city of Negombo. It is 35 km away from the city of Colombo. to the south. Location - in the western part of the island. Therefore, it is better for those tourists who are planning their vacation in this part of the country to fly here.
Some tourists unknowingly come to Ratmalana Airport. This is a problem for those who trust Google because it gives the nearest airport to Colombo.
The second international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa, is located in the southeast of the island. The complex is large, but only Flydubai flies here from foreign companies. Tourism is not developing so actively in this part of the island.
Colombo (Bandaranaike Airport)
Among the airports in Sri Lanka, Bandaranaike should be highlighted. This is the main international airport. It is distinguished by coziness and high comfort for visitors. At the same time, it is characterized by Asian fuss.
Official website of the airport: www.airport.lk
Using this busiest airport as an example, we will provide information about work, customs control and reviews from visitors.
Clearing customs
Documents you need to have with you:
- A foreign passport valid for at least 3 months before the end of the trip;
- Flights;
- Insurance;
- Money;
- Certificate from the bank if importing more than $10 thousand per person.
You are allowed to import 20 kg per person. If there is one suitcase for several persons, then its weight should not exceed 32 kg. For excess there will be an additional payment. Hand luggage – up to 5 kg. per person. Upon departure, everything is carefully checked.
Customs restrictions:
- No more than $10 thousand in cash.
- Valuable equipment and jewelry are declared.
- Tobacco products are subject to a duty of 7 rupees per cigarette or 1300 rupees per 1 kg. tobacco
- You can import 6 kg. tea per person.
- Allowed to import 2 bottles of wine or 1.5 liters. strong alcohol.
- Cosmetics are allowed for an amount not exceeding $250.
It is prohibited to import: drugs, ammunition, weapons, pornography, gold.
Export prohibited:
- Antiques;
- Ancient manuscripts and other cultural values;
- Precious stones;
- Animals;
- Plants.
Online scoreboard
Airport plan
Visa at the airport
You can apply for a visa in advance via the Internet. In this case it will cost $30.
For some reason, not everyone is able to obtain a visa in advance. But you can also get it at the airport. But it will cost more. The procedure is simple and not tedious. However, the latter depends on the queue.
Tips for obtaining a visa on arrival:
- Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Cost is $35 per person. Children under 12 years old are free.
- Confirmation of cash for accommodation - in individual cases.
If you have to apply for a visa upon arrival at the airport, you must have a return ticket in hand, in paper form. If you don't have it, the airline may not put you on your flight to Sri Lanka. In other words, there is a risk of not being able to fly away.
Watch a video of a walk through Colombo Airport:
Reviews
Below is information from visitors to the airport in Colombo. People felt the atmosphere and appreciated the quality of the services. Travelers have something to compare with, so their opinion is worth listening to.
Alexander Ivanichev, 34 years old
The flight arrived in the morning, so there were very few people. Luggage is handed out in a spacious hall, and the building itself is spacious. The toilets are basically standard, there is no depressing picture.
There are a large number of kiosks at the exit from the airport building. There you can also find a currency exchange and buy a SIM card for communication. By the way, the Internet on the island is characterized by high speed.
It is better to change money at the airport, since the exchange rate at the hotel is too high. By the way, keep the receipt. When you get ready to go home, you can exchange the money back, if you have any left, at the same rate.
But upon departure the picture was somewhat different. The entrance is located in a different place. There are many duty-free shops there, as well as cafes and restaurants for every taste. However, everything is distinguished by a high price. In principle, nothing surprising for a busy international airport.
As for the hall itself, everything is neat, no worse than in the USA or Saudi Arabia. However, one can feel the Hindu lack of culture, since there are many of them there. Some even sleep on the floor.
Passport control was not without a queue. The waiting room with metal chairs is quite comfortable. It is somewhat reminiscent of Dubai Airport.
Positive points:
- You can easily find a cafe with good food.
- There are many shops with various products, which is interesting for tourists.
Negative sides:
- Prices are higher compared to the rest of the country. But this is true almost all over the world.
- Queues, which is also predictable for an international airport.
Marina Ilyintseva, 41 years old
Due to the nature of my profession, I have to fly a lot. That's why I've seen a lot of airports. As for Columbo, he unexpectedly surprised me in a good way!
