Matara is about 160 kilometres south of Colombo along the Southern Expressway (E01), which makes the drive feasible in about two hours — a significant improvement over the old coastal road, which took four or more hours in traffic. Buses on the expressway route run frequently from Colombo and are fast and comfortable.
The train from Colombo along the coastal route is one of the most scenic rail journeys in Sri Lanka, hugging the shoreline for much of the way. The journey from Colombo Fort to Matara takes about three hours on express services. Matara is the current southern terminus of the rail line, though the extension to Beliatta is under construction. Tuk-tuks and local buses connect the train station to the fort area and the town centre.