There are now 5-6 buses running between Pottuvil and Colombo, all travelling through the night and taking about 7 hours. Two of these are luxury ac buses and the rest are regular non-ac buses. It appears that one of the non-ac private buses can be prebooked at busbooking.lk (see the comment below).
Approximate departure times (usually to within 15 minutes):
Leaving Pottuvil to Colombo
- 7.00pm (private bus that can be prebooked at busbooking.lk).
- 8:30pm (private luxury bus with ac).
- 8:45pm (government bus).
- 9:30pm (government bus).
- 9:30pm (private luxury bus with ac that can be booked in advance for 1300LKR at the Taxi Owners Society Office in Pottuvil (opens in Google Maps)).
Leaving Colombo to Pottuvil / Arugam Bay
- 7:30pm (two private luxury buses with ac leave from the Bismallah Lodge (opens in Google Maps) see note below).
- 8:45pm (government bus from central bus stand).
- 9:00pm (government bus from central bus stand).
- 9:30pm (government bus from central bus stand).
- 10:15pm (private bus from the private bus stand that can be prebooked at busbooking.lk).
Note: You can buy tickets for the luxury ac bus at the Bismallah Lodge in Colombo. The final destination of this bus is Akkaraipattu and there are only 10 reservable seats for Pottuvil. The Lodge is located behind the buildings on the main road. To find it enter the unmarked side road next to the pink building in the photo.
Please read this page, all comments and the page Colombo to Arugam Bay by Bus before asking a question. Thanks 🙂
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This bus will work in September?
Will there be buses to arugambay from tomorrow?
Please advice how to find and ticket price.
You can call bismallah lodge. This is not deluxe. This semi sleeper and with loud music that is true.
Hi! I can’t see the maps link above for book ac bus from Pottuvil. Also I talked with my hotel staff and told me that the day before he will book it for me, but I prefer to book it earlier and by myself. Also we went to Pottuvil bus “station” but we just could get the phone from a guy which cousin book the bus. Also more expensive than 1300LK…
Any help would be great! Thanks!
Hey Cesar, the map link is working ok for me. It does not show the business but it shows the location based on other information from a traveller. Did you go to that location?
Finally the manager from our hotel booked it for us. But the 19:00 as he said that there were no more buses today and at a price of 1500…
Do you know where does the bus stop?i was said that in front of commercial bank, but just want to be sure,
Thanks!
The AC is the only luxury thing in this bus. We took the bus from Pottuvil to colombo at 7:30 pm. The bus leaved 20 minutes earlier. The ride took about 7 hours and we thought we could sleep a little bit but this was not possible. The driver stopped every fiew minutes, the light was on nearly the whole ride. And the worst thing: loud sri lankan music the whole 7 hours. We had 4 military check-points where everyone had to leave the bus with the luggage. Tourists could stay in the bus but it was completely weird.
We wouldn‘t take this bus a second time. A shared taxi would be the best way to get to Colombo.
I booked the bus at Bismallah Lodge. I had to pay 300 rp extra for my luggage. Otherwise it was fine.
Great, thanks for the update.
That is totally wrong. You were scammed by the guy that stores bags in the bus. There are no extra charges for bags
Yeah, I got that. But it was the middle of the night and I didn’t know what to do.
Better off taking the bus from Colombo fort. It Can be booked online through seat.lk. Thia is what the boys at the hostel recommended… . I found out only, first hand, that the bus from bismillah Lodge try too rip you off for putting a bag or surfboards under the bus.
what did they try to charge you for the surfboard on the bus? And, was the bus from Colombo fort AC and comfortable?
Thank you for the information. When I go to the mentioned bus website I can’t find Pottuvil or Arugam Bay as a destination.
Can you help?
Thanks
An
Hi An eck, it appears these destinations are not currently being offered. We are not sure why. It could be a temporary thing, we will check again in a week or so and see if there is any change. There are some other bus booking websites that you can try.
Hi there, I’m trying to book on the 7:30 pm luxury bus however the boarding stations are the Town Hall or the Ramakrishna Mission, do you know if these are the updated stops for 2018? Thank you
Hey Rachel, we have no other information. How are you making the booking?
Hi. I’m travelling from pottivul to Colombo on the 7th August. If I go to the taxi office society… how soon in advance could I book the 930pm private a.c. do you know. And where does it leave from in pottivul?? Appreciate any help. Also i need to get from ella to arugum on 4th any ideas if the best way and bus times from mongarala to pottivul. It says one bus daily?
