First & Business Class lounges at Colombo Airport

Colombo airport

Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport consists of a main terminal building directly connected to one concourse which houses all the gates. In effect, once through security, you are in a small rather decepid shopping mall, and then there is one long arm with all the gates, 6-14. Up this arm there are two of the lounges. In the main body of the terminal is the Sri-Lankan lounge, and the Palm Spirit lounge. This area has the Duty Free offerings, a Tea Shop, a small Cafeterias, a smoking lounge, Day-Rooms & Showers.

Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport

Beware that Colombo airport can be surprisingly busy, and although there are some seating areas situated alongside its length, they are quite inadequate at times of congestion.

Colombo Airport Pay in, First & Business Class lounges

Expansion plans

A new terminal with an additional eight gates are proposed to be built under Stage II of the Phase II Expansion Project.

A new pier with eight boarding gates and 14 passenger boarding bridges with a dedicated gate comprising two passenger boarding bridges for the operations of the A380 Airbus will be included in the proposed new development.

Colombo Airport Bars

Colombo Airport Hangar Bar

The Hangar Bar is a Colombo Airport institution, by nature of the way it is the only place to get a beer at the airport, and it is open 24 hours a day

The main staple in here is Lion Beer: the local Sri Lankan beer, however there are also other international beers: Heiniken, and VB.

Colombo Airport Hangar Bar

Alas, the bar faces the car park, and has rather dreary surroundings: it also doubles up as the airport canteen, so it isn't, in fact, very exciting at all.

Colombo Airport transportation

Colombo Airport train

The line operates as a shuttle from Colombo Secretariat to Bandaranaike International Airport using 'realatively' modern Japanese built rolling stock. It is however by far the most modern rail line in Sri Lanka.

The problem is getting to the station: it is a fair way from the airport terminal. If you ask any taxi driver they will deny that the station, or indeed any public transport, exists.

To get to the station from the airport, take a three wheel Tuk-Tuk. Insist that they take you to the station, and not into the town.

At the other end of the line, the aiport train terminates at the Secretariat wayside halt: convenient for the parliament building, but a good 20 minutes from the main central rail station.

Colombo airport

Colombo Airport bus services

Alas, Domestic buses are not permitted up to the airport: instead, they pick up in a little layby on the main coast road a good half a mile away. To get to the buess, wait outside the main airport terminal for a 3 wheel TukTuk: these will drop you off at the bus layby.

Colombo Airport shuttle

The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway is a new high-speed road linking the airport to Colombo, with a travel time of around 13 minutes. It will be open in 2014.

Car Hire at Colombo Airport