Locating petrol is not as tough a job as it used to be in Sri Lanka. The current situation in Sri Lanka is very stable, and the National Fuel Pass System (QR Code) has relaxed long queues at the fuel station (this system does not affect tourists driving in tourism-registered vehicles). Further, the Tourist Fuel Pass Card has been introduced, making it somewhat more accessible.

As the ‘fuel crisis’ in Sri Lanka affects us quite a bit, we have written this article to keep you updated on development over the last couple of months. We’ve gathered information and written down an important which will help you find the easiest way to locate petrol, get priority at the fuel line and even get tips for saving more petrol on the road.

Please note all this information is community-sourced, tested and recommended by our on-the-road customers, our driving instructors driving all over the island, and our friends operating in the tourism industry.

Before anything else, keep in mind, the island is still a paradise, the sun still shines, and despite the challenges, people are still friendly and will welcome you with open arms!

General Info on Tourist Fuel availability in Sri Lanka

• Fuel is limited but stable in supply, so fuel stations aren’t operating every day or 24/7. You will be driving on the street and see ten fuel stations, of which only 4 will be open, or sometimes only Diesel will be available.
• Your trip will not be affected by the current situation in Sri Lanka. Filling up mid-way from one destination to another will help you plan your next day’s journey effectively. 
• When your fuel tank is half full, and you see an open station, don’t hesitate and fill up to be sure.
• On request, we provide all our customers with five or ten litres of extra fuel.
• We provide all our customers with the official vehicle registered QR code, sent digitally to your email after a tuktuk has been assigned to your booking.
• We recommend only using the extra cans with petrol and the QR code provided by tuktukrental.com as an absolute backup.

Tourist Fuel Pass Card in Sri Lanka – unlimited fuel for tourists

Detailed information about this unlimited fuel card in Sri Lanka can be found in our blog. Generally, we advise buying one at the airport when you arrive (costs are $55 in cash USD) and showing your passport with a tourist visa). You can use it where possible or use it as leverage where it’s not possible. At the end of your trip, we will buy back the card from you and pay you in your overseas bank account in your currency.

Finding Petrol / Fuel in Sri Lanka

As mentioned earlier, not all fuel stations in Sri Lanka will have petrol available to fill up your tuktuk. It is much better than before, but you may still encounter empty or closed fuel stations. Especially in very rural areas, this can be a challenge. There are some tips, though!

Mobile App – Helakuru

The locally developed mobile application “Helakuru” is a recommended source to find fuel. It’s a community-driven platform, but the information is trustworthy.

• You can download the application here: iOS & Android. 
• Set your language preference as “English” from the burger menu on the top left.

Instructions on what the colours on the fuel map in Helakuru mean:

Red – Not available.

Yellow -Information is not updated.

Green -Fuel is available! Best to check the last available time.

Through the Local Community

The local community knows more on-ground information about fuel availability. They will advise you to locate the nearest filling station. You can ask people walking around, most people will know what the words ‘petrol shed’ or ‘fuel station’ mean.

Fuel Map

When the crisis was at its worst, we created a map which we kept updated daily with fuel stations and their availability. This was based on recommendations from customers and friends around the island. We had a dedicated ‘Fuel Master’ whose sole job was to call fuel stations and ask them if they had fuel. This was quite an exciting job for a few months!

The map still shows the fuel stations around the island. As well as the emergency fuel depots at army camps. We currently only update the map in regard to the Tourist Fuel Pass Card, a top-up unlimited fuel card available for tourists, more information about this card you can find here.

You can find our fuel station map below, with a link here to open it in your mobile phone.

When you locate an open fuel station in Sri Lanka

• When you find an available fuel station, It is best to keep your tuktuk fully loaded with your backpacks so that they see the urgency of a full tank for travelling long distances. Always top up when possible!
• Make sure you hide your extra cans/ jerry cans, they station people don’t like to give you a full tank if they see you have extra available still.
• Always ask the fuel station employee to fill out the tuktuk till nothing more can be put in the tuktuk. Sometime shaking the tuktuk a bit helps you to identity if fuel is visible at the top.

QR Code National Fuel Pass System in Sri Lanka

All local vehicles must register under the National Fuel Pass quota. This weekly quota allows locals to receive fuel through a QR code scanning system. The government introduced this system to tackle the fuel problems in Sri Lanka by allocating a quota per vehicle each week.

Fuel Quotas

Motorbike: 4 liters per week
Tuk tuk: 5 liters per week (use as a last resort!)
Car: 20 liters per week
Bus: 40 liters per week
Truck: 50 liters per week

Important Notes

This system is for the general public. However, our customers almost always get a full tank with no questions asked! If all else fails, use the QR code.