Hi Kelly, I would contact the Taxi Owner’s Society directly for that information. Where did you get the “one bus daily” information? There are multiple buses during the day, the last one we believe is at 17:30.
Hi !
First of all thank you for this website gathering all those information. This is truly helpful !
Was wondering whether there was a way to book seats on one the 7.30PM “private luxury ac” buses online or ahead ? I guess it’s not possible otherwise it would be written but still asking just in case…
Then how long before departure do you think it’s best to go the Bismallah Lodge to make sure there will still be available seats ? Are they usually both full ?
Many thanks in advance !
Cheers,
Jeremy
Thanks for all the info provided.
One additional question – where in Pottuvil do buses leave for Columbo? In Google Maps I’m only finding a stop called “Pothuvil Bus Stand”.
Just an update for travellers. We took the MBI bus from Bismallah Lodge( the street is different now so use the link to find the place). Pending which bus you are booked with, they either leave from the roadside in front of the lodge or across the road. However i confirmed my surfboard and paid for our tickets the night before. But once boarded and on the road, they tried to charge me another 1000 for the surfboard. After argueing and some local help i paid additional 500 for it to be stored underneath with the other luggage. I would point out it was a rough and loud trip. We got off at pottuvil and the tuk tuk tried to charge 1000 to run into arugam bay. Could only negotiate to 800 since it was 4am. So dont think it will be easy to travel with a surfboard and expect the pay inflated prices as tourist tax.
Hy 😊
Maybe a stupid question. But how sure is it to get a seat in a nightbus?
I have to leave arugam bay at the 7. of August to catch my flight 🙈
Thank you,
regards Aurelia
Hey guys
First off all I want to say that the information here is just great !
Second of all.
I didn’t really figure out what is the best way to book an ac buss from Colombo to Arugam Bay, and if I can do it in advance or I have to go to the place to book it.
Another question, the “government bus”, leaving from the central bus station is a non ac bus ?
Thanks for you’re help guys.
Hey Nitai, thanks for the comments! You can’t book the ac bus in advance. Yes, the government bus is non-ac.
Hi a friend said the buses run every 15 min to pottivil as i arrive at 10pm. what buses would that be? they must stop all over turning it in to 10hr ride? whats the best solution? thanks.
Hey sky, I think your friend is talking about the Colombo to Monaragala buses that run very frequently during the day, not sure about at night. From Monaragala you need to take another bus to Pottuvil but these only run during the daytime. In total between 10 and 12 hours. The night buses are the only ones that go direct and take about 7 hours.
Hi, i wanted to ask what happens if I arrive with a surfboard?
Hey Yarin, this question has been asked a few times on this site. There is only guaranteed storage for surf boards on the luxury bus services.
Hi John,
Really appreciate the post and details. The comments section has also helped add more clarity, especially since I am travelling alone. I decided to take the 10pm private bus from Colombo to Arugam Bay. I think the only challenge was adding a local number and I just added my hotel number (will apologise in person). I read Francesca’s post about travelling solo and well I plan on carrying my pepper spray and will make it known so hopefully, no funny business.
Much appreciate,
Chelsea
I can confirm there is still an ac bus going from Bishmillah Lodge at 7:30. I have just booked for tonight. 1000 rupees. I called first, they confirmed, so I went straight there and bought a ticket as didn’t want to leave it to chance of not getting a seat.
Hey Jonathan, thanks for the info. Great to know 🙂
Hi John,
So to update from my trip last night there are actually 2 buses that leave from Bishmillah Lodge.
One is run by MJS going to Akkaraipattu and leaves at 7:30pm.
The other, run by MBI, leaves at 8:00pm from the other side of the road opposite Bishmillah. I got this one and it got into Pottuvil around 3:30am. 🙂
Sorry I have another question. I cannot find the Bismallah lodge on google maps. Is this the right spelling?
Yes it is, not sure they are listed on Google. If you need to book those tickets in advance you can also try Bunkyard Hostel in the city. They are selling tickets for the same bus at double the price!
Hi there I am trying to book a bus from Colombo to Akkaraipattu. I need to catch the luxury bus as I have a surfboard. The problem is, the site is saying that there are no available seats for this trip. Do you know if you can wing it and hope to grab a seat on the day or is it best to book in advance?
Thanks!
Hey Mikaela, we have no idea sorry. Let us know what happens if you try…
Hello
Hoping to get your luxury bus from Pottuvil to Colombo at 9:30 on Friday 15th September.
