By air: Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is at Katunayake, about 35km north of central Colombo. The airport expressway connects it to the city in around 25 minutes; the toll road has reduced a journey that used to take 90 minutes in traffic. Taxis are metered; the journey costs around 2,500–3,000 LKR (roughly US$8–10). No public transport rail link exists from the airport, though buses run.
By train: Colombo Fort Railway Station is the hub of the national rail network. Intercity express trains serve Kandy (2.5 hours), Galle (2.5 hours), Matara, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, and Trincomalee. Booking seats in advance on busy routes is strongly recommended; the overnight Jaffna train fills quickly.
By bus: Long-distance buses to most Sri Lankan cities depart from Bastian Mawatha bus stand near Fort. Private express buses are faster and more comfortable than public CTB buses. Journey time to Kandy is around 3 hours.