Colombo to Jaffna Bus Services.

7:42 AM 1/20/20210

Colombo to Jaffna bus services used to start from Wellawatte, Kotahena, Moratuwa and Pettah. During the Nallur Temple Annual Festival, Deepavali and Pongal festival lot of people want to use this bus service to Jaffna.. So it is better to reserve your bus ticket at least one day before your travel. Or you can wait at the bus terminal and check for any vacant seat. In the bus stand after getting your seat you can pay for it. There are two types of bus services are operating between Colombo and Jaffna town. One is operated by SLTB (CTB) and the other is private company owned busses including Luxury coaches. SLTB buses used to start from Colombo Central bus stand. One of SLTB's Jaffna bus service is starting from Ratmalana bus Depot and ends at Point Pedro. Likewise these busses start from Jaffna town and Point Pedro Depots.

Note: After Corona lock down now Colombo Jaffna Train services and long distance train services are back to normal in Sri Lanka. Also the order of 14 days Isolation to the Jaffna district visitors had been relaxed by the Government authorities. So you can travel freely all over the country. Also the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake and Rajapaksa International Airport at Mattala are going to be opened for the visiting Tourists from 21st January 2021 onwards. There will be no PCR test for them at the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake and Rajapaksa International Airport at Mattala but will be requested to bring their own evidence of a negative PCR Covid 19 test 72 hours before arrival.

Colombo Jaffna Buses.

Most of the busses operating here are Indian and Chinese made buses and are in good running condition. Indian Ashok Leyland buses don't have seat booking offices. You have to be there when the bus is going to start its journey. Most of them used to start from Colombo Central bus stand which is located next to the Colombo Fort Railway Station.
In Colombo, Jaffna bus seats can be reserved along the Galle road in Wellawatte on both side of the Road and in Pettah and Kotahena.
These busses leave Colombo by 8.00 to 8.30 PM in the night. Some super speed buses used to start by 10:30PM from Wellawatte.
In Jaffna, bus seats can be booked in the Hospital Road shops. Most of the busses leave Jaffna by 8.00 PM from the Jaffna Fort area in front of the post office.

Jaffna Luxury Bus Service.

A/C Bus Ticket Price: Rs 1,400/-
Semi Luxury Bus Ticket: Rs 950/

Popular Colombo - Jaffna Luxury A/C Bus service providers' Bus names.
Annai Muththumari, Q Line, Venkadeshwara, SPS, PPT, Prince, St. Nicholas, Eswaran, D.S.Gunasekara, NCG, Thinakaran

Popular Jaffna Semi-Luxury Bus service providers. (Non A/C)Thass Express, Luxmi, NCG, City.
Anuram travels, North West, Thana, Vimal Express, Elmo travels

Colombo to Batticalo bus service providers.
Casmin (semi), Surena (semi), Raja (semi). A/C buses Zeena, Superline, Surena and Raja.

Colombo to Trincomalee bus service providers.
Avro and Superline (Both A/C busses)

Luxury bus services and Semi-luxury services used to start in the night time from Wellawatte (Colombo-6) and they will stop at Kotahena (Colombo - 13) . The journey will take 10 - 12 hours of traveling through the towns, villages, farms and forests to reach Jaffna which is 396 Km from the Colombo city. Normally the bus fare ranges from Rs 850/- to 1,400/- per person. These buses have the capacity to carry 41 to 56 passengers depending on the brand of the bus.

Tourist Transport.

Luxury bus services used to have ample luggage space. Reclining Seats, Air Condition, On board Movie shows (2 - 3) TV's fitted overhead), Tamil music. After 10 pm inside lights will be switched off for the passengers to sleep well. if the bus is provided with A/C, you can't open the windows as the windows are pre-fixed.

• If Ladies are traveling alone, when reserving the Jaffna Bus ticket tell this to the booking counter and they will place her next to a lady, if available.
  
• Before booking your bus seat with the agent make sure that the bus got "Route permit" for it. If not travelling in it will be a difficult task, as they will stop in some places and will wait for the permit checkers to pass from that area.
  
• Keep a blanket handy as some busses become terribly cool with their A/C on.
  
• The flow can't be controlled by the driver and some passengers don’t like the A/C to be stopped.
  
• When stopping for tea, don't leave your hand bags unattended in the bus, as there are some thieves pretend as passengers and used to steal when opportunities arise.
  
• When coming by luxury bus from Jaffna arrange someone to pick you in the Galle Road as the busses used to reach Colombo by 4.00 am to 5.00am and it may be dark in some places.
  
  SLTB Express.
  
  PPT