Key hubs
Galle airport and railway station
- Airport
- Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) at Katunayake, north of Colombo; about 2 to 2.5 hours by road to Galle on the expressways, traffic dependent. Several Indian cities have flights to CMB.
- Railway station
- Galle railway station, a terminus on Sri Lanka's Coastal Line, with slow coastal trains and intercity services to and from Colombo; check current timetables with Sri Lanka Railways
- Getting around
- Walk inside the fort. Tuk-tuks and app taxis cover Galle, Unawatuna and nearby beaches; a car with driver suits day trips along the coast.
How to reach Galle by air
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) at Katunayake is the usual arrival point. Several Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi, have flights to CMB; check airlines for current routes. From the airport it is about 2 to 2.5 hours by road to Galle.
How to reach Galle by train
Galle railway station is the terminus of the Coastal Line from Colombo. Slow and intercity trains run along the coast; check Sri Lanka Railways for current services. The station is a short tuk-tuk ride from the fort.
How to reach Galle by road
The Southern Expressway (E01) from Kottawa near Colombo has an exit at Pinnaduwa, about 8 km from Galle by the B594. Buses and taxis run from Colombo and along the coast. A car with driver is the easiest transfer.
Getting around Galle
Walk inside the fort. Tuk-tuks, taxis and app cabs cover the city and Unawatuna. For Koggala, Hikkaduwa or Mirissa, hire a car with driver for the day.
For parents and senior travellers
Easy transfers to and in Galle
- Take travel insurance. Galle National Hospital (formerly Karapitiya Teaching Hospital) is a large public hospital in the city, and private clinics are available, but older travellers should carry their medicines and prescriptions.
- Carry water, a hat and sunscreen. The humidity is high all year, and monsoon showers can arrive suddenly.
- For Unawatuna and Rumassala, hire a tuk-tuk for the day rather than walking the road in the heat.
- Ask the airline or railway for wheelchair or porter assistance when you book, not on the day.
- Pre-book the pickup from the airport or station, so nobody has to negotiate with drivers after a long journey.
- Choose arrivals in daylight where you can, and keep the first afternoon free to rest.