Advantages:
- Friendly staff;
- Thoughtfulness;
- Large waiting room;
- Comfort gates.
Flaws:
- Air conditioners do not work everywhere (perhaps they did not have time to service them).
- Expensive shopping area.
The main airport is bustling. It will seem unpleasant to those who have visited only American or European countries. But you just have to get used to the Asian rhythm and everything is fine.
Passport control is fast, especially with a pre-issued electronic permit. All that remains is to fill out the migration card.
There are tons of shops. The prices are good. However, why not buy a TV on vacation, especially in Sri Lanka? You can also find banks for currency exchange here. The rates at the airport are low, so don't miss out. In the future, you can lose money on the island.
Everything at the airport is close by, so you don't have to wander around. There is a feeling of some kind of comfort. There are no labyrinths, nor large corridors.
Duty free shops only accept dollars. The remaining rupees can only be spent in a cafe or to buy souvenirs.
Mattala Rajapaksa Airport
In the southern part of the island, an entire agricultural complex was erected - Mattala Rajapaksa. But despite the scale of construction, the investment was not justified. Therefore, the complex is mainly used for domestic flights.
Official website of the airport: http://www.airport.lk/mria/index.php#page=page-3
The nearest large city is located on the coast - Hambantona. Up to 26 km, which will take about half an hour by taxi. Colombo is 262 km away, which is equivalent to a 4.5 hour drive.
This airport may be convenient for the following reasons:
- For a holiday in the southern part of the country.
- When is it cheaper to fly to Sri Lanka to this airport? But given the cost of tickets from Flydubai, this is unlikely for domestic consumers. But, depending on where you fly from.
- For domestic flights from the western part of the island for sightseeing. For example, to visit Yala it is easier to fly from Colombo to Mattala and then drive. The journey from Mattala will take 2 hours, and from Colombo – 5.
Everyone, without exception, will like the inside - the building is too magnificently built.
Online scoreboard
Ratmalana is a domestic airport serving the city of Colombo. It was the first and only international airport in Sri Lanka until the opening of Bandaranaike at Katunaike in 1967. To date, the airport has been opened for international and charter flights. The airport is located 15 km south of the city of Colombo.
Official website of the airport: http://www.airport.lk/rma/index.php#page=page-3
Koggala Airport
The first flight from Koggala Airport was in 1942. So it is one of the oldest airports in the country. But its runway was built after the end of the war. Koggala Airport is served by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
From the city you can get to the airport by taxi. The complex is used not only for military aviation, but also for domestic flights. The country's government has a plan to modernize the complex so that it meets international requirements. Perhaps over time it will accept international flights.
Finally, we offer you a review of the top 10 best beaches in Sri Lanka:
Colombo Solomon Bandaranaike International Airport (IATA code - CMB) is located 35 km north of the city near the village of Katuneyake. This is the main international airport in Sri Lanka, and from this article you will learn how to get from here to the city and resorts on the coast.
Although Colombo Airport is relatively small, inside the building there are many shops, cafes and all the necessary services for arriving passengers. There is free Wi-Fi in the transit zone; there are special rooms for travelers with children.
Bandaranaike is the main international airport of Sri Lanka.
Passengers also have currency exchange offices, bank branches, offices of local telecom operators and travel agencies at their disposal.
The airport is relatively small, but it has everything for the convenience of passengers
Hotels nearby
If your flight arrives late in the evening or is scheduled to depart early in the morning, you can use one of the hotels in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
Otha Shy Hotel is located one and a half kilometers from the terminal
One and a half kilometers from Bandaranaike there is a hotel Otha Shy Airport. If necessary, it can be reached on foot; a transfer from/to the airport will cost 500 rupees (a little more than $3). The rooms have TV, air conditioning and tea making facilities. Wi-fi access is free and the front desk is open 24 hours a day.
Another decent hotel near Colombo airport - Igloo Airport Villa. Travelers on booking.com rated it 9.2 out of 10. The guest house offers guests free parking on site, internet and air conditioning in the rooms, as well as breakfast at the guest's discretion. A shuttle service is available upon request for a small fee, although the terminal can be reached on foot - the walk will take about 10 minutes.
