Colombo Airport to Unawatuna: Best Ways to Travel
Wants to know how to get from Colombo Airport To Unawatuna? Here is complete guide.
Colombo Airport to Unawatuna can be a great exploration for tourists and visitors. Unawatuna is a town in southern Sri Lanka. This place is famous for its beaches and coral reefs. The distance is 151 kilometres from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna, and the road distance is around 151.5 Kilometres.
If you are a tourist so you don’t need to worry about staying in Unawatuna, as 4477+ hotels are available there. With many options, you can plan your stay according to your convenience and budget.
Beautiful Attractions in Unawatuna
While staying in Unawatuna, tourists and visitors can also explore many beautiful places there; some of the recommendations are.
- Japanese Peace Pagoda – Rumassala, it is a beautiful place located in Unawatuna, you can also see the Light House and Galle Fort from the back.
- Red Rose Tour plans a tour in Unawatuna, where they will take you to explore nature, islands, heritage, culture, beaches, and more.
- Mihiripenna Beach can be visited by sea lovers, as Unawatuna is appreciated by the beauty of its beaches.
- Unawatuna Beach is a beautiful beach. While enjoying the sea view, you can also explore cafes and enjoy a peaceful atmosphere.
While travelling anywhere in the world, the way we choose to get there plays an important role. For Example, after taking a hectic flight with heavy luggage, waiting for hours in queues, and then making transfers can be tiring, especially when you are travelling with elders or kids.
On the other hand, people travelling for business purposes or planning their travel on a budget prefer economical and beneficial travel options; also, some tourists have to explore every corner of the city in limited days, which totally depends on the person’s choices and situation. So, while planning your trip, do make sure you are choosing the right travel partner.
To get from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna, you have many travel options. You can take a taxi/private transfer, which is the fastest option, or you can get there by taking a train or bus. In this blog, we are sharing all the travel alternatives along with the details of cost, duration, distance and way that can take you to Unawatuna from the Colombo Airport.
Option 1: Taxi or Private Transfer
Taxi is the best way to get from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna as it offers a private transfer facility, and for those travelling with the kids and the elderly can facilitate them with a noise-free travel experience. Taking a taxi from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna can be a wiser option because it is the only direct way to get there, and it will drop you off at your desired destination without waiting for hours in a queue. Here we are sharing some key Points of taking a taxi from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
- Taxi or Private transfers offer a comfortable service
- Good with senior citizens and kids
- Reach in the shortest period of time
- Comfort level is excellent
- Vehicles can be chosen according to your budget
- The only direct way available from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna
- It is costly among all available options
How can you take a Taxi/ Private Transfer?
After arriving at the Colombo Airport, your taxi driver will pick you up from the location, and without wasting time on the transfers, you will directly reach your destination. By booking a Sri Lanka Driver Guide from your Colombo Airport to Unawatuna journey, you don’t have to worry about bargaining for the rates after reaching, as it offers a fixed rate while booking a ride, language barriers, or vehicle type. At the time of booking, you will be informed of your chauffeur’s proficiency in language, vehicle type, rates, qualification and the type of tours they handle. Also, if you want to explore the city, you can ask your driver, as they know the hidden spots of the city and can take you there.
With 200+ drivers and 800+ amazing reviews, Sri Lanka Driver Guide provides a safe and comfortable travelling experience. No matter whether you are travelling individually or in a group, you will be accommodated with the best service. For booking, go to the official website of Sri Lanka Driver Guide, and fill up the details. After receiving, the driver will contact you for the ride confirmation.
Cost and Duration
- Taxi will cost around $20 to $30 to get you from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
- It will take around 1 hour and 47 minutes to reach.
Book With Sri Lanka Driver Guide – Get a Quote
Option 2: Train from Colombo to Unawatuna
Train travel offers a great view of the city. While travelling to Unawatuna, you can explore the beauty, which is mostly adored by tourists who want to explore the city in depth, as it offers a view of the city through the windows. But after finding that it doesn’t offer direct transfers, many opt for other alternatives. Unfortunately, no train station is available at the Colombo Airport. Here we are sharing some key Points of taking a train from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
- Taking a train offers great views
- Provides local experience
- Long hours of waiting
- No direct transfer available
- Crowded and Noisy (especially on weekends and holidays)
Train Station Details
- As there is no direct train option available from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna, to start your journey by train, you have to take the bus or cab that takes you from the Colombo Airport to Colombo city, then Colombo City to Maradana Station or Colombo Fort.
- After reaching Maradana Station or Colombo Fort, you will find the train station that will take you to Unawatuna or Galle.
- The train duration varies by time and season, but it will take around 2 hours and 13 minutes to reach Maradana Station or Colombo Fort from Unawatuna.
- Including the transfers, waiting and travel time, it will take approximately 3.5 hours to 4.5 hours to reach. The time duration may be longer due to the crowd, traffic, delays, or any other technical issues.
