The arrivals experience at CMB
Bandaranaike International Airport — usually written as CMB after its IATA code — is located at Katunayake, about 35 km north of central Colombo. After landing you pass through immigration (queue times are typically 20–40 minutes on busy international arrivals), collect your bags and walk through customs into the main arrivals hall. The hall is straightforward: a row of exit doors leads directly to the meet-and-greet area, where private drivers wait with name boards. The airport is compact enough that you will see your driver's sign within a minute or two of exiting customs, even at busy times.
Meeting your private driver
If you have booked through this platform, your driver will be holding a sign with your name. They track your flight number and adjust their arrival time accordingly — if your flight is delayed, they wait. Once you meet them outside customs, they help carry your luggage to the car, brief you on the drive ahead and answer any immediate questions about the island. The meet-and-greet model means you avoid the taxi queue completely, there is no negotiating a fare with an unfamiliar driver, and the price was fixed before you landed. If you haven't booked yet but need a driver for your trip, the book page and driver directory are the best starting points.
SIM cards and staying connected
A local SIM card is a worthwhile purchase at the airport. All three major networks — Dialog, Mobitel and Hutch — have counters in the arrivals hall and sell tourist data packages at reasonable rates. A standard tourist package with several gigabytes of data costs a small amount in local currency and will keep you connected throughout the island. Your passport is required to register the SIM. Mobile coverage is good across most of Sri Lanka, though signal can be patchy in the deepest hill-country valleys and a few remote national park areas.
Currency exchange at the airport
The airport has currency exchange counters in the arrivals area. Rates here are acceptable for an initial exchange but are rarely the best you will find on the island — licensed money changers in Colombo city and tourist areas typically offer rates closer to the mid-market. Exchange enough local currency to cover your first day's incidentals (meals, tips, small entrance fees) and check the live mid-market rates on the exchange rates page before you travel so you know what a fair rate looks like and can spot an unfavourable deal. Your driver can also advise on good exchange options near your first hotel.
Drive times to major first destinations
Sri Lanka is a small island, but traffic and mountain roads mean drive times are longer than the distances suggest. From CMB the most popular first-night destinations and their approximate drive times are: Kandy — 115 km, about 3.5 hours through Kadugannawa pass; Galle — 145 km, about 2 hours via the Southern Expressway; Sigiriya (cultural triangle) — 175 km, about 3.5 hours; Ella (hill country) — 230 km, about 6 hours, though most travellers break this with a night in Kandy. Use the dedicated route pages for full details on each drive: Colombo Airport to Kandy, Colombo Airport to Galle, Colombo Airport to Sigiriya, and Colombo Airport to Ella.
Practical tips for your first hours
A few things that make the first day smoother: download Google Maps for Sri Lanka offline before you fly, since mobile data can be intermittent in the mountains; keep a small amount of USD cash for entrance tickets at some major heritage sites, which still quote prices in dollars; stay hydrated — the humidity after a long flight is a shock to most arrivals, especially before you reach the cooler hill country. Your driver will have bottled water in the car. If you arrive on an overnight flight and have a long first-day drive ahead, consider booking Negombo (only 12 km from the airport) as your first night so you can sleep before heading inland the next morning.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get through CMB arrivals?
On a normal international arrival, allow 45–60 minutes from wheels-down to the exit of the arrivals hall — roughly 30 minutes for immigration (which can be longer at peak times), 10 minutes for bags, and a few minutes through customs.
Can my private driver wait for me if my flight is delayed?
Yes. Your driver tracks your flight number and adjusts their arrival time accordingly. There is no additional fee for delays — it is part of the meet-and-greet service.
Where exactly do I find my driver in the arrivals hall?
Exit customs into the main arrivals hall and look for the name-board area directly in front of you. Your driver will be holding a sign with your name. The hall is compact, so it is hard to miss.
Is it better to exchange money at the airport or in town?
Exchange only enough at the airport for your first day — the rates are less competitive than licensed changers in Colombo or tourist towns. Check the exchange rates page for live mid-market rates so you know what a fair exchange looks like.
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