Transportation

Getting there

By air

Colombia is well serviced by many major airline carriers. Many international hubs that offer direct flights from outside the country include Bogotá’s El Dorado International (tel: 1-266 2000; www.eldorado.aero), Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez International (tel: 5-656 9200; www.sacsa.com.co), Medellín’s José María Córdova International (tel: 4-402 5110; www.aeropuertojosemariacordova.com), Cali’s Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (tel: 2-280 1515; www.aerocali.com.co), and Barranquilla’s Ernesto Cortissoz International (tel: 5-316 0900). Other airports that also receive international flights include San Andrés’ Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International (tel: 8-512 0020) and Pereira’s Matecaña International (tel: 6-314 8151). Airfares will likely be more expensive when traveling in the high season (December–February), so those looking for cheap tickets will want to travel during the shoulder (March–September) or low (October–November) season.

From the United States

To Bogotá, United Airlines (tel: 1-800 864 8331; www.united.com) offers direct once-daily flights from New York, and twice-daily flights from Houston. American Airlines (tel: 1-800 433 7300; www.aa.com) also flies direct daily from Miami and Dallas to Bogotá, with other direct flights from Miami to Cali and Medellín. Delta (tel: 1-800-221 1212; www.delta.com) offer daily flights from Atlanta to Bogotá and sporadic flights from Atlanta to Cartagena. Budget carriers Jet Blue (tel: 1-801 449 2525; www.jetblue.com) and Spirit Airlines (tel: 801-401 2222; www.spirit.com) fly direct daily from Fort Lauderdale to Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín.

Colombian national carrier Avianca (tel: 0810-333 8222; www.avianca.com) offers direct flights from New York to Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena, as well as weekly flights from Los Angeles to Bogotá.

From Canada

Air Canada (tel: 1-514 393 3333; www.aircanada.com) flies direct a few times a week from Toronto to Bogotá. Canada’s budget carrier, Air Transat (tel: 1-877 872 6728; www.airtransat.com), flies once a week from Toronto and Montreal to Cartagena. United, American, Delta, and Air Canada also offer connecting flights from Vancouver, BC, to Bogotá.

From Europe

There are direct flights weekly from Paris to Bogotá with Air France (tel: 800-992 3932; www.airfrance.com). There are also weekly flights from Frankfurt with Lufthansa (tel: 800 645 3880; www.lufthansa.com). There are daily flights from Madrid to Bogotá with Iberia Airlines (tel: 800-772 4642; www.iberia.com), Air Europa (tel: 0871-423 0717; www.aireuropa.com) and Avianca. Iberia and Avianca also fly a couple times a week direct from Madrid to Medellín, and Avianca flies once a week direct from Madrid to Cali. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (tel: 800-618 0104 www.klm.com) offers a few direct flights per week from Amsterdam to Bogotá.

From the United Kingdom

For many years travelers from the UK had to change planes in Europe or the US. However, Avianca (tel: 0810-333 8222; www.avianca.com) now offers direct flights from London to Bogotá once a day.

From Australia/New Zealand

Indirect flights to Bogotá from Auckland/Sydney are serviced by Qantas Airlines (tel: 0800-122-0337; www.qantas.com), which connects with Latam Airlines (tel: 0810-999 9526; www.latam.com) via Santiago or Lima. American and United flights connect via San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston.

From Latin America

Avianca is extremely well connected to most major hubs in Latin America. These include direct, often daily flights from Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Santiago, Caracas, Panama City, Mexico City, La Paz, Quito, and San José (Costa Rica) to Bogotá. Aerolineas Argentinas (tel: 0810-222 86527; www.aerolineas.com.ar) flies a few times a week to Bogotá, and Latam has daily flights from Santiago. Copa (tel: 1-800 359 2672; www.copaair.com), also flies direct from Panama City to Bogotá.

By river

In Amazonas Department, Colombia shares a border with Peru and Brazil at Leticia. Iquitos, located 365km (226 miles) to the west of Leticia, is reachable by either speedboat or slow boat. The fast boats are small, cramped, and oftentimes poorly ventilated, but they get you there in eight hours (US$85 from Leticia to Iquitos, leaves Tuesday and Sunday). The slow boats take about three days to make the journey; if you have the time, they are by far the better choice (Around US$25, including meals). The boats themselves are typically two-or-three-story powerboats with no cabins, meaning passengers must bring their own hammock in which to hang from ceiling beams on the lower decks. Vendors often sell hammocks outside the docks for between US$10–20. The conditions on board are somewhat rustic, but waking up in a hammock while motoring up the Amazon River, eating fresh fruit for breakfast and drinking coffee while looking out to the riverbanks, makes for an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

There are fast boats from Leticia to Manaus, Brazil, leaving Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and cost US$173. Also slow boats take seven nights and cost around US$110. All meals are included.

