Road Distances in Sri Lanka

Road distances are misleading and deceptive in Sri Lanka. The island is quite small (25,000 square miles) and the distances short, but the time to commute is longer than expected due to regular diversions (cows, dogs and people on the street, winding roads, road works etc). The time shown is based on non-rush hour and assuming you are using a car. You may find variation of up to +/- 30% depending on the time of day.

From To Distance (miles)  Time

Coastal Resorts

Negombo

Airport

5 miles

20 minutes

Colombo

25 miles

1 hour

Kandy

70 miles

3 hours

Sigiriya

95 miles

3 ½ hours

Dambulla

80 miles

3 hours

Columbo

Airport

20 miles

1 hour 

Kandy

70 miles 

3 hours

Dambulla

90 miles 

3 ½ hours

Sigiriya

105 miles 

4 hours

Bentota

40 miles 

2 hours

Galle

70 miles 

3 hours

Pinnawela

55 miles 

2 hours

Galle

Airport

90 miles

4 hours

Colombo

70 miles

3 hours

Bentota

30 miles

1 hour

Kandy

140 miles

6 hours

Yala

120 miles

3 hours

Wadduwa/Kalutara

Airport

50 miles

½ hours

Colombo

25 miles

1 ½ hours

Galle

45 miles

1 ½ hours

Beruwela/Bentota

Airport

60 miles

3 hours

Colombo

35 miles

2 hours

Galle

35 miles

1 hour

Hikkaduwa

Airport

80 miles

3 ½ hours

Colombo

60 miles

2 ½ hours

Galle

10 miles

½ hour

Other Cities

Airport
(located between Colombo & Negombo)

Colombo

25 miles

1 hour

Dambulla  

80 miles

3 hours

Kandy

70 miles

3 hours

Trincomalee

150 miles

5 hours

Trincomalee

Airport

150 miles

5 hours

Colombo

160 miles

6 hours

Dambulla

70 miles

2 hours

Cultural Triangle

Anuradhapura

Airport    

105 miles

4 hours

Colombo    

130 miles

4 ½ hours

Habarana    

35 miles

1 hour

Dambulla    

40 miles

1 ½ hours

Sigiriya    

50 miles

1½ hours

Polonnaruwa    

60 miles

2 hours

Polonnaruwa

Airport    

120 miles

4 hours

Colombo  

135 miles

 4 ½ hours

Anuradhapura    

60 miles

2 hours

Habarana   

25 miles

1 hour

Dambulla    

40 miles

1 ½ hours

Sigiriya    

40 miles

1 ½ hours

Dambulla

Airport    

85 miles

3 hours

Colombo 

100 miles

 3 ½ hours

Polonnaruwa    

40 miles

1 hour

Sigiriya    

10 miles

½ hour

Kandy    

50 miles

2 hours

Central Hills

Kandy

Airport

75 miles

3 hours

Bentota (via Colombo) 

125miles

5 hours

Colombo

75 miles

3 hours

Nuwara Eliya   

50miles

2 hours

Nuwara Eliya

Airport    

100miles

5 hours

Colombo   

110 miles

5 hours

Bentota    

150 miles

7 hours

Yala     

120 miles

4 hours

Matale

Airport    

80 miles

1 hour

Kandy    

20 miles

½ hour

Colombo    

90 miles

3 ½ hours

Southern Region

Ratnapura

Airport    

85 miles

3 ½ hours

Colombo   

60 miles

2 ½ hours

Bentota   

60 miles

3 hours

Nuwara Eliya

90 miles

3 hours

Yala

Colombo    

190miles

6 hours

Galle     

120miles

3 hours

Nuwara Eliya   

120miles

4 hours