Sri Lanka›From Colombo›Anuradhapura
Colombo to Anuradhapura by train, bus or road
About 205 km. The train is fastest at 4.5 h; the train is cheapest, from ₹100 per person.
Fastest
Train
Intercity train to Anuradhapura (Northern Line)
4.5 h door to door
Cheapest
Train
Intercity train to Anuradhapura (Northern Line)
from ₹100 per person
Best value
Train
Intercity train to Anuradhapura (Northern Line)
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Intercity train to Anuradhapura (Northern Line) | 4.5 h | ₹100–₹640per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Bus | Air-con bus to Anuradhapura | 5 h | ₹170–₹690per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Private car | Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle | 4.5 h | ₹6,740–₹12,630per car (up to 4) | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
- Private car, Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle: Via the Central Expressway to Kurunegala.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Train · Intercity train to Anuradhapura (Northern Line) | ₹200–₹1,280 | ₹400–₹2,560 |
| Bus · Air-con bus to Anuradhapura | ₹340–₹1,380 | ₹680–₹2,760 |
| Private car · Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle | ₹6,740–₹12,630 | ₹6,740–₹12,630 |
Once you’re in Anuradhapura
- Best time: January – September
- Typical stay: 1 day
- November: Mixed month: November is outside the recommended season (January – September). Against it: Inter-Monsoon Storms.
Related
Plan Colombo and Anuradhapura
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.