Getting There By Road
Sri Lanka has an extensive network of over 90,000km (56,000 miles) of roads, although many are over 50 years old and suffer from poor or almost non-existent maintenance. Many of the cities in Sri Lanka are on the west and south coasts, and a major coastal highway links Colombo with Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Weligama, Matara, Tangalla, Hambantota and Tissamaharama to the south; and Puttalam and Negombo to the north. The highway then moves inland to Anuradhapura, giving access to cities in the north – including the disputed region of Jaffna. Two other main highways head east from Colombo, linking it with the east coast and central cities like Kandy, Dambulla and Ratnapura. As both the major city and major port of the country, Colombo is well served by bus routes, which cover some 80% of the country. Intercity buses are most comfortable, and you will get your own seat. There are occasional security checks on main roads, and foreigners should carry their passport at all times. Speed limits are 56kph (35mph) in built up areas and 75kph (45mph) otherwise. The drink-driving limit is 0.08%, the same as the UK and the USA. Buses leave from the Central Bus Station (tel: (011) 2328 081). It is generally not possible to book private buses in advance, but those run by the Central Transport Board (CTB) can be (tel: (011) 2581 120).
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