Save Sri Lanka for offline use
Keep the practical pages you may need on trains, at the airport or on the road — even when mobile data is weak or unavailable.
CHECKLIST
Before you leave Wi‑Fi
- Save your passport/ETA details and first hotel address.
- Keep train booking references and screenshots of tickets.
- Download an offline map of the next region.
- Save your accommodation phone number and next transport connection.
TRAINS
Train ticket cheat sheet
Use the official Sri Lanka Railways reservation portal for reserved seats. An account is required, up to 5 seats can be reserved in one booking, and the service accepts major international cards. Keep the e-ticket and booking reference offline.
If Kandy–Ella is sold out
- Check the official reservation portal again for another train/date.
- If online allocation is full, ask at a station with reservation facilities — Sri Lanka Railways notes that some station allocation may still remain.
- Ask about ordinary/unreserved travel where available.
- For the hill-country route, keep a bus/private-driver backup rather than building the whole trip around one reserved seat.
ARRIVAL
Colombo airport without data
Bandaranaike International Airport officially lists Uber, PickMe, airport taxis and the 187 luxury bus to Colombo Fort. Save your hotel address before landing.
RIDES
Tuk-tuks, PickMe & Uber
Keep PickMe and Uber installed before you arrive. For a street tuk-tuk, agree the fare before moving if there is no meter/app price. Keep small rupee notes.
MOBILE DATA
Local SIMs are inexpensive
As checked in August 2026, Dialog advertises tourist plans from Rs 1,399 for 20GB, while SLT-Mobitel lists a 7-day 15GB tourist plan for Rs 821. Both offer tourist SIM/eSIM options. Prices can change, so treat these as a current reference, not a permanent tariff.
Tourist SIM & Mobile Data in Sri Lanka: Dialog, Mobitel and eSIM →
🚑 Emergency
Ambulance: 1990 — the island-wide Suwa Seriya pre-hospital emergency ambulance service is free and operates 24/7.
💵 Cash backup
- Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR).
- Cards are useful, but keep cash for tuk-tuks, buses, small cafés and rural travel.
- Keep a second physical card as backup.
SAVED PAGES