How to Call Sri Lanka From the US: Complete Guide (+94)

How to Dial Sri Lanka From the US

Sri Lanka uses the country code +94. The Sri Lankan-American community, approximately 60,000 strong, is primarily located in the New York-New Jersey metro area, Los Angeles, and the Washington DC area.

Dialling Format

From a US phone: 011 + 94 + area code (without leading 0) + local number

From a mobile with + dialling: +94 + area code (without leading 0) + local number

Example Calls

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Calling Colombo from the US starts with 011 94 11 — the US exit code (011), Sri Lanka code (94), and Colombo area code (11). Looks confusing but is correct.

Sri Lankan Area Codes

Sri Lankan mobile numbers start with 07 and are 10 digits total. Major carriers:

Dialog: Prefixes 077, 076 — largest carrier (~50% share)
Mobitel: Prefixes 071, 070
Hutch: Prefix 078
Airtel: Prefix 075

Cost Comparison

Best Time to Call Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is on Sri Lanka Standard Time (SLST, UTC+5:30) year-round.

10.5 hours ahead of ET: 9 AM in New York = 7:30 PM in Colombo
13.5 hours ahead of PT: 9 AM in LA = 10:30 PM in Colombo
Best window from ET: 8-10 AM ET = 6:30-8:30 PM SLST (evening in Sri Lanka)

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Sri Lanka shares its time zone with India (UTC+5:30). If you already call India regularly, you can use the same calling schedule for Sri Lanka.

Practical Tips

WhatsApp and Viber are both popular. Unlike many countries that favor one app, Sri Lanka has strong adoption of both WhatsApp and Viber. Having both installed is ideal.
Sinhala and Tamil. Sri Lanka has two main languages. Sinhala is spoken by the majority (~75%) and Tamil by about 25% of the population. English is widely used in business and urban areas.
Vesak and Sinhala/Tamil New Year. Vesak (May full moon) and the Sinhala/Tamil New Year (April 13-14) are the biggest holidays. Businesses close and phone traffic spikes.
Good mobile infrastructure. Sri Lanka has one of the better mobile networks in South Asia. 4G coverage is widespread in populated areas.
Post-crisis economy. Sri Lanka experienced a severe economic crisis in 2022. While recovery is underway, be mindful that data costs may be a burden for some Sri Lankans. Sending phone credit can be helpful.

Summary

To call Sri Lanka from the US, dial 011 + 94 + area code (without 0) + number. BubblyPhone offers $0.01/min rates. Sri Lanka is 10.5 hours ahead of ET (same time zone as India). Both WhatsApp and Viber are popular for free calls.