QR Code System

QR codes reset on Monday morning at 12 am. You might experience a queue on Sunday as people try to use up their remaining balance. Monday mornings are also busy as people need their fuel topped up after the previous week.

Tourist Areas and QR Codes

Contrary to what you might think, certain popular tourist areas will not issue fuel without a QR code. This is always the case in Arugam Bay and some places on the south coast. For instance, the small station near the bridge in Mirissa is very strict, but the next station towards Matara usually has no issues. If you have already used your code for the week, contact us. We will provide a code from one of our tuk tuks at the office.

Handling Tense Situations

Occasionally, you may encounter agitated people at stations. If the situation becomes too tense, move to the next station. Note that this has not happened for months.

Fuel Code Distribution

We email and WhatsApp all our tuk tuk rental customers the fuel code automatically after you fill out the Start Form (including pictures of your tuk tuk, etc.).

Fuel Saving Tips while self-driving in Sri Lanka

• Fuel Tank Capacity: Tuktuks typically have a 9-liter fuel tank (7.5 liters regular tank plus a 1.5-liter reservoir tank). We have modified most of our tuk tuks, including all CabrioTuks, to have a 15-liter tank. We will inform you at pickup if your tuk tuk has this modification.

• Average Speed and Distance: Tuk tuks in Sri Lanka have a maximum speed of 40 kmph. You can expect an average distance of 20 to 25 km per liter of petrol, considering flat roads, busy cities, and mountainous terrain.

• Driving Efficiency: Roads outside of cities are mostly empty, allowing for smoother driving without frequent braking. By monitoring your speed, you can achieve up to 30 km per liter, which means you could drive around 200 to 210 km on a full tank.

• Optimal Gear Use: Drive in 4th gear whenever possible.

• Climbing Tips: When climbing, avoid accelerating too fast. Gradually increase your acceleration.

• Customer Averages: Some customers have averaged 30 to 35 km per liter by driving at 30 kmph. This was during the worst of the crisis; all is well now, so feel free to speed along.

Discontinued Advice / Not relevant anymore:

Here is some past information on fuel shortages to illustrate how much things have improved now. This context shows the challenges people faced and highlights the positive changes.

What to do when you reach a fuel station

• When you head to the entrance of the petrol station, don’t hesitate to go straight ahead to the gate and make sure that everybody (police, station manager and all the people in front of the queue) recognizes you as a naive tourist.
• It’s not the most cliche way to make your appearance, but people (locals) will notice your presence immediately. 
• As you step out of the tuktuk and smile and wave, locals will understand that you’re a tourist on the road. 
• While you talk to the authorities and use charms, your friend/partner can have a small chat with all the people surrounding you. 
• Tell them where we’re heading (somewhere far away), what a beautiful country. This is and how friendly people are for tourists, and you will conquer all their hearts. 

Flight Ticket or Hotel Booking

• Sometimes, you will need to provide more information to the relevant officer/army man or the filling station owner that you are in a hurry.
• You sometimes would need to show your flight ticket to the officer and explain that you are flying in a day or two.
• Or that you need to travel X amount of kilometres to your next destination where you have a hotel booking.
• As you’re in a hurry, you will need a full tank of fuel to reach the airport/hotel. Not saying you should do this, but a fake ticket is what some people have used regardless.

Pushing your tuktuk

Just before you rock up to the fuel station, you can get out and start pushing your tuktuk the last 100 meters or so. In this way, it looks like your are completely out, and people will be more than helpful to help you to the front of the line and get a top up!

Fuel Removal

As many fuel stations do not allow you to fill up the extra cans, some have been emptying their regular tank in the extra can just before a top-up. Here is a quick instruction video if you want to do this yourself. This can help you to receive 9 litres of petrol from an open filling station. Again, this is a personal choice and no one is judging.

Hotels

• As you’re driving from one place to another, you’ll book your hotel or hotel accommodation in advance.
• What many of our customers have done, is message ahead to the owners and asked them if they know someone who has fuel or if they can get some for them. 
• This often works, as the people will go out of their way to ensure you have an uninterrupted holiday in Sri Lanka!

At the fuel stations

• When you head to the entrance of the petrol station, don’t hesitate to go straight ahead to the gate and make sure that everybody (police, station manager and all the people in front of the queue) recognizes you as a naive tourist. 
• It’s not the most cliche way to make your appearance, but people (locals) will notice your presence immediately. 
• As you step out of the tuktuk and smile and wave, locals will pretty much understand that you’re a tourist on the road. 
• While you talk to the authorities and use charms. Your friend/partner can have a small chat with all the people surrounding you. 
• Tell them where we’re heading (somewhere far away), what a beautiful country this is and how nice people are for tourists and you will conquer all their hearts.