Are there any toilets on the luxury buses?
Many Thanks
Lily
Hey Lily, there are no toilets on the bus unless something has changed recently. The bus will stop 1 or 2 times on the way. That is every 3 or 4 hours so be ready to dehydrate yourself 😉
Hi admin,
I have booked a private bus through busbooking.lk from Panama to Colombo. However after booking I realised there was no information on whether they accept surfboard bags for luggage or the address of where the bus leaves from in Panama. Could you please help with information on either of these things?
Thanks in advance
Hi Michael, the Panama to Colombo bus is non-luxury so you will not be able to take a surfboard on the bus. There is normally space to put bags near the driver. The bus should stop in Arugam Bay at the bus stops on the Leaving Here page but if you are in any doubt it might be best to contact busbooking.lk.
Hi admin,
I am planning on taking the Colombo to Pottuvil / Arugam Bay beginning of September. I have used the link thats been posted for pre booking the overnight bus but everytime I try it says ‘Oh, no results’
I have put in a number of different dates but I get this message everytime?
Has anybody else has this problem, if so how have you got around it?
Hej guys, just wanted to share my experience – especially as I travelled alone as a young female 🙂
So, I booked the ticket to the bus leaving at 10pm in advance, which worked very well. I arrived in Colombo from the airport with the bus that is mentioned on this website as well – it took me to the main bus station, which is like 2mins away from the bus station where the bus to abay leaves.
I sat there for quite a long time, several men came up and tried to talk to me but I mostly ignored the rude ones and exchanged a few words with the nice ones – completely harmless.
The bus came at around 9.15pm to the line that is the farthest away from the main street. I had to put my luggage in the trunk, and got on the bus, after I asked the driver whether my ticket was valid for this one. The bus left at around 10.20pm – it had no AC but the open windows were fine as well especially because it’s not too hot during the night.
At around 0.30, the driver made a short break where we could go to the toilet and buy water etc.
The bus arrived at 6am in Arugam Bay – very close to Hangloose Restaurant & Rooms.
As a woman travelling alone, I would suggest making sure to sit next to another woman. I sat next to a guy – the seats are incredibly tiny, so not touching each other was not an option, but I woke up at one point because he had his hand on my knee.
Otherwise, the journey was fine!
Yes, music was crazy loud, so don’t forget earplugs 😉
Thanks to the admins of this website, it helped me a lot!!
Hey Francesca, many thanks for sharing your experience and sorry for the wandering hand experience.. so sad that this happens. This will be a great help for future travellers!
Hi,
We have booked a bus on bus booking.lk that apparently leaves arugam bay at 6:30? Does it actually leave here then or does it go from Pottuvul?
Thanks
Hi Sevi, we are not 100% sure but we believe that bus starts at Panama and goes through Arugam Bay to leave Pottuvil at 7.00pm. So you should be able to get on at one of the bus stops in Arugam Bay. We are not 100% sure though, call or email busbooking.lk and they will confirm the pick up point.
hey,
I tried to book the ticket online on the website that I found on this page, but they ask me for the mobile phone number and when I put my Portuguese one they don’t accept it so I can’t carry on with the booking. Can anyone know how to solve it?
Thanks a lot
Astrid
Hey Astrid, did you email them to ask if there is another option? Please let us know what you find out..
Hi, thank you very much for the information on this website! Do you know how much does the bus that leaves at 7:30pm from the Bismallah Lodge costs?
Hey Jose, the current price is 1000LKR. You can find more info in the comments on the Colombo to Arugam Bay Bus page, follow the link from the top of this one.
Hey, what a fantastic resource this page is. Heading to Sri lanka in a weeks time and making my way down to Arugam Bay. I hope to leave AB on July 19th and get back to colombo. As we arrive at 4-5 am in the morning, is there anything you would recommend doing? Is transport (tuk tuk) easily available at this time? I have a hotel booked for the 20th in Colombo but seems a waste to book the 19th as well? Where does the bus dock in Colombo? Thanks for your time.
Hey David, thanks for the kind words! Most buses will go to the central bus stand or the private bus stand on the other side of the road. Both of these you can find on Google Maps just a few 100m from Colombo Fort Station. The luxury ac buses from Pottuvil, we believe stop at the Bismallah Lodge but we are not 100%. Tuk tuks are available in Sri Lanka at anytime especially in Colombo, you will have no problems finding one. I recommend getting a hotel if you can afford it as you will not sleep much on the bus due to the music!
