Popular Airport | Mazar i Sharif Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 4 hour 20 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 3554 Km |
It is only possible to reach the airport from Colombo city center by bus and taxi. Alternatively, you can also travel with private cars that can be rented from car rental companies located in the city center.
Taxi drivers in Colombo, which is moving towards to becoming a global world city, also keep up with this development. Almost all of the taxi drivers are clean-wear, polite and speak English, which increases the quality of service. Despite being expensive compared to other alternatives, it is preferred because of its ease of reaching anytime.
The bus number 187-E3, which is used to get to the airport, collects passengers at different bus stops all day except night time. It serves as an economic and fast transportation option.
As in all major cities, it is also possible to find quality and reputable car rental companies in Colombo. You can request the model and brand you want from the companies you can reach easily via Internet and telephone.
Bandaranayike Airport, which links Colombo to the world and hosts many passengers every year, consists of a medium sized single terminal building. There are many services ranging from pharmacies and health centers to foreign exchange bureaus and bank ATMs at the airport. There is a beauty and spa center in the terminal which also has an animal care room for pets of passengers.
Baristar Coffee Lanka, Burger King, Deli Food & Spicy, HVA Foods, Nestle Lanka PLC, Palm Strip Restaurant and Relax Inn Food are the places where passengers can meet their eating and drinking needs during waiting periods.
For shopping there are Abans Pvt, AMF Duty Free, Asian Electricals, Aventure Holdings, Chamber of Gifts, Classic Electronics, Crown Electronics, Citizen, Gomez's and Odel stores. The airport also meets the accommodation needs of its passengers with the Serediva Transit Hotel in it.
Mazar I Sharif, a border town close to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is the most important and biggest city of Behl Region located in the north of Afghanistan. Due to its geographical location, it has a very strategic position both in terms of politics and transport.
The city has taken its name from the belief that Ali's grave is here. The city center is made up of straight blocks that spread around Ali's tomb and cut each other perpendicularly. When you move towards the city center, all the roads would take you to this big square with the tomb, surrounded by greenery.
Already the intersection of the other roads is also squares. The traffic rules are not generally applied in the city, and as a result, there is a feeling of chaos in the roads. Traffic is almost always cramped.
Bikes and motorcycles are frequently used means of transportation in the city center. It is possible to see luxury cars and horse-drawn cars in traffic together. Mazar I Sharif railroad connects it with the neighbor Uzbekistan and the train reaches the city center. Priority in rail transport is not human transport but merchandise transport. This makes Mazar I Sharif an important trade transfer point for Afghanistan, beyond being a religious destination.
Although there are buses for long distance journeys, transportation in the city center is provided by special vehicles. From here you can go to the capital city of Kabul by bus or plane. If you want to see Belh, the birthplace of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, you can reach this old settlement with a 30-minute car journey.
The Mazar I Sharif International Airport is quite small and does not offer transportation to the city center by public transport. You can reach the city center by taxi, rental car or hotel shuttles from the airport which is 12 kilometers east of the city center. The airport does not have regular services. You have to ask when you get there.
Although it is very easy to find in a hostel or motel Mazar I Sharif, there are not much bigger hotels. You should check with your hotel whether or not they provide a shuttle service and make reservation in advance so that they can pick you up from the airport.
Taxi is means of transportation that is frequently used to get to the city center from the airport. If there is not much traffic, you can reach the city center in 16 minutes. It’s a good idea to have a deal about the fare with the taxi driver before you take the cab.
Renting a car is the most preferred method of transportation in Mazar I Sharif since you need to negotiate price with taxis, there are problems about public transportation and it is very convenient for those who want to go to surrounding cities.
Since the roads are not generally asphalt, the Jeep is the most preferred type of vehicle. You can reach the city center in about 16 minutes on a straight road for about 12 kilometers after connecting to the AH76 motorway from the airport connection road.
If you rent a car during your travel, you should be aware that traffic rules are not strictly applied in the city.