Main international Airport Sri Lanka Bandaranaike is located 35 km from the city of Colombo. There are several options to get from the airport to Colombo or back - from the city to the airport. Each option has its own pros and cons, and its own price. Some will prefer the economy option of taking a bus, while others will prefer a comfortable taxi ride.

From this article you will learn:

1 | A budget option to get from the airport to Colombo is by bus

During the daytime, the so-called “express bus” number 187-E3 runs between the airport and the Colombo central bus station.

Airport - Colombo Express Bus Schedule: every 30 minutes, from 5:30 am to 20:30 pm (times are approximate, as there is no clear schedule). The last bus from the airport leaves at approximately 20:30; I took the last bus from Colombo towards the airport at 18:00.

Express bus from Colombo to airport

Bus fare- 120 rupees (~$0.85).

Duration of the bus ride- 1 hour. But if the bus is not full, the driver may make several stops to pick up passengers. My personal experience traveling on this bus showed that the road from Colombo to the airport can take up to 2.5 hours (and it’s good that I wasn’t late for the plane).

Comfort level on the Airport - Colombo bus: all the way, heart-warming clips are shown on TV, the air conditioning is on maximum (take something to wear so as not to freeze). While the bus was at the station, sellers of traditional delicacies walked around the cabin.

How to find the Airport - Colombo bus stop:

• At the airport, the bus stop is located 50 meters to the left of the arrivals area. You need to leave the arrivals area and walk along the building to the left. From the corner of the building you should already be able to see buses parked slightly ahead and to the right (the coordinates of the bus stop on the map are 7.174812, 79.888673).
• from Colombo the bus leaves from the central bus station in the Pettah area (Colombo Central Bus Stand), which is located near the Colombo fort railway station (bus station coordinates on the map - 6.934858, 79.854641).

Things to know before your trip by bus from the airport to Colombo or back: A government bus with the inscription SLTB (Sri Lankan Transport Board) on the windshield operates only during the day. At night, you can get from the airport to Colombo by private buses or minibuses numbered 187 or 187-E3, which are usually parked at the airport a little further than the state bus. If you are traveling from Colombo to the airport, private buses can be found opposite the central bus station at Bastian Mawatha Bus station.

2 | Taxi at the airport (upon arrival)

Where to get a taxi at the airport: There is a taxi counter in the arrivals hall with official fixed prices for taxis to Colombo and other cities in Sri Lanka. If there is a line at the counter, feel free to go outside. There is another window for ordering a taxi (their prices are exactly the same).

Taxi counter at Colombo International Airport

Personal experience showed that the taxi car may be very shabby. It’s hard to call it comfortable to drive on low, loose seats without headrests, in a car that is long overdue for a wash and a bunch of stinking trash thrown out.

Taxi fare depends on where exactly you need to go in Colombo. The trip "Airport - Colombo Fort" costs 2650 rupees (~$18). An additional fee for travel on the expressway is 300 rupees (~$2).

3 | Individual transfer from the airport to the hotel

A transfer (pre-booked taxi from the airport to the hotel) will cost only a little more than a classic taxi at the airport. However, the transfer has several significant advantages:

• you choose and order a car of a certain brand and size in accordance with your preferences;
• you are met at the airport with a sign and helped with your luggage - there is no need to look for a taxi stand or stand in line waiting for a car;
• the driver thinks through the route in advance and knows which hotel to take you to, and does not ask passers-by how to get there (I personally encountered this).

Transfer cost from Bandaranaike Airport to a hotel in Colombo: from $21 per car.

You can book a comfortable taxi from the airport to your hotel on the website.

4 | From the airport to Colombo by train

You can also travel from Bandaranaike Airport to Colombo by train. But this is not the easiest way, since there are a number of nuances.

The nearest train station is 3 km from the airport. Therefore, you still need to get there or get there. To get to the station, the cheapest way is to use a tuk-tuk. But since tuk-tuks are prohibited from entering the airport, you yourself need to go out to them. A 3 km tuk-tuk ride to Katunayake Railway Station will cost 150 - 300 rupees (you need to negotiate the price before getting into the tuk-tuk and be sure to bargain).

There are about 10 trains heading towards Colombo during the day (the first one at 7 am and the last one at 8 pm). The train fare is 30 rupees (~$0.20). The train will take you to Central station Colombo Fort. Then you will still need to somehow get to your hotel.

5 | What is the best transport to get from the airport to Colombo?

