Buses are the primary mode of transport for people in Sri Lanka. There are two types of buses, government and private. The government buses are branded SLTB (Sri Lanka Transport Board), they are usually painted red. The private buses look similar to government buses but they are mostly painted blue. Most buses operate on fixed routes with route numbers.
Bus tickets are usually purchased on board the bus. Buses have conductors to sell tickets and assist the driver. Passengers need to pay for tickets in cash. It is advisable to have change handy to pay the exact amount in Sri Lankan Rupees. The price of bus tickets are the same on government and private buses where the routes and levels of service are identical.
Bus Services
There are four categories of bus services, Normal Service, Semi Luxury Service, Luxury Service and Super Luxury Service.
(1) Normal Service - normal fare
These buses have a Red name board above the windscreen with the route number and route name in English. This is the most common type of bus service on the island. These buses have sitting and standing passengers and can be crowded, uncomfortable and very slow..
| Air-conditioning | - | No |
| Seating | - | Basic |
| Legroom | - | Very little |
| Doors | - | Open |
| Stops | - | Almost all bus stops |
| Journey time | - | Distances of 50km or less are very slow. Distances above 100km, much faster. |
| Luggage Space | - | Limited or Nonexistent |
(2) Semi Luxury Service – 1.5 times normal fare.
These are the buses with a Blue name boards above the windscreen with the route number and route name in English. Semi luxury buses are operated on long-distance routes. They only stop at major bus stops.
| Air-conditioning | - | No |
| Seating | - | Better than in normal buses. |
| Legroom | - | Leg space limited. |
| Doors | - | Front door remains open, back door closed. |
| Stops | - | Only at main bus stops |
| Journey time | - | Much faster than normal buses |
| Luggage Space | - | Limited or Nonexistent |
(3) Luxury Service – 2 times normal fare.
Luxury buses can be identified by the Green name board above the windscreen. No standing passengers are permitted by law but some bus operators carry extra passengers.
| Air-conditioning | - | Yes |
| Seating | - | Better than in normal buses |
| Legroom | - | Depends on the type of vehicle |
| Doors | - | Doors closed |
| Stops | - | Only at main bus stops |
| Journey time | - | Faster than normal services. |
| Luggage Space | - | Depends on vehicle type |
(4) Super Luxury Service – 3 times normal fare.
Super Luxury service is limited to expressways and very long distance routes such as Colombo – Jaffna. These buses have purple name boards above the windscreen. No standing passengers.
| Air-conditioning | - | Yes |
| Seating | - | Good |
| Legroom | - | Good |
| Doors | - | Doors closed |
| Journey time | - | Fastest bus service |
| Luggage Space | - | Available but may be Limited |
Both government and private companies use older and newer buses. So the quality of the service is variable and mostly unpredictable. The only positive aspect of bus transport is the fact that it is ridiculously cheap.
Buses on shorter routes are not only crowded but have limited luggage space, no air conditioning and are very slow.
Long distance buses, particularly those that run inter-city routes along the Expressways (Motorways) are modern, fast, comfortable, air conditioned and have better seating. The tickets are great value for money.
Buses are popular with backpackers and those on a budget, but if a traveller needs to get around the island quickly and in comfort, buses may not be the right mode of transport in Sri Lanka..