Free transport to and from the airport for Airport City Hub guests
The next accommodation option near the main airport of Sri Lanka is Airport City Hub Hotel. Airport transportation is free and the front desk is open 24 hours a day. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. In addition to the usual amenities, the hotel has a swimming pool and a well-kept garden with a terrace, and the local restaurant serves traditional cuisine.
Cheap flights to Colombo
Colombo Airport welcomes about 7 million passengers annually, and dozens of aircraft arrive here every day from all over the world. To compare carrier offers and find the best deal, use the low price calendar below.
Airport map
A simple and intuitive diagram will help you quickly find your way around the airport.
Colombo Airport on the map
Transport from the airport
Transport links in Sri Lanka are just beginning to develop, adapting to the needs of tourists, and finding a convenient route to the place can be difficult. However, one way or another, from Colombo airport you can get to almost anywhere on the island. Below we will look at the most common ways to do this.
Bus
The express bus is the only official public transport that can be used to travel from Colombo Airport to the city. The stop is located across the street from the terminal - on the right hand of the exit, next to the pedestrian crossing. Bus number 187 departs for the city on the Katunayake-Colombo route. The interval between flights can be from 15 minutes to half an hour.
Express bus is the only official public transport
A ticket costs 120 Sri Lankan rupees (about $0.80 in 2017); it is bought from the conductor on the bus. The airport and the city are connected by an expressway; in the absence of traffic jams, the journey to Colombo will take about 25 minutes.
The express arrives at a station near the city bus station, from where you can get to any significant resort in Sri Lanka by transferring to the desired bus. You can also walk to the railway station, which is located near the bus station (about 1 km), and continue your journey by train.
Minibus
There is another stop outside the airport where you can take a minibus with the already familiar number 187. This minibus runs between the airport and the city even at night.
Minibus No. 187 runs even at night
At night the route follows the express route, and during the day it runs along a regular route. In this regard, travel time can even reach 1.5 hours. The final station is located away from the bus station.
Knock Knock
The most authentic way to get to the city center is a kind of local tuk-tuk taxi. They are also based outside the airport.
A tuk-tuk can take you to any address and even to another city. However, it is still inconvenient to travel long distances on it.
Tuk-tuk can take passengers even to another city
The driver will probably quote an exorbitant price for the trip, inflating it by 2-3 times, so be sure to bargain until the last minute.
You can also take a tuk-tuk to the nearest bus station, Averiwatta, which is 2 km from the airport. From here buses depart to some popular resorts on the island, in particular Negombo and Kandy.
Taxi from Colombo airport
A taxi from Colombo airport to the city center or the desired resort is the most convenient, but at the same time the least expensive way to travel. However, prices in Sri Lanka are quite low, so a taxi is not a luxury, but an affordable way to get around. The service counter, where you can order a car on site, is located at the exit of the terminal.
Taxi in Sri Lanka is a very affordable way to get around
Naturally, it will not be possible to avoid the attention of local taxi drivers waiting near the airport. Everyone tries to offer their services, sometimes quite persistently. Whether you agree or not is your decision. Remember that the main rule in this case is to bargain. For tourists, prices for everything are much higher.
Avoid bidding and markups on the part of local “entrepreneurs” it is possible by ordering a car in advance via the Internet on a specialized website. In Asia, this is especially convenient, since often the drivers of local carriers do not understand any languages, and it can be problematic to explain where you need to be taken.
The service combats mark-ups by local drivers by calculating the cost of the trip in advance – online. Thus, the final fare is known to the passenger long before arrival at the airport. In this case nothing There is no longer any need to pay extra on the spot.
The driver will meet you in the hall with a name sign and help with your luggage. For those traveling with children, there is a “Child seat” option, which can be selected at the ordering stage. The car will meet you at the airport with a seat already installed for your child.
The taxi service itself monitors the arrival board and sends the car to the airport promptly for boarding. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about additional payments associated with a delayed flight.
You can check current taxi fares from the airport to Colombo or another city on this page.
Car rental at Colombo airport
At Colombo airport there are car rental counters where you can rent a car immediately after arrival. But it’s worth considering that Sri Lanka is a fairly popular place among tourists, and the car park here is limited.
