Perhaps the only tiresome aspect of a holiday in Sri Lanka (and never publicised) was the agony of the hour-long journey between the airport and Colombo suburbs. For a new arrival, the horrendous traffic and the illogical way of driving (overtaking on the inside, never giving way) was a shattering introduction to serenity.
All that changed in 2013 when the then President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, declared open – and ceremoniously drove himself along – the newly built Airport Expressway. In the days before the opening, there were bullock cart races, a parade of elephants, marching school bands, athletic events and even art exhibitions.
The Expressway, which links with the Canada Friendship Road outside the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake, extends for 25.8km to the new Kelani Bridge in the Colombo suburbs. It consists of six and four-lane sections and has been designed for speeds of 80 kph to 100 kph. There are tollgates at Peliyagoda and at Seeduwa and the toll fee for the entire length of the Expressway begins at Rs300 and rises according to the vehicle.
In the first 24 hours of the Airport Expressway being opened, it was used by 19,000 vehicles and generated an income of Rs5.1 million from toll charges. Five years later it remains a pleasure to escape from the suburbs and speed along the expressway to the airport, or as the first introduction to the roads of Sri Lanka. Its construction reduces the driving time between the airport and the Kelani Bridge to an enjoyable 20 minutes.
The Southern Expressway
The Expressway also links with the outer circular road at Kelawalapitiya from which there is access to the Southern Expressway at the Colombo suburb of Katawa. That Expressway, known as E01, cuts through the hills, forests, plantations and paddy fields of the interior to the deep south coastal town of Matara, making the drive a discovery of countryside you never see when you take the built-up coastal road. The toll fee varies according to distance and vehicle.
A large and modern roadside snack and shopping complex has opened close to the Welipenna exit, about 68km from Colombo. It is two complexes actually, one on each side of the road, its presence marked by an extraordinary metal sculpture of a huge bird looming over passing vehicles. This Expressway is such a contrast to Sri Lanka’s normal road network where endless bends, and crazily driven vehicles, make travel by road an arduous experience, especially if you’re a passenger.
Sri Lanka Holiday Guru Tip
There are access roads to and from the Southern Expressway at the main towns, although some towns are 20 minutes distant. The Expressways are not open to motorbikes or tuk-tuks (three-wheelers) and a minimum speed limit prevails. There is no stopping allowed.
When planning a journey by ordinary road, don’t estimate the time it will take by the distance as a decent speed cannot be maintained because of congestion and bends and even a 30-mile journey could take two hours.