If you are traveling lightly, are not in a hurry, and prefer to save money, you can take a bus. So you will immediately plunge into local flavor and appreciate the delights of local transport.

If you are traveling with children or large suitcases, after a long flight you want to get to the hotel as quickly as possible - and start your holiday in Sri Lanka with a comfortable and quick trip from the airport to the hotel.

Do you like to travel by car? In Sri Lanka you can get it at Colombo airport.

6 | Tools that will save your time and money:

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The official name of Colombo Airport (CMB) is Bandaranaike International Airport. On English language this is Bandaranaike International Airport. Today Bandaranaike is the most important airport in Sri Lanka, receiving almost 42 thousand flights a year and almost 5 million passengers. In addition, Colombo Airport handles over 170,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
The current operator of Sri Lanka's main airport is Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. Colombo Airport was built during World War II and served as a Royal Air Force base. It is still used for military purposes, but today this airport is used primarily for civil aviation. Colombo Bandaranaike Airport is very important for Sri Lanka. Currently, the airport has 4 gates with 39 check-in counters and 3 cargo terminals. It serves 25 airlines, including: famous airlines like Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, as well as major Asian airlines Indian Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines and Emirates.
Although Colombo Airport is not fully compliant international standards, he has received numerous awards from various airlines and magazines.

Colombo Airport on the map of Sri Lanka

Despite the fact that the airport is classified as Colombo, it is actually located quite far from this city, about 35 km north of the capital of Sri Lanka. The city of Negombo is much closer to Bandaranaike Airport, but in general this airport is located on the territory of the village of Katunayak.

Online scoreboard of Colombo airport

How to get from Bandaranaike Airport to Colombo

To get from Bandaranaike Airport to Colombo city, you can take a taxi or bus. You can also rent a car, but this is not as easy to do in Sri Lanka as in many other countries in the world.
The cost of a taxi from Bandaranaike Airport to the capital of Sri Lanka is about 3,000 rupees. If you want to take the expressway, there is usually an additional charge of 300 rupees. Taxi cars are waiting for passengers at any time of the day, but you can always order a taxi in advance on the Kiwi-Taxi website.

Airport bus - Colombo

If you do not want to spend a lot of money on a trip from Colombo airport to the capital of Sri Lanka, you can take a bus.
Buses from the airport to Colombo run every half hour from 05:30 to 18:30, and a one-way trip costs only 130 rupees. The journey to Colombo Main Bus Station takes approximately 45 minutes. You need to take Express Bus 187. This bus travels from Colombo International Airport on the new expressway, which saves a lot of time.
After 18:30, some private air-conditioned 187 buses may be waiting for tourists near the airport, but they operate at their own discretion. That is, it depends on your luck.
The bus goes to the main bus station in Colombo, where you can change buses and get to your desired destination in Sri Lanka. There is also a nearby Train Station, from where you can travel by train.

Services and facilities at Colombo Airport

Like any international airport, Bandaranaike Airport offers travelers different options to satisfy their hunger or thirst. Sri Lankan Airlines even has its own restaurant in the departure hall with delicious cuisine. It serves national and international cuisine. The Sri Lankan Airlines restaurant offers hot and cold drinks. Of course, there are other restaurants and cafes.
Six banks offer passengers the opportunity to exchange currency at Colombo Airport. All exchange offices can be found in the arrivals hall. So you will not have problems exchanging currency before further traveling around the island. Although the exchange rate at the exchange offices at Colombo airport is not the most favorable, it is still noticeably more favorable than in most hotels in Sri Lanka.
Bandaranaike Airport in Sri Lanka has a variety of shops to help you pass the time and buy something interesting. For example, here you can buy local souvenirs, fabrics self made and other goods. Duty-free shops also welcome guests and offer a variety of electronic products, liquor, jewelry and perfumes.
If you decide to go on holiday with children, Colombo Airport will provide special facilities for young guests. Here children can play or watch cartoons.
In the Colombo Airport arrivals hall you can find medical Center. In addition to trained nurses and emergency physicians, the medical center also provides the opportunity fast transportation to the hospital in case of emergency.

