- Fastest
- 5h 45m
- by plane, door to door
- Cheapest
- Rs23,950
- by plane
- Distance
- 686 km
- as the crow flies
- Departures
- –
- none timetabled
1 way to travel
686 km apart. Times are the timetables for Fri 6 Nov, planned from 08:00; every price says whether it is live, the operator's fare or our estimate. We add nothing to any fare.
bestFlying is the only way we found for this trip.
Data: Roads © OpenStreetMap contributors, routed by OSRM · Typical flight routes from OpenFlights (ODbL), a 2014 snapshot · Places from GeoNames, CC BY 4.0 · All credits and licences
Before you go
Borders, permits, official travel advice and disaster alerts for the places on this route, as their sources publish them. Entry rules are shown for a passport from Sri Lanka; the planner lets you pick yours.
- e-Visa likely needed for India · Sri Lanka passport (assumed)Check rules
Travel advice: UK FCDO (Open Government Licence v3.0), US State Department. Visa rules: Passport Index data (MIT, 17 Feb 2026); always check the official entry rules.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to get from Colombo to Chennai?
The fastest way is by plane: about 5h 45m door to door, including the ride to the airport and check-in. The straight-line distance is 686 km.
What is the cheapest way from Colombo to Chennai?
Flying is the cheapest, from Rs23,950. That figure is an estimate from the operator's fare bands, not a live quote.
How long is the flight from Colombo to Chennai?
About 1h 30m in the air (CMB → MAA); about 5h 45m door to door once you add the ride to the airport, check-in and the cab at the other end. Typical fares run Rs23,950–40,800; live prices are on Flights70.