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Travelers can have various options to come to this magnificent Weligama beach - Sri Lanka upon arrival from airport. This article shows the details for, how you visit this coastal town from Colombo airport (Bandaranayaka International Airport - Katunayaka | CMB).

Staying in Negombo is more applicable if traveler arrive on airport midnight or dawn. This is because taxi services to Weligama or buses for Colombo fort will be less. In such a scenario stay in the airport or in Negombo area and start your journey early in the morning is more advisable. There are ample number of budgetary hotels and hostels are located nearby Katunayaka. Or otherwise you can book taxi in prior from here and come to your hotel / lodge straightway after your arrival.

Traveler needs to take the bus to Colombo Fort. For this you can take route number 187 or 187-E3 buses Colombo to Katunayaka to reach Colombo directly. Normally those buses are A/C coach buses. And those buses park nearby the airport (Please ask help from the information center or check in Google maps below). The operate hourly at night, twice in a hour during the day time. Some of the buses go through the expressway and other will go normal route. Ticket price will be 2 - 3 USD.

Closest bus station to the Bandaranayaka International Airport is located 1.5 kilo meter distance. You could reach here just in a few minutes by walking from the airport. Buses or coaches are available at local rates to almost all the major destinations over the Island such as Colombo, Galle, Negombo, Kandy etc... Small food huts, grocery shops, taxi services (tuk tuk), public toilets and drinking water resources are available at this bus station. This is very safe place for the public as the local police and security forces on duty 24 hrs a day. Just walk from the airport (6 - 10 mins | 1.5 KM distance). Take a Colombo Fort (Aka Pettah) - Katunayaka airport bus for reach Colombo. Please read this article for visit Weligama from Colombo city.

If you could not find any bus at your arrival time take a local cab service (please later section of this article to get local cab service) or three-wheeler (tuk tuk) to reach Colombo - Negombo main road, then take a bus to Colombo fort (capital). You need to go the bus stop at Katunayaka side by Colombo - Negombo road. Get any bus which is going towards Colombo fort (most of buses goes to Colombo fort). Ticket price will be 1 - 2 USD. After you reach Colombo Fort, go to the Colombo fort main bus station. An then take necessary bus towards Weligama. Please read this article for visit Weligama from Colombo city. Also read this article regarding traveling by bus in Sri Lanka.

Another smart option is that if you could not find any bus at your arrival time take a local cab service or three-wheeler (tuk tuk) to reach Kadawatha (It will cost around 6 - 8 USD). Before start your journey finalize your fare for the destination. At least get a voice confirmation. Use your skills record it other you may get ripped off with extra money. From Kadawatha bus stand travelers can take expressway bus towards Matara. Travelers can store their luggage in the separate compartment in the bus. After reaching Matara visit Weligama by using this article. Ticket for the expressway bus will be 3 - 4 USD. Highly doubtful whether tuk tuk carrying your own surfboard in their tuk tuk this needs to be negotiate with the driver.

Currently there are no direct trains from Colombo airport railway station to Colombo or Weligama. Therefore traveler can need to come to Katunayaka railway station instead, Katunayaka railway station on wards there are plenty of trains available for Colombo fort railway. You can check train schedule from this government website: eservices.railway.gov.lk And read this article regarding the train rides in Sri Lanka. Some travelers experience that you plan to go with Weligama from airport using train would take more time and tourists need to arrive Katunayaka railway station not the Katunayaka airport railway station. That you need to take a three-wheeler (tuk tuk) to reach Katunataka railway station.

Taking a train directly from Katunayaka would be time consuming and it is heavily depends on the train schedule. To overcome this take the bus to Colombo Fort. For this you can take route number 187 or 187-E3 buses Colombo to Katunayaka to reach Colombo directly. Normally those buses are A/C coach buses. And those buses park nearby the airport (Please ask help from the information center or check in Google maps below). The operate hourly at night, twice in a hour during the day time. Some of the buses go through the expressway and other will go normal route. Ticket price will be 2 - 3 USD. If you could not find any bus at your arrival time take a local cab service or three-wheeler (tuk tuk) to reach Colombo - Negombo main road, then take a bus to Colombo fort (capital). You need to go the bus stop at Katunayaka side by Colombo - Negombo road. Get any bus which is going towards Colombo fort (most of buses goes to Colombo fort). Ticket price will be 1 - 2 USD. After you reach Colombo Fort, go to the Colombo fort train station.An then take necessary train towards Weligama. Please read this article for visit Weligama from Colombo city.

You can take a straight taxi to Weligama from the airport. Some of the taxi services nearby airport has bit hire rates and has tight rules. Therefore try to avoid booking those taxi's for long tours, if you have any other options. Use local cab services like Kangaroo Cabs, Uber, Pick Me, Sonit they have own mobile apps and online booking (check on Google play store and Apple store). Currently Uber has introduce Uber Intercity which is more cheaper than taxi where it travels direct from Colombo / Airport to Matara/Weligama.

Travelers can have another option where several social media groups have share taxi rides with each other. You can just join those groups and try to share rides among backpackers. Please join social media below groups:

Additionally above options travelers can join several Telegram/WhatsApp group among Sri Lankan taxi service providers where they share / update their details, especially drivers who has got empty ride way back to different locations. Join below groups:

Minimum cost for airport to Weligama would be 50 USD. This amount will be change according to the route, vehicle type, passengers.

You can book a taxi to Weligama from the airport via this form.

Below map include the different ways come to Weligama, Sri Lanka including bus routes, expressway bus routes, taxi routes.

Following details may helpful, if you hope to visit Weligama from various other tourist destinations around this lovely Island.

Last Updated on: 2019/05/30