You can rent a car at the airport immediately after arrival
At the same time, many travelers try to book a car in advance, sometimes several months before the trip. As a result, less budget options remain in place.
To save money, it is better to book a car in advance through a specialized price comparison service. The system will compare offers from the largest companies in seconds and give a rating of the most profitable offers.
If you like any of the options, don’t delay making your reservation. During the “season”, cars with reasonable prices are sold out very quickly. Moreover, if you change your plans, you can always cancel your reservation.
You can compare car rental offers and find out the current prices for car rental at Colombo Airport on this page.
Video from the airport terminal
Photos by: timeslanka.com, Sri Lanka, colombotaxi.com, cabvertising.eu, City Car Rentals, Chasing Summits, newsin.asia, Our Planet, colombo-airport.com.
Sri Lanka has two international airports where planes carrying tourists can fly. The first and main airport is most often called Colombo Airport, although it is located 35 km north of Colombo, near the city of Negombo. The second airport of Sri Lanka is located in the south of the island and, accordingly, is of interest to those traveling to the south.
From this article you will learn:
The main airport of Sri Lanka is Bandaranaike Airport
Name of the main airport in Sri Lanka, where the vast majority of aircraft arrive is Bandaranaike International Airport (airport code CMB). Most often it is simply called "Colombo International Airport". Although there is another small airport in Colombo, there is a risk of confusing these two airports. But let's talk about everything in order and first, let's deal with the main airport.
Distance from airport Bandaranaike is 35 km from the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo. The journey to the city center takes approximately 45 minutes if you take the toll road. The closest city to the airport is Negombo (~10 km and 20 minutes by taxi).
You can get to a hotel in almost any corner of Sri Lanka on the website or.
Sri Lanka hotels near Colombo airport- on booking.com or agoda.com.
Find cheap flights to Colombo Airport The Aviasales website will help.
Reminder for those flying from Sri Lanka: It is better to arrive at the airport in advance. Before checking in for a flight, you must go through two security checks, which take at least 30 minutes.
24-hour services at Colombo International Airport
Currency exchange in the arrivals hall at Colombo airport Almost all service departments at Colombo International Airport are 24/7, so 24 hours a day you can:
- obtain a visa on arrival (the procedure for obtaining a visa and the list of required documents is in the article Visa on arrival to Sri Lanka);
- buy alcohol or cigarettes in the duty-free zone in the arrivals area after passport control (customs restrictions on the import of alcohol to Sri Lanka - 1.5 liters per person),
- change money at exchange offices (there are exchange offices in both the arrival and departure halls);
- withdraw cash in local currency (rupees) from ATMs in the arrival hall;
- buy a SIM card from any of the five mobile operators (in the arrivals hall);
- receive information booklets and a free map of Sri Lanka at the counter of the Ministry of Tourism (located in the arrivals hall to the right of the exchange offices);
- take a taxi to Colombo or to other cities of Sri Lanka in the arrival hall or at the Taxi window on the street (for details of taxis at the airport, read the article How and where is the best place to order a taxi from Colombo airport).
Colombo International Airport (Bandaranaike) on the map:
Official site Sri Lanka Bandaranaike International Airport - http://www.airport.lk
Mattala International Airport in southern Sri Lanka
Name of the second international airport in Sri Lanka- Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport or abbreviated MRIA, code - HRI) or Hambantota Airport. The airport was built on a grand scale, but did not live up to the hopes placed on it and the money spent. Currently only Flydubai and a few domestic airlines fly to this airport.
Distance from airport Mattala Rajapaksa to the coastal city of Hambantota is 26 km (about 30 minutes by taxi), to Colombo 262 km (minimum 4.5 hours by car).
Sri Lanka hotels near the airport Mattala - on booking.com or agoda.com.
Order a transfer (taxi) from the airport You can get to the hotel on the website or.
Find cheap flights to Mattala (Hambantota) Airport The Aviasales website will help.
Official site Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport - http://www.airport.lk/mria
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport on the map:
When is it more convenient and profitable to fly to Mattala (Hambantota) airport?
- if you are planning a holiday on the southern beaches of Sri Lanka: Tangalla, Weligama, Mirissa, Unawatuna, Hambantota.
- If the air ticket to the airport in Mattala Rajapaksa is cheaper than in Colombo, then it makes sense to use this option for relaxing on the beaches of Koggala and Hikkaduwa. To search for cheap plane tickets, use the Aviasales website.
- if you are planning a trip to such sights of Sri Lanka as the holy city of Kataragama and the Yala Nature Reserve. Getting there from Mattala airport is much faster than from Colombo. For example, you can get to Yala in 2 hours (the road from Colombo will take at least 5 hours)
How not to confuse Colombo airports
At the beginning of the article, I wrote that there is a small airport in Colombo - Ratmalana. This airport also has international status, but at the moment only domestic flights, small charter and cargo planes fly from Ratmalana Airport.
The airport is located in Colombo, in the popular tourist area of Lavinia.
The island state of Sri Lanka (in old Ceylon) has only three air ports, two of which are international. These are Bandaranaike and Mattala Rajapaksa airports. The third airport terminal, Colombo Ratmalana, serves domestic flights. Currently, there are no direct flights from Moscow to Sri Lanka (except for charters); many tourists fly through the UAE, making a transfer to Dubai, as well as through Doha (Qatar), Turkey, etc.
Historical reference
The first airport on the island of Sri Lanka appeared in 1935, when the island belonged to the British crown and was called Ceylon. It was named Ratmalana after the name of a nearby settlement.
In 1940, Great Britain established an airfield near the capital Colombo. After the British lost their airfields in India and Nepal, it was used as a military air base during the Second World War. Later, in the 1980s, Colombo Bandaranaike Airport, as a result of large-scale modernization, restructuring and expansion, acquired the status of the main international air port of Sri Lanka.
4 years ago, in 2013, construction was completed and another international airport began operations - Mattala Rajapaksa, which is located in the south of the country, near Hambantota. It was built with the aim of establishing air traffic in the south of the country.
All Sri Lanka airports are located on the map of the island as follows:
- on the west coast - Colombo Bandaranaike and Colombo Ratmalana airports,
- and in the south - Mattala Rajapaksa.
Currently, the issue of organizing an international airport in the north of Sri Lanka near the city of Jaffna is being considered. This is due to the annually growing flow of tourists heading on holiday to Sri Lanka.
Basic information and contacts
Sri Lanka Bandaranaike International Airport is the main airport of the island and one of the busiest airports in South Asia - its passenger traffic exceeds 7 million people per year.
- Name: Bandaranaike International Airport, second name – Katunayake International Airport, usually called Colombo Bandaranaike Airport;
- Location: near the city of Negombo, 35 km from the capital Colombo;
- IATA – CMB;
- ICAO – VCBI;
- Contact details:
- postal address: Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, Sri Lanka;
- Director's reception (tel./fax): +94 11 225 26 66, +94 11 225 94 35;
- Help Desk: +94 11 225 28 61;
- Email - [email protected].
- Official website – www.airport.lk;
- Opening hours: 24 hours a day.
On the official website of the airport you can find all the information a passenger needs, as well as an online scoreboard. The site version is in English. You can view it in the Flight Info section by clicking on Flight status and selecting Arrivals or Departures. Navigating the site is not difficult even for a user with minimal knowledge of English.
Important! Information in the online scoreboard, posted in Russian on Russian information portals, is sometimes displayed with a time delay.
Services at Colombo Bandaranaike Airport
The airport has 3 passenger terminals. The largest and first terminal was put into operation in 1967. It has an arrival and departure area, and 12 boarding gates. All international flights depart from here. The infrastructure is presented:
- 2 recreation areas;
- duty free shops;
- tea shops;
- cafes and restaurants;
- mother and child room;
- currency exchange;
- free wifi.
The second terminal is planned to be put into operation in 2017, although de facto it has been operating since the end of 2016 in test mode. There will be 8 gates and 14 modern telescopic gangways.
The third terminal has been operating since 2012 and serves flights throughout the country.
The Serenediva Colombo Hotel is located in the airport's transit area, where temporary guests will be surrounded by Asian hospitality and care. For accurate information, please contact the airport information desk.