However, train schedules depend on the seasons and the time of day. Sometimes it gets delayed due to some issues. It is better to get the details before getting into the station, so that you can plan your tour accordingly or go for the other travel alternative.
Cost and Duration
- From Colombo Airport to Unawatuna train rates are not fixed and vary by the time of the day, seasons or events, but it usually costs $2-$3, including the transfers.
- The journey will take 3.5 to 4.5 hours or more, including the transfers.
Option 3: Bus from Colombo to Unawatuna
Bus travel is always a budget-friendly travel alternative all over the world, and is preferred by visitors. But not having a bus station at your pick-up location might be hectic, as you have to take a ride to reach the bus stop, and switching places can take more time.
Taking a Bus from Colombo to Unawatuna offers a cheaper travel alternative, but it will take more time to reach, as there is no direct bus service available that gets you from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna. Also, bus schedules vary by season and time. Before arriving at the bus station, confirm the schedules, as it is not on time, so that you can plan your tour accordingly or go for the other travel alternative. Here we are sharing some key Points of taking a bus from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
- Budget-friendly and the cheapest travel alternative
- Easy for individual travellers
- No direct transfers are available
- Inconvenience for those with heavy luggage
- Comfort level is average
- Language Barrier is found mostly
Bus Station Details
- At first, you need to get from Colombo Airport to Colombo city. Now you can head to the bus stop and get a bus to Galle via the Southern Expressway; the time duration depends on traffic, but it will usually take 2 hours to reach Galle.
- At Galle, you need to get a tuk-tuk or a local bus that takes you to Unawatuna. The travel time will be around thirty minutes or more, depending on the traffic and location.
Cost and Duration
- Bus rates depend on the season, class and time, but it typically costs $1 to $2 to get you from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
- The estimated duration by taking a bus is 3.5 to 5hours.
It is advised to plan your schedule according to some time differences. By any chance, if you reach late due to traffic or other issues, you will be able to reach another spot. Overall, the bus travel costs are cheaper but not recommended for those who are travelling with heavy luggage, kids or elders.
Colombo Airport to Unawatuna Distance and Travel Time
Here we are sharing the travel distance from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna and the average travel time, as the actual time can be less or more and depends on the traffic, arrival timings, and schedules. It is advised to confirm the schedules and duration before booking, as it helps you to plan your tour accordingly.
|
Colombo Airport to Unawatuna “Travelling Type”
|
Travel Distance |
Travel Time |
|
Private Taxi/Transfer |
151 kilometers |
1 hour – 47 minutes |
|
Train |
151 kilometers |
4 hours – 4.5 hours |
|
Bus |
151 kilometers |
3.5 hours – 5 hours |
Average Cost Comparison (Taxi vs Train Vs Bus)
The rates are not fixed and vary by each service, season, crowd, events, holidays and the time of the day. Here we are sharing the average cost comparison between the taxi, train, vs bus from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
|
Colombo Airport to Unawatuna “Travelling Type”
|
Average Cost (United States Dollars) |
|
Private Taxi/Transfer |
$20 – $30 (USD) |
|
Train |
$2 – $3 (USD) |
|
Bus |
$1 – $2 (USD) |
We have shared all the travel options to get you from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna. Taxi / private transfers are the most reliable way to get there, as they offer a noise-free, private and comfortable travel without facing any hassles, and you have options to choose a vehicle according to the number of passengers travelling with you, and by booking the right cab service, you can make your journey more memorable.
Taking a train is also a better way if you want to explore the city and want to travel on a budget, but it includes transfers which take a long time to reach. Lastly, taking a bus is the cheapest travel alternative, but due to the unavailability of direct transfers, it also takes more time to reach.
Whatever travel alternative you could go for, always choose the reliable service that can accommodate you with professional staff and the best customer service; otherwise, you will have to face long waiting, last-minute cancellation or other issues.
FAQs
151 kilometres is the distance from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna, and the road distance is around 151.5 Km.
To get from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna bus is the cheapest travel alternative, but due to the unavailability of direct service, it takes a longer time to reach.
The direct train option is not available from Colombo Airport to Unawatuna; you have to take a cab or bus from Colombo Airport to Colombo city to Maradana Station/Colombo Fort; then go to the train station there that will take you to Galle/ Unawatuna. The only direct way to get is to take a taxi.
The taxi charges are not fixed; it depends on the number of passengers, the vehicle you choose, and the services, but it usually costs $20 to $30 (USD) to take you from the Colombo Airport to Unawatuna.
Taxi or Private transfer is the fastest way to reach Unawatuna from Colombo Airport; it doesn’t require any transfer, and passengers can get there without waiting.

Editorial Staff is at Sri Lanka Driver Guides are Sri Lanka travel experts.


