The Ministry of Transport and Highways is planning to import 600 new buses for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) before the end of this year as part of efforts to modernize the country’s public transport system.
According to the Ministry, the fleet will consist of 200 luxury buses designated for expressway operations and 400 standard buses for deployment on regular routes across the island.
The Ministry expects all 600 buses to arrive in Sri Lanka by December this year.
Meanwhile, officials said that 104 newly purchased “Metro” buses are already being shipped to Sri Lanka and are scheduled to arrive by August 15.
A modern card-based electronic fare collection system will be installed on the Metro buses to facilitate cashless ticketing and improve passenger convenience.
Following the installation of the fare collection system and the completion of trial operations, the Metro buses are expected to be deployed for public service by September 20.
The Ministry stated that the introduction of the new buses is aimed at easing passenger congestion on both expressways and regular road networks while upgrading the SLTB fleet with modern technology, improved passenger comfort, and enhanced operational efficiency.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader programme to modernize Sri Lanka’s public transport sector and provide safer, more reliable, and technologically advanced bus services for commuters across the country.
