From September 1, 2025, passengers booking bus journeys online with the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) will begin receiving real-time updates on their reservations and refunds via SMS and the SLTB’s 1315 hotline, Deputy Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Dr. Prasanna Gunasena told Parliament yesterday (19).
Responding to a question raised by MP Thurairasa Ravikaran, the Deputy Minister said passengers will be notified of key details such as bus departure time, the conductor’s contact number, cancellations, or alternative bus arrangements. If a scheduled bus is cancelled and no alternative is available, passengers will receive cancellation notices directly via SMS.
He confirmed that refunds for cancelled journeys will be credited directly to passengers’ bank accounts without delay from September onward.
“Depending on passenger preference, SLTB will arrange another bus on the same day, or a bus to the same destination on another day. Passengers unwilling to accept either option will be entitled to a full refund,”
Dr. Gunasena explained.
High Number of Cancellations in 2025
The Deputy Minister also disclosed that SLTB has cancelled 4,928 scheduled bus journeys with online reservations in 2025 so far without providing alternatives. For another 2,541 cancelled journeys, replacement buses were deployed, while 1,505 journeys were rebooked for another date or service.
He further admitted that nearly Rs. 1 million in collected fares from cancelled bookings remains unpaid to passengers, a gap that the new system is expected to address.
