There are 4 ways to get from Colombo to Salem by plane, train, ferry, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Salem
best- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Salem (SXV)plane CMB - SXV
5h 41m₹11,623–30,100Train, ferry
cheapest- Take the train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturaitrain
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the train from Nagappattinam to Salem Towntrain
21h 16m₹7,123–12,113Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Pettah to Kankesanturaibus
- Take the ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinamferry
- Take the bus from Nagore to Mahabalipurambus
- Take the bus from Mahabalipuram to Salembus
21h 17m₹8,379–10,323Fly to Trichy International Airport, bus
- Fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Trichy International Airport (TRZ)plane CMB - TRZ
- Take the bus from Trichy to Salembus
5h 33m₹14,573–27,620
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Salem (SXV) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Colombo to Salem is to train and ferry which costs ₹7,000 - ₹13,000 and takes 21h 16m.
The fastest way to get from Colombo to Salem is to fly and bus which takes 5h 33m and costs ₹14,000 - ₹28,000.
The distance between Colombo and Salem is 565 km.
The best way to get from Colombo to Salem without a car is to train and ferry which takes 21h 16m and costs ₹7,000 - ₹13,000.
It takes approximately 5h 41m to get from Colombo to Salem, including transfers.
There are 209+ hotels available in Salem.
What companies run services between Colombo, Sri Lanka and Salem, India?
IndiGo Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, and Helitrans fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to Salem (SXV) 3 times a day.
- Website
- goindigo.in
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Salem via Madras
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹9,000–31,000
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Salem via Hyderabad
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- ₹11,000–34,000
- Website
- srilankan.com
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Trichy International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₹8,500–26,000
- Website
- helitrans.no
Flights from Bandaranaike International Airport to Salem via Bengaluru
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- When
- Thursday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- ₹9,000–27,000
- Phone
- +94 11 4 600 111
- Website
- seatreservation.railway.gov.lk
Train from Colombo Fort to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 4m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₹400–3,900
- Website
- https://seatreservation.railway.gov.lk/mtktwebslr/
- 2nd Class Fare
- ₹400–550
- 3rd Class Fare
- ₹450–550
- Air Conditioned Saloon
- ₹850–3,900
- Phone
- 14646
- care@irctc.co.in
- Website
- irctc.co.in
Train from Nagappattinam to Salem Town
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 34m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹220–1,800
- Website
- https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
- Sleeper Class
- ₹220–270
- Third AC (3A)
- ₹600–750
- Second AC (2A)
- ₹800–1,100
- First Class (1A)
- ₹1,300–1,800
- Phone
- +94 76 714 8292
- ncgexpress@gmail.com
- Website
- ncgexpress.lk
Bus from Pettah to Kankesanturai
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹780–820
- Schedules at
- https://ncgexpress.lk/
- Sleeper/Seater
- ₹780–820
- Phone
- 9513948001
- commercial@tnstc.in
- Website
- tnstc.in
Bus from Nagore to Mahabalipuram
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 49m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- ₹240–650
- Website
- https://www.tnstc.in/OTRSOnline/
- Phone
- 8893555000
- info@kalladatravels.com
- Website
- kalladatravels.com
Bus from Mahabalipuram to Salem
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 58m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₹750–2,200
- Website
- http://www.kalladatravels.com/
Bus from Trichy to Salem
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹600–2,100
- Website
- http://www.kalladatravels.com/
- Website
- shipindia.com
Ferry from Kankesanturai to Nagapattinam
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₹6,500
- Schedules at
- shipindia.com
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