By sea

One of the most popular international trips you can embark on from Colombia is the journey from Cartagena to Panama City by sailboat. This started out as pleasure-boat captains simply trying to earn an extra dollar by ferrying travelers back and forth between countries, and has now become a popular industry. Individual captains compete for passengers, and sometimes even companies run the boat trips. As a result, travelers have their choice of options, and oftentimes finding a boat can be as easy as checking the noticeboards in Cartagena hostels. One dependable option is Sailing Koala (tel: 312-670 7863; www.sailingkoala.com), which not only stops in the San Blas Archipelago, but also arranges dinner with an indigenous Kuna family. Another option is Blue Sailing (tel: 310 704 0425; www.bluesailing.net). Most boats charge around US$550 for the charter, and food is included. The trip itself takes about five days and passes through the San Blas Archipelago. Day three is when you’ll arrive at the coral islands, and most boats will stop here for some snorkeling and a beach BBQ. Members of the Kuna tribe will also likely pass along in canoes, eager to sell handmade garments and spiny lobsters.

For those traveling on a budget, it’s possible to haggle a lower price with private captains, or find a cheaper boat, but the quality of the journey will suffer as a result. Those who want to try their luck petitioning boat owners directly can head to the Club Nautico (Yacht Club; tel: 5-660 4863; near the Puente Román). Here you can engage ship captains about charter opportunities to Panama or many other locations in the Caribbean. There are often opportunities to work on boat crews in exchange for passage as well.

By bus/road

There are a few overland routes into Colombia from other countries. These include the southern Colombia-Ecuador crossing at Ipiales–Rumichaca. The main Colombian–Venezuelan crossings are at Cúcuta–San Antonio and, from Maracaibo at Maicao–Paraguachón. However, due to Venezuela’s ongoing economic crises, there’s high likelihood of border crossings between the two countries to be restricted or even prohibited.

Getting Around

Despite many of Colombia’s cities and towns being separated by various topographies, and many sitting at different altitudes, the country is surprisingly well connected via roads, highways, and airline routes. A sophisticated network of long-distance buses links all major cities in the country (although travel times can be extensive, especially when traveling between Bogotá and the coast), with minibuses and vans often connecting the smaller towns within the various departments. Travel within major cities is increasingly easy these days, as most have implemented some form of metro system, with the Medellín metro being by far the most impressive and efficient in the country.

Even better, Colombia’s well-established national airlines are competing more and more, meaning travelers now reap the benefits of low prices. It seems that every year it’s increasingly more cost-effective to fly between major cities than to take a bus. When it comes to arriving at various airports/bus terminals, Colombia’s current economic situation means it won’t break the bank to take a taxi. Otherwise, public transportation is a great way to get between transportation hubs and city/town centers. Journey times often vary, with little traffic in smaller towns making for uninterrupted journeys. However, during rush hour in the major cities be prepared to sit in traffic.

As for traveling on foot, despite Colombia being a welcoming country whose residents are almost universally eager to help an extranjero in need, hitchhiking isn’t really a part of the culture, especially if you have limited Spanish. It is best to avoid hitchhiking altogether.

Air

Colombia has a good network of budget domestic airlines that make it cost efficient to fly between cities. No other carrier represents this more than VivaColombia, the country’s premier budget airline. In recent years this airline has opened up major routes across Colombia, charging rock-bottom prices for their services. As with many budget airlines, the sheer amount of restrictions and conditions in order to secure a cheap ticket can seem overwhelming. If you don’t want to pay hefty extra fees, be prepared to print out their boarding pass and only bring one piece of carry-on luggage.

List of Colombia’s domestic airlines

Aerolineas Antioquia. www.ada-aero.com. This regional airline offers attractive prices but very limited services.

Avianca. tel: 0810-333 8222; www.avianca.com. Colombia’s premier airline offers cheap domestic and international flights as well as a solid miles/rewards program.

Copa Airlines tel: 1-800 359 2672; www.copaair.com. This Panamanian air carrier also owns Copa Airlines Colombia, which has offices throughout the country. It’s a reliable option for domestic flights as well as travel to Panama City.

Satena. tel: 571-605 2222; www.satena.com. This government-owned airline has reasonable prices but its destinations are limited. Satena is best for those traveling to and from Chocó.

VivaColombia. tel: 1-844 569 7126; www.vivacolombia.com. This is Colombia’s best choice for budget air travel between most major cities. However, out-dated check-in and baggage policies mean you many have to jump through a few hoops to get your cheap ticket.

Airports

Despite varying in size, Colombia’s international airports provide similar services, such as food courts, left luggage amenities and, more often than not, tourist information points with English-speaking staff. The only exceptions to this are the smallest hubs, such as Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport in Leticia, Amazonas Department.

Most foreign travelers will be flying into Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado, or BOG (Calle 26, 1103–9; tel 1-266 2000; www.eldorado.aero), which is located 13km (8 miles) northeast of Bogotá’s city center. The airport underwent a full renovation and upgrade in 2012, adding a second terminal to the structure. It is now comprised of terminal 1 (domestic and international flights) and terminal 2 (formerly known as Puenté Aereo, which is operated by Avianca and offers domestic flights only).

In terminal 1, travelers will find everything they need to hit the ground running in the capital city. There are various casas de cambio (currency exchange windows) both inside and outside the terminal, with many staying open 24/7. There are also duty free stores inside, but the products aren’t exactly sold at bargain-basement prices. Outside the terminal are a number of ATMs, including Banco de Bogotá and Citibank, both of which accept Visa and MasterCard. Also outside is a left luggage station (US$4 per bag per 12-hour period), and on the third floor is a giant food court with sit-down restaurants and fast-food options.

Tourism offices are located in terminal 1 just outside baggage claim as well as on the second floor (both open 6am–9.30pm daily). The English-speaking staffers are extremely helpful. Currently El Dorado charges foreign travelers an airport exit fee of US$37 per person. Outside, new arrivals can catch minibuses to the north of the city. No. 26 goes direct to La Candelaria (US$1). Taxis are plentiful here and a trip to the center will cost about US$10.

By sea

In Colombia, water travel is mostly done between countries from Leticia to Brazil and/or Peru. However, a boat trip that is getting increasingly popular is the route from Buenaventura to Bahía Solano, in the Chocó Department, along Colombia’s Pacific Coast. Cargo boats leave from the main port every Tuesday night at high tide (leaving for the return trip Saturday at noon), and the journey takes anywhere between 18–24 hours. It costs around US$50 and includes a cramped bunk as well as three meals.

By rail

Like many South American countries, Colombia developed an extensive railroad network around the turn of the 20th century. However, most of these tracks are out of service today. One sad example in recent times of just how futile Colombia’s railroad aspirations are involves the town of Aracataca, the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez. In 2007, with an aim to boosting tourism (a goal that still hasn’t materialized) the town municipality launched the ‘Yellow Train of Macondo,’ a rail route that was to offer services over the 85km (53 miles) from Santa Marta to Aracataca. The line was christened with much fanfare, drawing reporters from across the nation as well as the UK and the United States. Gabo himself, and his wife, rode on the maiden voyage and great crowds of people gathered to witness the arrival of their hometown hero. However, despite the hype and fanfare, regular services are still yet to materialize.

These days most of the rail journeys in Colombia are of the touristic variety. One of the most famous examples is Bogotá’s tourist train (www.turistren.com.co), which is a 53km (33-mile) line running from La Sabana station in downtown Bogotá (Calle 13, no. 18-24), stopping in Usaquén and continuing northeast to Zipaquirá, where visitors can visit the famous salt cathedral. Trains run every couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday from 8.15am to 4.40pm and tickets cost around US$17 return.

By bus

Inter-urban buses

The best method for getting around large cities in Colombia is via their metro lines. For example, Bogotá has the Transmilenio (www.transmilenio.gov.co/en), which is the most efficient way of moving quickly around that sprawling metropolis. Rides cost around US$0.75 and are paid for by rechargeable cards, which can be purchased from station tellers (US$1).

For long-distance services from the capital, Bogota’s main hub is the Terminal Central Salitre (Diagonal 23, no. 69–60; tel: 1-423 3630, extension 145; www.terminaldetransporte.gov.co). This bus station is located on the west side of town, a couple of kilometers from the airport. It’s also just about as big as El Dorado, considering it boasts some five different entrances, all of which make getting lost in the terminal a distinct possibility. However, there is a tourist information point (Mon–Sat 7am–7pm, Sun 8am–4pm; English spoken) inside the terminal at entrance 5, which is very helpful. Also in the bus terminal, between entrance 4 and 5, is Hospital Fontibón (Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, Sat–Sun 7am–1pm, 2pm–7pm), a small clinic that gives free yellow fever shots to all.