History of Colombo Airport

Finally, I would like to tell you briefly about the history of the main airport of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's civil aviation industry was born in the 1930s with the construction of the Ratmalana airfield. Bandaranaike Airport was built by the British in the mid-1940s primarily as an air force base and supply center for World War II aircraft. With assistance from the Government of Canada, the airport was upgraded to handle 150,000 passengers per year in 1968. In 1981, with the assistance of the Dutch government, it was developed General plan airport. The Japanese government assisted in the further development of the airport with all the necessary facilities to ensure an annual passenger turnover of 3.5 million people. Colombo Airport reached such a passenger turnover in 1988. The Japanese government also helped expand the airport and create modern building air terminal with 8 contact gates and 14 check-in stands. The project was completed in 2005 and gave the airport the capacity to handle 6 million passengers per year.
Following the end of the internal conflict in Sri Lanka, which had hampered economic growth for about 30 years, the Sri Lankan economy began to grow in many aspects in 2009. Profit from foreign tourists in 2010 increased by almost 50 percent compared to 2009. Given the increase in demand, it was designed new terminal airport to serve an additional 9 million passengers per year. With this expansion, the airport's capacity was increased to 15 million passengers per year.

U island state Sri Lanka (in old Ceylon) has only three air ports, two of which are international. These are Bandaranaike and Mattala Rajapaksa airports. Terminal 3 – 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 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.

1. Name: Bandaranaike International Airport, second name – Katunayake International Airport, usually called Colombo Bandaranaike Airport;
2. Location: near the city of Negombo, 35 km from the capital Colombo;

• IATA – CMB;
• ICAO – VCBI;

1. 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].

1. Official website – www.airport.lk;
2. 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 in Russian information portals, sometimes appears 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 are flying out of 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.

IN transit zone Airport is the Serenediva Colombo Hotel, 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.

Also Harbour Air serves many major global 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.

1. Name: Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, second name – Hambantota International Airport;
2. Location: 26 km north of the city of Hambantota;
3. Coding according to IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Association):

• IATA – HRI;
• ICAO - VCRI.

1. 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] ;

1. Official website – http://www.airport.lk/mria;
2. 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.

1. Name – Colombo Ratmalana Airport;
2. Location – suburb of Colombo;
3. 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 leave at almost any locality countries.

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 – 1,500 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 organize free transfer from/to the airport for their guests, mainly resort hotels high level service.

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.

Parking at the airport

There are 3 open parking lots at the airport, located near the terminals.

1. 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.

1. Remote Car Park – located 300 m from the terminal, prices are lower here:

1. 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 a new terminal in 2017 will increase throughput airport up to 15 million people per year.

Video

Sri Lanka Colombo International Airport

The main international airport of Sri Lanka is located in the city of Katunayake, 33 km north of the actual capital of the country, Colombo. It is operated by SriLankan Airlines (the national passenger and cargo carrier). It is at this airport that the bulk of international flights arrive; the second international airport, Hambantota, is practically not oriented towards the arrival of tourists. How to get from the airport to the resort town and how much does a taxi cost from Colombo airport.

Colombo Airport Names (CMB)

The international airport has several names, the last two of which are often used to this day:

• Negombo(Negombo International Airport) - the first, British name, after the nearest major city.
• Katunayake(Katunayake International Airport) - the second, Ceylonese name, based on its immediate location.
• Bandaranaike(Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA)) - the third Ceylonese name in honor of the Prime Minister, is still used today.
• Colombo(Colombo International Airport (CMB)) - fourth official name, used on this moment.

Colombo airport address, location on the map

Address: Colombo International Airport (CMB), Canada Friendship Road, Katunayake 11450

Website: airport.lk

History of Colombo Airport

In 1944, during the Second World War, the history of the largest international airport in Sri Lanka began. The Royal British Air Force built a small airfield at Negombo, which existed until 1957, when the British abandoned the island and Solomon Bandaranaike, the 4th Prime Minister of the then Ceylon, after whom the airport is now named, closed all British military airfields in the country. Negombo Airport was renamed Katunayake after its location and taken over by the Royal Ceylon Air Force.

Between 1964 and 1967, with Canadian assistance, a new international airport was built and the national carrier Air Ceylon began flying with the help of three British airliner manufacturing corporations. In honor of this, the street in Negombo, directly on which the airport stands, is named “Canada Friendship Road”.

In 1970, the airport was named after former Prime Minister Solomon Bandaranaike, but was then renamed Katunayake International Airport in 1977. Then, in 1995, it was again renamed back to the International Airport. S. Bandaranaike. The first tourist flight accepted by Bandaranaike Airport is considered to be the flight on November 7, 1971 - then the first Boeing 747-200B brought German tourists from Frankfurt to Colombo.

