How to get From Necombo to Anaradhapura?

Hi joop,
You can get from the airport into Colombo to get a train from there to Anuradhapura.
Hiowever, I wouldn't go that way.. I have an aversion to travelling south when I really want to go north. As in tragvelling south to Colombo before getting the train north.
I'd go from the airport into Negombo . Get the train from there to Puttalam and a bus from Puttalam into Anuradhapura.
You don't need any more info that that, except for the train times from Negombo. Try this site for train times.

http://www.railway.gov.lk/index.php

From Anuradhapura there's plenty of buses around the rest of the cultural triangle.. From Kandy south through the hill country train is best , and from the southern end of the montains, bus again down to the coast.

No idea what lonely planet are claiming with the 400 kilometres taking three weeks. It depends entirely on what sites you visit and how long you wanna stay at each place.
Public transport around Lanka is very slow but even taking it steady a good touring pace is one week in the cultural triangle, one week in the hill country and a week on the beach.
Ideal for your trip.

Rod./

In theory it's possible to get the train from Veyangoda to Ana. The problem with travelling by train in Sri Lanka is the difficulty in getting a seat, especially when you don't enter the train at its original departure. Myself I went once from Galle to Ana via Colombo. From Galle to Colombo I sat on the table in the dining car and only got a seat when most of the passengers got off the train in Colombo. In your case, if you don't take the bus, then I'd recommend to make the detour to Colombo where you'll have a better chance in getting a seat than if you get on board at a later station.

In Sri Lanka I had also the experience that it's easier to get a seat in a second class car than in first class, because the trains usually only have one first class wagon which will fill up rather quickly.

HI,
Adding to what udoi has said.
I agree , on many routes, the only way of being sure of a seat is boarding at the start point but on the Puttalam route that shouldn't be any problem getting on at Negombo.
That line is basically a commuter line and coming from Colombo, many of the passengers get off before or at Negombo. Leaving plenty of seats to travel northwards from there.
There,s no 1st class on the Puttalam line so thats not a problem..
Rod.

You can certainly get a bus from Negombo to Anuradhapura and I would ensure it is an air-com (inter city) bus - still very cheap but more comfy than a CTB boneshaker.

As there are not that many each day, you could also get a bus to Kurunagela and there are plenty of buses from there to Anuradhapura. The buses are cheaper and usually quicker than trains.