Buses and Trains
Kandy to Sigiriya by Bus, and the Train That Does Not Exist
Sigiriya has no railway station and neither does Dambulla, so every train plan ends in a bus. Once you know that, the rest is straightforward and cheap: a bus to Dambulla, then 25 minutes to our door.
By public transport Sigiriya is a bus to Dambulla and a local bus or a tuk-tuk for the last stretch, about 3 hours from Kandy with the change. There is no train to Sigiriya. The nearest station is Habarana, 20 minutes away by road.
Start Here
There Is No Train to Sigiriya
Sri Lanka's railways are wonderful and they do not come here. The line that runs north from Colombo passes well to the west and the nearest useful station is Habarana, with Polonnaruwa a further option to the east. Neither is walkable to anything you came for.
So a Colombo to Sigiriya train is really a train to Habarana and a tuk-tuk from there, and a Sigiriya to Kandy train does not exist at all: Kandy is reached by road.
Worth knowing before you book anything else around it.
By Bus
The Bus Routes That Run
Almost everything funnels through Dambulla, which sits on the junction of the main north road and the Kandy road. Get to Dambulla and you are 25 minutes from us.
Buses in Sri Lanka do not run to a published timetable you can rely on from abroad. They run frequently, they fill up, and you pay on board. Treat the times below as a shape rather than a schedule.
| From | How | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Kandy | Bus to Dambulla, then a local bus or tuk-tuk | 3 hours with the change |
| Colombo | Any Dambulla, Anuradhapura or Trincomalee bus, then change | 5 to 6 hours |
| Polonnaruwa | Bus towards Habarana or Dambulla, then change | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Anuradhapura | Bus to Dambulla, then change | 2 hours |
| Trincomalee | Bus towards Dambulla or Kandy, change at Habarana | 2.5 to 3 hours |
Express and air-conditioned services cost a little more and stop a great deal less. On the Colombo run, the difference is worth every rupee.
The Last Bit
Dambulla to Indigas Wewa, the Last 25 Minutes
Local buses run from Dambulla towards Sigiriya through the day and stop at the main junctions. They do not come down our road, so there is still a short tuk-tuk at the end of it.
Once you are at Dambulla with luggage, a tuk-tuk the whole way is the sensible call. It is a short run, it costs little against the trip you have just made, and it puts you at the door.
Tell us which bus you are on and we will talk you through the last stretch. If buses are not for you, a driver from the airport is the alternative.
Once You Are Here
Getting About Without a Car
Most of our guests arrive without a vehicle, and this is what they use once they are here.
Tuk-Tuk
The answer to almost everything. The rock, Pidurangala, the village, the shops in Dambulla. We call one and it arrives. Agree the fare before you get in; that is normal here.
Safari Jeep
Collects you from the cottage and returns you afterwards, so Minneriya needs no transport of your own at all. How that works is here.
Bicycle
The lanes around Indigas wewa are flat and quiet and the paddy tracks are better on two wheels than four. Fine for the village. Not for the main road in the heat.
A Driver for the Day
Worth it for Polonnaruwa or Anuradhapura, where you want somebody waiting while you spend 6 hours among ruins. Drivers we use are here.
Arriving by Bus
Tell Us Which Bus You Are On
Message us when you change at Dambulla and we will explain the last 25 minutes and expect you. Arriving after dark on public transport is perfectly manageable, and it is a great deal easier if somebody knows you are coming.
Public Transport
Questions About Buses and Trains
Is There a Bus From Kandy to Sigiriya?
Not a direct one you can rely on. Take any Dambulla bus from Kandy, which run often, then cover the last 25 minutes by local bus or tuk-tuk. Allow about 3 hours door to door.
Is There a Train From Colombo to Sigiriya?
No. Neither Sigiriya nor Dambulla has a station. The closest, Habarana, is 20 minutes from us by road, and most people find the bus simpler than a train plus that connection.
How Much Does the Bus Cost?
Very little by any visitor's standards. Fares are set nationally and revised from time to time, so a figure printed here would soon be wrong. You pay the conductor on board in cash. Carry small notes, because change for a large one is a problem at 6am.
Are the Buses Difficult With Luggage?
A backpack is fine. Two large suitcases on a full bus with a change at Dambulla is a hard afternoon. If you are travelling heavy, take a driver for the long leg and save the buses for the short hops.