Colombo International Airport Map

The maps presented below are diagrams of the departure and arrival zones of the international airport. Bandaranaike (BIA) in Sri Lanka. The international airport was built in the Colombo suburb of Negombo in 1944 and was named after the Prime Minister of Ceylon, Sirimavo Bandaranaike International Airport. However, the airport was later renamed Katunayake, after its location. And, although the airport is located in the Colombo suburb of Negombo, you can most often see the name “Colombo Airport” (CMB).

Arrival area of ​​Colombo Airport, Sri Lanka

Resolution: 2136*1593

Open the map of the Arrival zone at Colombo airport, Sri Lanka

Colombo International Airport is a fairly modern and large transport hub that handles both international and local routes. For the convenience of travelers, the arrivals area is equipped with an equalizer; at the exit from the hall there are currency exchange offices and operator offices mobile communications, as well as a 24-hour official airport taxi counter.

Colombo airport departure area, Sri Lanka

Resolution: 2126*1737

Open the map of the departure area at Colombo airport in full size in a new tab.

Colombo Airport (CMB) terminals

The airport has 4 terminals:

1. Terminal 1 (opened in 1967) is the largest in area of ​​the two operating terminals; it houses 12 gates, currently serving all international flights with a horizontal system for separating departure and arrival zones. Over time, after opening, it is planned to transfer international flights to the second terminal.
2. Terminal 2 (opening planned). The plans include opening a terminal with 8 gates with a vertical system for separating departure and arrival areas.
3. Terminal 3 (opened in 2012) - the smallest in area of ​​the two operating terminals, serves all domestic flights countries. Horizontal system for separating departure and arrival zones.
4. cargo terminal (opened 2009) - to handle cargo flights, it also has a horizontal zone separation system.

List of passenger airlines

This list of passenger air carriers is indicated with departure from Terminal 1 of Colombo Airport.

Airlines		Directions
	Air Arabia	Sharjah, UAE
	Air Asia
		Chennai, India
	Air India Express	Chennai, India
	Air China	China
		London-Gatwick, England Male, Maldives
		Hong Kong ( Hong Kong), China
	China Southern Airlines	China
	China Eastern Airlines	Kunming, China Male, Maldives
		Male, Maldives Singapore, Singapore
	Etihad Airways	Abu Dhabi ( Abu Dhabi), UAE
		Dubai - International airport (Dubai-International), UAE
	Gulf Air	Bahrain
	Indigo	Cities of India
		Chennai, India Mumbai, India
		Male, Maldives, Seoul - Incheon International Airport, South Korea
	KLM	Amsterdam, Netherlands
		Kuwait, Kuwait Muscat, Oman
		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
	Malindo Air	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
		Muscat, Oman
		Doha, Qatar
		Amman - International airport named after. Queen Alia, Jordan
		Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
	Silk Air	Singapore, Singapore
		Chennai, India, Madurai, India.
		Abu Dhabi, UAE Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi International Airport (new) (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi), Thailand Beijing Capital - International airport (Beijing-Capital), China Bangalore, India Chennai, India Dammam, Saudi Arabia Delhi, India Doha, Qatar Dubai - International airport (Dubai-International), UAE Frankfurt, Germany Guangzhou, China Hong Kong, China Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Karachi, Pakistan Kochin, India Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuwait, Kuwait London - Heathrow, England Malé, Maldives Madurai, India Mumbai, India Muscat, Oman Paris (Paris-Charles de Gaulle), France Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Rome - Fiumicino, Italy Shanghai - Pudong International Airport, China Singapore, Singapore Thiruvananthapuram/Trivandrum, India Tiruchirapalli, India Tokyo - Narita International Airport (Tokyo-Narita), Japan
	Thai Smile Air	Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi International Airport (new) (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi), Thailand
		Istanbul - International airport named after. Ataturk (Istanbul-Atatürk), Türkiye
	Ukraine International	Ukraine

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:

1. Bandaranaike- in Colombo.
2. Ratmalana- south of Colombo. The airport has international status, but regular international passenger flights to the airport does not accept. It is used for domestic flights, as well as for charter flights and cargo transportation.
3. 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 not far from 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:

1. A foreign passport valid for at least 3 months before the end of the trip;
2. Flights;
3. Insurance;
4. Money;
5. 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:

1. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Cost is $35 per person. Children under 12 years old are free.
3. 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.

At the exit from the airport building a large number of kiosks. 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

Nearest Big City located on the coast - this is Hambanton. 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 him runway laid 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 Sri Lanka: