Sri Lanka›From Colombo›Polonnaruwa
Colombo to Polonnaruwa by train, bus or road
About 220 km. The private car is fastest at 5 h; the train is cheapest, from ₹120 per person.
Fastest
Private car
Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle
5 h door to door
Cheapest
Train
Train to Polonnaruwa (Batticaloa line)
from ₹120 per person
Best value
Train
Train to Polonnaruwa (Batticaloa 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 | Train to Polonnaruwa (Batticaloa line) | 6.5 h | ₹120–₹750per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Bus | Air-con bus to Polonnaruwa | 6 h | ₹190–₹740per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Private car | Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle | 5 h | ₹7,170–₹13,490per car (up to 4) | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
- Train, Train to Polonnaruwa (Batticaloa line): The Udaya Devi and the Batticaloa night mail stop here; two or three trains a day.
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 · Train to Polonnaruwa (Batticaloa line) | ₹240–₹1,500 | ₹480–₹3,000 |
| Bus · Air-con bus to Polonnaruwa | ₹380–₹1,480 | ₹760–₹2,960 |
| Private car · Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle | ₹7,170–₹13,490 | ₹7,170–₹13,490 |
Once you’re in Polonnaruwa
- 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 Polonnaruwa
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.