How to get fromChennai to Colomboby plane, bus, ferry or train

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There are 4 ways to get from Chennai to Colombo by plane, bus, ferry, or train

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

Fly
best
1. Fly from Chennai International Airport (MAA) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)MAA - CMB
4h 13m
Rs 32,623–61,155
Train, ferry
cheapest
1. Take the train from Chennai Egmore to Nagappattinam
2. Take the ferry from Nagapattinam to Kankesanturai
3. Take the train from Kankesanturai to Colombo Fort
20h 10m
Rs 24,550–41,550
Bus, ferry
1. Take the bus from Thiruvanmiyur to Nagore
2. Take the ferry from Nagapattinam to Kankesanturai
3. Take the bus from Kankesanturai to Pettah
18h 35m
Rs 26,624–27,965
Train, ferry via Perambur
1. Take the train from Perambur to Nagappattinam
2. Take the ferry from Nagapattinam to Kankesanturai
3. Take the train from Kankesanturai to Colombo Fort
20h 58m
Rs 24,560–41,624

Chennai International Airport (MAA) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) flights

41Weekly Planes

1h 20mAverage Duration

Rs 26,552Cheapest Price

Questions & Answers

Map of how to get from Chennai to Colombo.

Launch map view

Distance: 698.8 km
Duration: 4h 13m

What companies run services between Chennai, India and Colombo, Sri Lanka?

SriLankan Airlines and IndiGo Airlines fly from Chennai International Airport (MAA) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) every 4 hours.

Airlines

Train operators

Bus operators

Ferry operators

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Colombo(opens in a new window), Sri Lanka(opens in a new window)

Colombo is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, the Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 in the Municipality. It is the financial centre of the island and a tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka, and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is itself within the urban/suburban area of Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life, colonial buildings and monuments.

Things to do in Colombo

Galle Face Green(Opens in a new window)

The Galle Face is a 5 ha ocean-side urban park, which stretches for 500 m along the coast, in the heart of the financial and business capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo. The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although the original Galle Face Green extended over a much larger area than is seen today. The Galle Face Green was initially used for horse racing and as a golf course, but was also used for cricket, polo, football, tennis and rugby.

R. Premadasa Stadium(Opens in a new window)

R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPS) (Sinhala: ආර්. ප්‍රේමදාස ක්‍රීඩාංගනය, Tamil: ஆர். பிரேமதாச சர்வதேச கிரிக்கெட் விளையாட்டு மைதானம்; also known as Khettarama Stadium, Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium or simply as the Premadasa Stadium) is a cricket stadium on Khettarama Road, Maligawatta, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The stadium was, before June 1994, known as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium and is today one of the main venues where the Sri Lankan cricket team play, having hosted more than 100 one day international matches. It is the largest stadium in Sri Lanka with capacity of 35,000 spectators. It has capacity exceeding Lord's Cricket Ground. It is nicknamed "Home of Sri Lankan cricket". It was also the stadium where the highest Test score was scored.

Pettah(Opens in a new window)

Pettah is a neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka located east of the City centre Fort. The Pettah neighborhood is famous for the Pettah Market, a series of open air bazaars and markets. It is Sri Lanka's busiest commercial area, where most of the shops, textiles, buildings and many other business organisations are centered.

Fort(Opens in a new window)

Fort is the central business district of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is the financial district of Colombo and the location of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the World Trade Centre of Colombo from which the CSE operates. It is also the location of the Bank of Ceylon headquarters. Along the foreshore of the Fort area is the Galle Face Green Promenade, built in 1859 under the governance of Sir Henry George Ward, the Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) during British colonial administration. Fort is also home to the General Post Office, hotels, government departments and offices.

Places to stay in Colombo

Cinnamon Grand Colombo(Opens in a new window)

8.5Very Good

Luxe320 at On320 Residencies(Opens in a new window)

8.0Good

Fairway Colombo - Sri Lanka's First Hotel With Robot Technology(Opens in a new window)

8.4Very Good

Taj Samudra, Colombo(Opens in a new window)

8.2Very Good

Rome2Rio makes travelling from Chennai to Colombo easy.

Rome2Rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Find all the transport options for your trip from Chennai to Colombo right here. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Rome2Rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward.