New Delhi to Jaffna (DEL–JAF) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Indian passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka. Apply at srilankaeta.gov.lk before travel. The ETA costs $50 for a 30-day tourist stay (double-entry), processed within 24 to 48 hours. An ETA on arrival is available at Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB) for $60, but the online route is faster. Extensions up to 90 days are available at the Department of Immigration in Colombo for $25.

Required documents are minimal: a passport valid for at least 6 months, a return or onward ticket, and proof of sufficient funds ($50 per day is the informal guideline). No hotel bookings or invitation letters are needed for the ETA application. The ETA form asks for your Sri Lankan address, so have at least the first night's hotel name ready.

Direct flights from Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kochi, and Tiruchirappalli to Colombo run 1 hour 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes depending on the origin city. SriLankan Airlines, Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet operate multiple daily frequencies. Sri Lanka uses the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR), trading at roughly 300 LKR per $1. No mandatory vaccinations for Indian arrivals. Indian rupees cannot be used in Sri Lanka, so exchange at the airport or withdraw from ATMs in LKR.

Delhi Metro Airport Express runs from New Delhi Railway Station to T3 in 18–20 minutes (₹60 one-way). From Shivaji Stadium (central Delhi) it takes 24 minutes. The line has four stations: New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, and IGI Airport (T3). T1 (domestic) is not directly served; take the metro to T3 and the free airport bus shuttle to T1.Prepaid taxis from the terminal use a metered system with fixed rates; central Delhi costs ₹400–600. Ola and Uber operate widely and are often cheaper. Auto-rickshaws are not permitted on the expressway.