16th June, 1989

K.MATSUI , ID : MHA02645

TITLE : SRI LANKA 3

Re : TAXIS

Anybody who visits Sri Lanka from Japan may have to use Taxis to go

to hotel in Colombo from Katnayaka International Air Port.

The followings are to help your use of taxis in Sri Lanka.

There is good guide book for traveling in Sri Lanka which is being

published monthly ,i.e. "THIS MONTH" .

This month says about taxis in Sri Lanka as follows:

Available in Colombo and most other principal towns. Most taxis have

yellow tops. Usual rate per km. Rs. 14.00. Three Wheeler "Auto

Shaws" are available in Colombo where the prices range from Rs. 12/-

to Rs. 15/- per km. Ace Radio Cab offer radio controlled cabs from a

central point and offer customers a standard computerised rate of

Rs. 12/- per km. Tel:501502-3-4. All taxis have meters. Do not pay

any sum at variance with meter. Before you begin the journey ensure

the "flag" of meter is down with the reading at Cents 1.40. The

number of the taxi is displayed for your convenience on windscreen

of vehicle. Should a driver demand a fare at variance with meter,

report it, with number of vehicle, date and time to Tourist Police

(tel: 26941) or nearest Police Station.

The above information is correct only for the rate for kilos

according to my experience in Sri Lanka.

From the airport to Colombo is about 30 km so you may have to pay

30 km * 14 Rs./kilo = Rs. 420 .

Sri Lankan taxis tend not to use their meters except the Radio Cab

mentioned above so you have to negotiate the price to go to your

hotel.

Sometimes you could go to hotel only by paying Rs. 300 but sometimes

500, 600 Rupees.

Actually it depends on the condition of taxi itself and the driver.

I recommend that 400 to 500 Rupees are reasonable price for a taxi

with air condition from A/P to CMB.

I give ranks for vehicles from cheap to expensive by taking

consideration of my past experience.

1. Radio cab

Cheapest, but restricted only in Colombo City area.

Negotiation for the charge is not necessary.

1000 cc class vehicle (rather small).

2. Hotel taxi

Safest and Cheap, negotiation for the charge is still required.

Generally they don't deceive customers as they belong to big hotel.

I recommend hotel taxi as the best choice.

3. Three wheel (Tri-cycle)

Seems to be cheap, but actually more expensive than hotel taxi in

general.

Drivers of Three-Wheel are low-educated, rude, dirty, bad smell,

sometimes dangerous (but sometimes very interesting).

It's interesting to use them only in day time to look around the

city.

I don't recommend them to use in the night time.

Pls use hotel taxi in the night time as they are safe.

4. Private Taxi

You may have to use from Katnayaka International Air Port to your hotel

as there are no hotel taxis at the air port.

They are generally very kind for foreigners but sometimes there is

something behind that, they might request you something.

Not dangerous in day time.

Use them in the night time should be avoided.

Note:

Most taxis have yellow tops stipulated in THIS MONTH is

mis-information.

There are many private taxis without yellow tops.

I presume most of them (private ones) are illegal taxis.

Should something bad happened, that's the end of the story in Sri

Lanka as the action of police is too slow for us to settle during

our stay in Sri Lanka.

Exchange rate : 1 Sri Lankan Rupee is nearly equal to 4 Japanese yen.

Information continues.