How To Reach Kandy
Planning A Trip To Kandy? Here are some guidelines on how to reach Kandy
Kandy is a beautiful hill town at the heart of Sri Lanka. It is accessible from all Sri Lankan cities via excellent roadways and is also connected to Colombo via rail. The most common way to reach Kandy is to travel to Colombo by air and then choose either road or rail depending on your comfort. Traveling within the city is no hassle either, there are many taxis and tuk-tuks scouting the city throughout the day.
By Air
Photograph by tradearabia.com
The nearest airport to Kandy is the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. The airport is the main hub for Sri Lankan Airlines that has flights to almost every major city in Asia. The airline connects to every major city in South India and to important cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. The airport is about 150 kilometres away from Kandy and takes about 4 hours by road to reach.
By Rail
Photograph by onthegotours.com
The Inter-City Express is a cheap and fast way to travel to Kandy. The city has three trains coming in from Badula and two from Colombo. The trains have observational saloons and second class compartments that require prior booking. The third class compartments run unreserved. The train passes through beautiful green hills and villages making the journey ever more exciting.
By Road
Photograph by flikr.com
There are a number of air conditioned intercity buses and other public and private buses that travel from Colombo to Kandy on a daily basis. Many buses, in fact, have a stop at the international airport. People often hire taxis, as they are easily available and are a safe way to travel even though this can be quite expensive. If you are going as a big group, then there are mini vans that can take you to Kandy comfortably. The journey should take about three and a half hours altogether.
The city of Kandy is not a very large one, so one of the best ways to experience it is by walking or renting a scooty. However the most popular way of getting around is by tuk tuk taxis. They are fast and cheap and travel to the outskirts of the city as well. You will find some public and private buses within the city limits. There is a bus stand right at the city railway station which will be useful for people arriving by train.