Hi there! Does the government bus still run from Colombo central bus station to Pottuvil at 5am?
Hey Jackie, the only direct buses are at night. You can take a bus from Colombo during the day but you will have to change in Monaragala. It takes a few hours longer than the night buses due to increased traffic. See the Colombo to Arugam Bay by Bus for more info.
Thanks for al the bus information on this site! What is the best way to travel from the airport to either the bismillah lodge or the government bus from central bus stand (what is the address)?
Thanks!
Hi Stefanie, the airport bus will drop you at the Colombo Central Bus Stand. Here is the location in Google Maps. It is a short tuk tuk ride to the Bismallah Lodge opposite the Sri Lanka Telecom Office, Maradana but there will be a bus that goes there also. Ask at the bus stand for Punchi Borella Junction.
Hi!
I am a young female solo traveller and I’m wondering if the night bus is safe to travel alone? Going from Colombo to A-Bay 🙂
Hey Ella, the same question has been asked a few times. The same general advice applies to any night bus in Sri Lanka. As a woman, dress conservatively and avoid conversation with local men. Women do unfortunately get harassed on buses verbally and by wandering hands. By shouting and causing a disturbance you will normally put an end to the problem and embarrass the offender into not trying again. Asking the opinions of others can give you some peace of mind but you should be aware that just because it does not happen to one person one night does not mean that it could not happen to another on another night. Sorry to give you this news but it is the unfortunate reality.
Dear Admin, how can I prebook private night bus from colombo to Arugam bay?
It is mentioned in the first paragraph of this article. Use the website busbooking.lk and search for Colombo to Pottuvil. The bus is a regular bus (no ac) with no room for luggage. To book an ac luxury option in advance before arriving in Sri Lanka use the same website and book the Colombo to Akkaraipattu bus. The last part of the journey needs to be taken by taxi or tuk tuk.
I’m planning to take a bus from pottivil to Colombo. I booked my ticket to get here from Bismillah lodge. How/where can I buy a return ticket with the same company?
Hi Janine, good question and one that we also would like to know the answer to. At the moment we believe it is not possible to book a return ticket from Pottuvil to Colombo. The best option could be to go to the bus when it leaves on a night before you are due to depart and see if you can buy an advance ticket. Please let us know if you have any luck with this or find out any other information that could help future travellers.
Update: Bus tickets for the private ac luxury bus from Pottuvil to Colombo can be purchased for 1300LKR at the Taxi Owners’ Society Office in Pottuvil. No more details at present.
Hi there,
Are there absolutely no day buses? I was wondering how safe the bus journey will be for a solo female traveller and I noticed no one answered Fiona’s comment.
Thanks,
Hi Gabi, there are day buses but they are not direct. You have to go to Monaragala and change there. Also be advised that doing the same route by day will probably take you around 10-11 hours instead of the 7 hours it takes by night.
Hello! Thank you for this website, it’s been incredibly useful. Do you know if any of the roads leading to Arugam Bay from Colombo are affected by the flood?
Hi Johis, thanks for the positive words! This website was really needed in Arugam Bay as the older ones do not get updated anymore. The good news is that all major routes across the island are open. There are no problems getting to and from Arugam Bay.
Curious to know if anyone who has taken an overnight luxury ac bus from AB to Columbo has been a solo female, and if so, whether they found traveling the overnight bus was a comfortable experience on their own. I’m hoping to take one of these bus options next weekend when I depart.
Thanks!
Hello,
Me and my partner were looking to leave Arugam Bay in a few days and are thinking of catching a bus to Colombo.
I’m assuming the government buses are the red buses, and the private buses are the blue buses, but what are the ‘private luxury buses’?
Are these a step up from the blue private buses and how much would it cost to get from AB to Colombo on one of these.
Thank you!
Hi Brayden, you are correct about the colours for the government and private buses. The private luxury buses are what would be called coaches in most parts of the world. They are larger than the regular private blue buses. The cost varies but should be around 1000-1200LKR (double the normal price). Let us know how it goes!
Hello,
Do you know if any buses leave from Potuvil or Panama directly to Colombo in the day? And if they are luxury, private or government?
Thanks, Sally
Hi Sally, no the only direct luxury buses travel at night.
Hi, Arrive 5:40 pm at airport, will i get to Bismallah Lodge in time for the 7.30 pm bus & if so better to take taxi or does a bus go from airport?
