Sri Lanka by car: rent a car or travel with a driver?

Many European travellers are used to renting a car and exploring on their own. In Sri Lanka, almost nobody does. Instead, most visitors travel with a private car and driver. Here is why, and when driving yourself might still make sense.

The rules: your licence is not enough

To drive in Sri Lanka you need a local permit in addition to your home licence: either an international driving permit that has been endorsed in Sri Lanka, or a temporary Sri Lankan driving licence. Without it, your insurance may not cover you.

The roads

• Traffic drives on the left.
• Roads are shared with buses that overtake at speed, tuk-tuks, scooters, cyclists, dogs, cows and, in some areas, elephants.
• In the hills, roads are narrow and winding. 100 km can take three to four hours.
• Driving after dark is tiring and best avoided outside towns.
• The expressways (for example from Colombo to Galle and Matara) are modern and fast, but they only cover part of a round trip.

What a driver gives you

• Safety and calm. You look at the landscape, not the road.
• Local knowledge. When to leave to beat the crowds at Sigiriya, which roads are blocked, where the clean toilets and the good lunch places are.
• Less organisation. Your driver handles parking, tickets and directions, and helps with things like buying a SIM card or finding a pharmacy.
• No hidden costs. Fuel, tolls, parking and your driver’s accommodation are usually included in the price.

And the costs?

A private car with driver costs more than a rental car, but less than many people expect. The difference shrinks once you add fuel, insurance and parking to a rental, and the time you save. Our full round trips including car, driver and 3-star hotels start at US$100 per person per day for two people sharing.

Will we have privacy?

Yes. Your driver doesn’t join you for meals unless you invite him, and he stays in separate driver accommodation at the hotels. Many travellers end up enjoying the conversations and learning a lot about everyday life in Sri Lanka.

When driving yourself might make sense

If you have driven in South Asia before, are staying in one region (for example, renting a scooter in a beach town), and are comfortable with chaotic traffic, a short self-drive can work. For a round trip across the island, we recommend a driver.

Conclusion

For a first trip, a car with driver is safer, more relaxing and not much more expensive. See how it works on our car with driver page.