Bus commuters in the Western Province will have more Metro bus services from September 29, with 104 new buses set to operate across seven routes.
The new services will connect several busy areas with Colombo, giving commuters more public transport options for daily travel.
The Lanka Metro Transit Chairman S.M.U.P. Thilakarathna said the new routes will operate from Millennium City to Colombo Fort, Panadura to Dematagoda Railway Station, Kesbewa to Pettah, and Ekala to Battaramulla.
Metro buses already operate on the Kadawatha–Makumbura and Makumbura–Colombo Fort routes.
New Metro Bus Routes for Commuters
A circular route will also operate within Colombo.
With the new services, Metro buses will cover seven routes in total.
The programme will deploy 121 Metro buses across the seven routes. The 104 new buses will add to the services already operating on the existing routes.
For commuters, the expanded network will provide additional bus options between residential areas, transport hubs and Colombo.
Priority Bus Lanes to Support Faster Travel
The Ministry is also looking at enforcing priority bus lanes as part of the programme.
The move aims to improve bus movement and reduce delays caused by traffic congestion.
Priority lanes would give passenger buses clearer routes during busy periods. This could help commuters who rely on buses for regular travel into and around Colombo.
The Metro bus programme will initially focus on the Western Province.
The Ministry also plans to expand the service to other areas, including Jaffna, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Galle, at a later stage.
Developments Ministerial Update Transport
Last modified: September 28, 2026
