Negombo: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Negombo is a city of 137,223 people in Sri Lanka (Western Province), 8 m (26 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Negombo runs from about 11 h 45 min a day in late December to 12 h 35 min in late June (computed for 7.21° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Negombo is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre, whose 10,991-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML, 43 km).
Flights to Negombo: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Negombo · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Madurai, 356 km (India) — flights
- Tirunelveli, 291 km (India) — flights
- Thiruvananthapuram, 348 km (India) — flights
- Colombo, 30 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Thoothukudi, 255 km (India)
- Sivakasi, 335 km (India)
- Nāgercoil, 286 km (India)
- Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, 41 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Maharagama, 41 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kāraikkudi, 339 km (India)
Common questions
Which airport serves Negombo?
Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport (CMB), 6 km (4 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Negombo?
About 137,223 people live in Negombo (GeoNames).
What time zone is Negombo in?
Asia/Colombo, currently UTC+5:30.
What currency is used in Negombo?
The Rupee (LKR). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Negombo?
Madurai (356 km), Tirunelveli (291 km), Thiruvananthapuram (348 km), Colombo (30 km), Thoothukudi (255 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.