Negombo to Kalpitiya – what is the best way to travel
Kalpitiya is located 140 km North of Colombo and there are many ways you can get to Kalpitiya from Bandaranayke International Airport, Negombo, either by public transport or by private shuttle. Normally getting to Kalpitiya by private vehicle is more expensive but doing so will save you time.
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How to get from Negombo to Kalpitiya
1 – Private Shuttle/Private Vehicle
If you come to Kalpitiya in a private vehicle it will take around 3 hours drive, except at peak times when there is a lot of traffic. The average cost of a van is around 10,000 rupees and it is the best way to get to Kalpitiya, especially if you have heavy kite equipment, lots of luggage, or if you want to come from Negombo straight to your accommodation in Kalpitiya town, without having to change transport. If you would like to travel by private vehicle, let us know and we will arrange this for you and someone will be waiting at the airport upon your arrival.
2 – Local Bus
Coming from Negombo to Kalpitiya by local bus is more economical (around 500 rupees) and you will experience the local ambience and local way of travelling. However, this option is recommended if you plan to travel only during day time and you don’t have lots of baggage. Unfortunately, during the weekend and bank holidays you will find it harder to find good bus combinations, so please bear this in mind.
Coming from Negombo Airport to Kalpitiya by Bus
If you are coming from Negombo Airport and want to get to Kalpitiya by local bus, you can get a tuk tuk outside the airport to Katunayake junction/bus stop (5 min – around 500 rupees). Once in Katunayake junction you can wait for any bus going North to the main cities (Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Mannar, Jaffna). Always ask the driver if one of these buses are going through Palavi town. Once in Palavi town you change bus and get a different bus to Kalpitiya (every 30 minutes before 8pm). Be careful! You should be sure there are seats available before jumping onto the bus, unless you want to travel for about 3 hrs standing up.
How To Get From Negombo City Center to Kalpitiya by Local Bus
You head to the main Negombo bus station and at Negombo bus station there are local buses going to Puttalam town and Palavi town on a regular basis. You can either get off at Palavi town, 5 km ‘before’ Puttalam, and change bus to Kalpitiya (this is best) or stay on the bus and get off in Puttalam town and get a bus to Kalpitiya from there.
How to get Kalpitiya from Negombo by Train
Coming to Kalpitiya from Negombo by train is also another cheap option and very interesting! The train Negombo – Palavi is around a 3 hr journey. Once in Palavi town you get off the train and change to a bus to Kalpitiya. The bus stop is just 200 metres away from the train station.
On the next website you will find all the train schedules:
http://traintime.lk/schedule/negombo-to-palavi
Travelling to Kalpitiya by tuk tuk ! What an amazing experience!!
Tuk tuk isthe last but the funniest way we recommend to travel around Sri Lanka! There are many places in Negombo where you can hire a tuk tuk and drive all the way long from Negombo to Kalpitiya! This is a real Sri Lankan driving experience! You will be in Kalpitiya in 4 hours approx and you will find many obstacles on the road! Don´t forget to recognise your international driving license before getting into the road!