Currently, the airport is the main base of the following Sri Lankan air carriers:
- SriLankan Airlines;
- Mihin Lanka;
- Lankan Cargo.
The airport also serves many major world airlines, such as:
- Emirates;
- Korean Airlines;
- Qatar Airlines;
- FlyDubai;
- Oman Air;
- Air Asia and many others.
Sri Lanka's new international airport began operations recently, in 2013, with the goal of decongesting the Colombo airport and bringing tourists closer to popular southern resorts.
- Name: Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, second name – Hambantota International Airport;
- Location: 26 km north of the city of Hambantota;
- Coding according to IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Association):
- IATA – HRI;
- ICAO - VCRI.
- Contact details:
- Postal Address: Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, P.O. Box 67654, Hambantota, Sri Lanka;
- Director's reception (tel./fax): +94 47 203 1100, + 94 47 203 1133;
- Help Desk: +94 72 031 000;
- Email - [email protected] ;
- Official website – http://www.airport.lk/mria;
- Opening hours: 24 hours a day.
The site interface is similar to the site of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport, because... is one of its sections.
Colombo Ramatlana Airport
The oldest airport in the country today serves domestic flights and air cargo.
- Name – Colombo Ratmalana Airport;
- Location – suburb of Colombo;
- Coding according to IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Association):
- IATA – RML;
- ICAO - VCCC.
Additional Information. A special feature of Sri Lanka airports is that they all have IATA and ICAO codes, even if they have not received international status.
Transport connection
There are different ways to get from the airport to the city or anywhere in Sri Lanka.
Air Taxi
Bus
The most inexpensive way to get out of the airport is the free shuttle that runs between the airport and the city of Katunayaka. You need to take the bus marked Katunayake – Airport. He goes to the city bus station, from where he can go to almost any locality in the country.
You can also leave Bandaranaike Airport for Colombo by express number 187 on the route Colombo - Katunayake. The fare costs 120 Sri Lankan rupees (about $1), and you do not have to pay for luggage. It will take about an hour to drive, it all depends on traffic jams. The express runs on schedule, the first one departs from Bandaranaike at 5-30 in the morning, and the last one at 9-00 in the evening. The last bus from the city to the airport leaves at 8:30 in the evening. The final destination of the route is the central bus station, next to the Colombo Fort railway station. The waiting time for the bus will be from 15 to 30 minutes.
A minibus with the same number runs on a similar route around the clock, the fare is also 120 Sri Lankan rupees, luggage is free. The drive takes 1-1.5 hours, because... it stops at all stops. The end of the route is Colombo railway station.
Important! Very often there are no information signs on buses. Before boarding the bus, ask the driver which route he will take.
Taxi
As elsewhere, the most convenient and fastest way to get from the airport to the city is still a taxi. Taxi drivers stop near the exit from the arrivals hall. Taxi service cost:
- on a regular car – 1500 Sri Lankan rupees ($10);
- minivan per group – 2000 Sri Lankan rupees ($14);
- tuk-tuk – 1000 Sri Lankan rupees ($7).
The trip will take about an hour, depending on how busy the route is.
Additional Information. If you want to get to the beaches of the Negombo resort, a taxi will cost 1300-1500 rupees ($9-10).
Transfer from/to the airport
If you worry in advance, you can order a meeting at the airport and transfer to the desired location. This can be done on any internet taxi service. The trip will cost $23-40.
Some hotels offer free transfers from/to the airport for their guests, mostly high-level resort hotels.
Car rent
At the airport in the arrivals area there are mini-offices of all the leaders in the car rental market, such as:
- Herz;
- AVIS;
- Budget;
- Europcar;
- Casons;
- RCSL;
- SR Rent A Car.
The cost per day of rental starts from $40, the price depends on the class of the car and additional options.
Airport parking
There are 3 open parking lots at the airport, located near the terminals.
- Terminal Car Park – located in front of the first terminal and has a capacity of 400 cars. Parking costs are:
- passenger cars – 200 Sri Lankan rupees per hour;
- minivans and minibuses – 250 Sri Lankan rupees per hour.
- Remote Car Park – located 300 m from the terminal, prices are lower here:
- New Car Park – also a short walk from the terminal, price:
- motorcycle – 50 Sri Lankan rupees per hour;
- passenger car – 100 Sri Lankan rupees per hour;
- minivans and minibuses – 200 Sri Lankan rupees per hour.