Long-distance bus travel

Prices for these trips are reasonable, but be prepared to experience an uncomfortable journey. Those traveling the main routes, such as from Bogotá–Cali–Medellín–Cartagena, should find it to be smooth sailing all the way. However, minibuses in the various rural departments and mountain areas have adopted a ‘whatever works’, approach, and it’s not uncommon to find yourself speeding through the hills at breakneck speeds, passing other vehicles on blind curves. That said, at least there’s never a dull moment.

By road

Colombia is thankfully blessed with a well-maintained system of highways. Other than in underfunded Chocó Department where the few roads that do exist are unpaved for long stretches, you’ll find the roadways in most parts of the country to be in good condition. However, it is wise to be on the lookout for landslides in the wetter and more mountainous areas. They are also relatively easy to navigate across long distances. A couple of roads connect Bogotá with Medellín and the coast, and to the northeast roads run from Boyacá Department to Santander, passing through Bucamaranga and continuing toward Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena. Roads also branch off at Bucamaranga and head to Cucuta, at the Venezuelan border. There are also routes from Bogotá over the cordillera to Valle de Cauca and Cali, and all the way down to the border with Ecuador.

The Pan-American Highway is part of this network of roads as well. This is the stretch of pavement running from Alaska down to Tierra del Fuego, broken only by the Darién Gap in Panama. It picks up again in Colombia at Turbo, in the Gulf of Urabá, and connects Medellín and the Zona Cafetera, continuing south to Cali, Popayán, and finally to the border with Ecuador. Anyone bringing a car into Colombia will be required to present proof of ownership or rental, as well as a valid tourist card. Keep all papers you are given, as you will need to present them on your exit. For drivers from Europe and the UK, Colombian authorities should accept a Carnet de Passages as a valid identification of your motor vehicle.

On major roads there are toll stations (peajes) every 50–100 km (30–60 miles) or so, and depending on the area the average fee is around US$3. For a good route-planning tool, check out www.rutascolombia.com.

At the time of writing, January 2017, gas prices are as follows: US$3 per gallon for regular, US$2.50 for diesel.

Car rental

All in all this interconnected nature of Colombia means road trips are a great way to see a country filled with stunning natural landscapes. Most visitors will likely be renting their vehicles, and there are good deals on economy-size cars averaging around US$30–40 per day (often better deals can be found on fare aggregator websites like www.kayak.com). However, a mid-size vehicle isn’t always the best option for traversing some of Colombia’s more rugged topography. For mountain and jungle journeys, a four-wheel drive vehicle with high ground clearance is ideal, and these often cost over US$100 per day to rent. Various car rental agencies can be found at most airports in Colombia, as well as throughout major cities and towns. They will require the renter to present a passport and driver’s license, and often a credit-card deposit is needed to complete the transaction. Basic car insurance likely won’t cover natural damage, such as flooding, so it’s always best for those thinking about going on a country road trip to inquire about extra coverage. Also make sure the renter provides detailed records of any current damage to the vehicle, such as scratches and dents, before you rent.

By taxi

In major cities, radio taxis are abundant. They are typically bright yellow with the company information written in black on the side. Only take official metered taxis with the driver’s info clearly displayed. Note that in smaller cities and towns some drivers may not use meters, charging a flat fee instead.

What first-timers to Colombia will likely notice right off is that taxi meters don’t display exact prices. Instead, they display units, and each unit represents around 82 Colombian centavos (US$0.3). Once you get in a taxi, the meter starts at 28 units (close to US$1) and every 30 seconds (or 100 meters) it increases one unit. Taxi fares increase after dark.

Cycling

Colombia’s mountainous terrain and stunning landscapes make it an increasingly popular destination for long-distance cyclists. Riders and adventure-sports enthusiasts flock to Santander Department – especially San Gil – to partake in cycling excursions around the mountains. However cycling is popular in the cities as well, especially in major cities like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, where ciclovía occurs every Sunday from 7am–2pm. During this time certain streets are closed to vehicles and cyclists have control of the roads. Newcomers who really want to get to know a city on two wheels should sign up for a group bike tour, as the operators know the best and safest routes.

On foot

The best places for a stroll in Colombia are the smaller colonial cities and towns. There’s nothing like walking the ancient ramparts of Cartagena’s walled city. While it can be nice to get lost wandering the bigger cities, in places like Bogotá you run the risk of wandering into dangerous neighborhoods after dark. Moreover, the altitude of Bogotá leaves most new visitors short of breath, so long-distance walks aren’t practical, at least for the first month. Avoid walking alone in any big city after dark; hitchhiking between cities and towns isn’t recommended.