Tuk Tuk Drivers and their ways! Must read if you are using Tuk Tuks in Colombo

Using tuk tuks / Auto / three wheelers can be a challenge if you are an Expat / Tourist or even a local for that matter. Nowadays, with the growing number of foreigners coming over to Sri Lanka, the tuk tuk drivers have become very cunning and rude. Needless to say, there is always a bunch of honest and hard working tuk tuk drivers who are innocent in every sense of the word.

Do NOT get into these tuk tuks. Nope. I have learnt it the hard way and have often been ripped and disappointed with tuk tuks without a meter. Why would someone have a tuk tuk without a meter when 9 out of 10 tuk tuks have meters installed? The point it that they want to make more money and fool the foolish.

Another no-go. This is more of a cheating technique where the board says that it has a meter and when you get in, the meter is just there but it’s not on and if you don’t bother asking, it will remain without use as it is and if you do ask him to turn it on, you would get a reply like ‘It’s not working’ or he would quote the amount and say ‘Even if you take the meter, it’s the same thing’

The normal ones that you flick off the road charge around 40 rupees for a km while the company ones charge less (the range varies from 30 Rupees to 35 Rupees). It’s best to call a company three wheeler if you are looking at a long distance. With short distances, the road ones will do.

Generally, the pricing differs at night and there is around 7 rupees increased for the first kilometer and then around 5 rupees more for every kilometer, understandably because it’s at night.

This is one of the most important messages that I want to put across to all the users of tuk tuks. Make it a point to pay in rupees. Even if you have dollars and if they demand in dollars, simply tell them you don’t have any dollars and pay in rupees. If you pay in dollars, chances are that you are going to get ripped off big time.

Good luck with the Tuk Tuk experience in Colombo!