Additional Information. Conditions for longer parking must be obtained on site from the parking administration.
Due to the increasing importance of Sri Lanka as a world-class resort, the government plans to further develop air services on the island. The launch of the new terminal in 2017 will increase the airport's capacity to 15 million people per year.
Video
Every acquaintance of a tourist with an unfamiliar country, with rare exceptions, begins at the airport of arrival. If you are someone who is about to visit the island of Ceylon for the first time, you, like me at one time, will be very interested in a short description of the gate through which the road to the sea, the beach and whoever else you want will open for you.
Where is?
Geographically located on the outskirts of the business capital of Sri Lanka - the city, at a distance of 31 kilometers towards the north along the coast. The nearest city is Negombo. Nearest village - Katunayake .
About inaccuracies
I want to immediately determine that the airport in Colombo, Negombo, Katunayake, as well as the phrase “international”, is equally applicable to one single structure that actually exists in only one copy. For such a wide variety of existing names, one can only blame travel companies, which, depending on where they sell the tour, name the airport accordingly, so that a person has the feeling that he does not have to travel long and tiringly to his hotel. Thus, if you are vacationing near Colombo, then most likely they will tell you that you are arriving at Colombo airport, but if you choose a hotel near Negombo, it is not difficult to guess what name the travel agent will tell you when you ask “where are we flying to?”
A little help wouldn't hurt
I want you to understand right away that the country about which you have been reading so much lately is quite small in size. More recently, by the standards of history, it experienced a rather long and bloody civil war that lasted several decades and ended in 2009. Sri Lankan International Airport is an example of the rapid transformation of a once militarized state, tired of wars, into a modern resort, when the lack of funds is not an excuse for the development of one’s country exclusively in a peaceful direction.
So, today, with a probability of 100% it will be true that your plane will land at the “Royal Military Airfield”, which, due to the changed situation in the country, the further, the more it becomes a civilian facility, which the country’s authorities persistently and consistently They suggest calling it “Bandaranaike”.
What is it?
Today, “Bandaranaike Airport” (the main name of the airport) already consists of 4 new terminals that serve about 200 civil flights every day from more than 45 countries of the world. More than 20 airlines: daily operate dozens of flights connecting the island with remote corners of our planet. Today it consists of 4 terminals, which are equipped with the latest technology.
Services
The airport has:
- Visa Center (where you can apply for an ETA visa on arrival);
- Banks with the most favorable exchange rates;
- Car rental and guide services;
- Taxi service.
Luggage storage at the airport
As soon as you leave the main airport building, there will be a canopy above you that stretches on the right and left sides of the airport building. There are actually two cameras. One on the left, the second on the right side of the exit. They work alternately, so most likely you won’t guess where to go the first time. The maximum storage period for luggage is 45 days, the cost for storage is $1 per day at the exchange rate. Be sure to change your dollars in the arrivals area first.
When we arrived and were about to go to the airport, we decided to pack all our winter things, of which there was a whole full-sized bag. Neither the first nor the second cells turned out to be open, we went to the police station to find out what was the matter, it turned out that the “servant” of the storage room had dozed off inside, having locked himself. So we had to go back and knock for about 10 minutes until they opened it for us. Be prepared for the fact that in the presence of a policeman, your things will be opened and carefully sorted by hand; these are not calm times, you understand.
Sri Lankan Airlines
One of the first steps in the development of Sri Lanka as a tourist country was the creation of a state airline, which was called very simply “Srilankian airways”.
Today, this company is a confident middle peasant in the global ranking of air carriers. The development of the company cannot be underestimated during the period of inception and implementation of the first, so-called trial tours from Europe. After all, you must admit that after the civil war, which left most of the country in ruins, it is very difficult to convince the large airline business to operate on its territory. It was thanks to this airline that, in just a few years, Sri Lanka, from an unknown country from which meager shocking news about the atrocities of the “Tamil Tigers” constantly came, suddenly turned into a very recognizable and unique tourist product that is consumed more and more every year and more tourists, from an ever-increasing range of countries.
