Transport prices in Sri Lanka

Hi there,

For our trip to Sri Lanka from July 31 to August 21, 2025, we can't seem to find a reliable price range on various blogs for intercity taxi rides without private drivers. We'd like to alternate between trains, buses, and taxis (for 2 people) and would love to get an idea of the going rates for taxis, as well as any company names based on your experiences. I checked out "12Go Asia"—has anyone used this site to book transport in Sri Lanka? Is it reliable? Thanks in advance, Have a great day!

JL

Hi, My experience is from 2023.

We only took a taxi once for a long distance, between the airport and Anuradhapura—about 4 hours on the road—and we paid 23,000 rupees.

For all other trips, it was either bus or train, no problem (tickets usually bought at the bus station or train station, or directly on the bus). For this kind of travel, the fares are really low.

Hi there! How did you choose the taxi from Negombo to Anuradhapura, please? Did you just pick one at random at the airport, or were you expected? Thanks in advance for your reply! 😊

Hi, I went through my accommodation in Anuradhapura to get a taxi. But there are plenty at the airport parking lot, and you won’t have any trouble finding one right there.

thanks for reassuring me :)

In the end, since there are four of us, I’ll go for a "bit of a gamble" booking from France :)