Hi Michael, difficult one to judge. I think you could make it by taking a taxi from the airport directly to the Bismallah Lodge. But if you leaving the airport after 6.30pm then it will be tight as it will take about 45 mins by taxi. Let us know how it goes!
Hi guys, awesome info, I arrive in colombo tomorrow at 10.30pm will stay the night and then catch a night bus to Abay the next day, I’m going to make a travel video of this. Hopefully it will help some people out to see it done, I can send you the link when it’s finished 🙂
Hey Mike, sounds good. Also check out our Facebook page where you can post the video. We can share it from there 🙂
Whereabouts in Pottuvil do we buy tickets for the private bus to Colombo – thankyou
Hi Lynne, there is no official way to buy these tickets in advance. You can buy them on the bus. Otherwise if you really want to buy them in advance I suggest asking around the bus station in Pottuvil. Eventually someone will help you find the “guy”. Let us know if you find anything out…
Update: Bus tickets for the private ac luxury bus from Pottuvil to Colombo can be purchased for 1300LKR at the Taxi Owners’ Society Office in Pottuvil. No more details at present.
Hi there!
I’m leaving for Arugam Bay tomorrow night. Is the government bus ride comfortable in your experience or is it the kind to leave joint pains? Is the 10.30 private bus AC?
Also, do the buses back to Colombo come all the way from Pottuvil to the Colombo bus stand? And if so what time do they reach Colombo?
Many thanks!
Hi Mandy, any bus that does not mention “luxury” or “ac” is not comfortable for an 8 hour journey. The 10.15pm from Colombo is a regular bus and will very likely give you joint pain I’m afraid. The return buses all go to Colombo but we believe (not 100% sure) that the luxury ac ones will arrive at the Bismallah Lodge and not go to the station. It is a short tuk tuk ride from there if required. The journey should take about 7-8 hours by night.
hello – you mentioned your not 100% sure the bus stops at the bismallah lodge, have you had any confirmation of this now? thanks
Sorry still no confirmation on this, but we believe it stops at the Lodge. If anyone can confirm this it would help.
Hi there, I’m looking to get back to Colombo from Aragum next Fri. What are the advantages of the private bus as apposed the government ones if there’s no a/c. Many thanks, Justin
Hey Justin, the government buses do not usually play unbearably loud music and the drivers tend to be safer in my experience. Private buses are ruled by profit and will often race other buses to reach a stop first. Also government bus drivers are more likely to have rested before a shift which is especially important during a night journey. I go with a government bus wherever possible, however, private buses are often newer and in better condition.
Hi,
from which Bus Stand in Colombo leaves the Privat Bus? Is it the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station?
Thanks for your help!
Greets,
Markus
Hi Markus, correct, Bastian Mawatha is where private buses leave from.
Does bastion mawatha have a luggage storage?
Good question Tom, not as far as we know. The train station has luggage storage though.
I appreciate the help of this website in my journey to Arugam. I found the info about the opportunity to book a ticket to the private bus and decided to test it. Here’s my story.
Booking is easy. However, it comes more expensive, if you pay online (my price from Colombo to Arugam was 620 + 100 Rp, but when I selected PayPal, it became $7.20, which is about 1000 Rp.). Not a big price for the plane travelers, however 😉
Instructions provided upon purchase are clear enough, contained the bus number and the address of the pickup point. The only problem was to find the 4th terminal. In fact, it’s the fourth line away from the main road. If you look from Google Maps, you’ll get the idea.
If you arrive 2-3 hours before the departure, don not try to find this bus – you will not find it. In my case it arrived to the terminal at 9:20 PM and departed at 10:30.
Music is loud enough, but if you take earplugs, it’s not a big problem – I recommend it.
The bus arrived directly to Arugam approx at 5:50 AM, so I saved 200Rp for the tuk-tuk.
Hope this info helps.
Hi Evgeny,
Thanks for your positive comments and for sharing your experience. It is good to know the site is genuine. The extra cost is probably worth the piece of mind for most travellers. Also I agree about taking ear plugs!
Hey!
Can you please let me know what website you booked your bus ticket on?
Thanks
Laura
Hey Laura, he used busbooking.lk as mentioned at the top of the page.
Hi Evgeny!
Thank you for this information. How was thw luggage situation for you? We have pretty big bags. We dont really care about comfort but we want our bags to fit in the bus haha.
Thank you,
Audrey
Heya was wondering did anyone have longboards on this bus? Aka my board is 8ft and am wondering if it will fit on the bus