Transfers from/to Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena's airport is located about 10 kilometers from the Walled City, the epicenter of this destination. Once you arrive at this site, the first thing you should do is opt for a means of transportation to get to your hotel, which is possibly located in the hotel zone, located next to the historic center, which houses most of the best things to do in Cartagena de Indias.

Among the transportation options from the airport, the private or shared minivan transfer is the most popular, mainly because it will allow you to hire it in advance and easily include it in your travel itinerary. However, you can also choose other alternatives such as bus, cab, Uber or even rented car, a rare option but also available.

The private transfer from the airport of Cartagena de Indias to the hotel zone, which is located near the Walled City, is one of the most used alternatives, because it is the favorite option for tourists looking for a comfortable and exclusive means of transportation.

With the private transfer hired in advance you can avoid the stress of having to rent transportation upon arrival and you can ensure a comfortable vehicle to get to your accommodation. In addition, at the time of hiring you will be asked for your flight information, so the professional driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area with a sign indicating the name of the buyer.

This alternative, then, will allow you to comfortably reach your hotel in a trip of approximately 20 minutes along the scenic Via Perimetral. Also, during the trip you will receive information from the driver about the best tours of Cartagena de Indias and the excursions you can do from the city.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 21 euros per person.
• Duration of the tour: about 20 minutes.
• How to book this method: you can book in advance online or hire the service once you are at the airport, in the offices of the tourist service providers.
• Advantages of using this method: you will be able to travel comfortably in an exclusive service.
• Recommended if... you plan to visit Cartagena de Indias in a group, with a large family, with children or with a lot of luggage.

If you want to access a minivan transfer from the airport of Cartagena de Indias but you want to do it at a more affordable price than private transfers, you can hire a shared transfer, which will allow you to arrive comfortably at your hotel with an excellent price-benefit ratio. These transfers can usually be booked in advance online or purchased once you are at the airport.

Keep in mind that the duration of the trip from the airport to the hotel area near the Walled City is approximately 20 minutes, although the final time will depend on the number of intermediate stops that the minivan must make to meet the itinerary of all passengers. In addition, some of these services have fixed stops at the main sites, as is the case of the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas or the Museum of Cartagena de Indias.

Also consider that these options, if you want to hire them at the time of your arrival at the airport, may not be available or may operate with reduced services if you arrive during the night. In that case you will have to opt for transfers more favorable to last minute hires, so if you want to travel in a shared transfer the best way to ensure your place in this service is to hire it in advance.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 12 euros per person.
• Duration of the tour: about 20 minutes, although it will depend on the location of your hotel and the number of intermediate stops.
• How to book this method: you can book it in advance online, which is the recommended alternative, or hire it once you are at the airport.
• Advantages of using this method: you will be able to access a service similar to private transportation at a better price.
• Recommended if... you want to ensure the transfer before your arrival in Cartagena de Indias without compromising the budget of your trip.

If you are one of those who prefer traditional transportation, which in Cartagena de Indias is also very popular, you can opt for the bus to get from the airport to the hotel zone. In general, there are several companies that provide this service, although the best known is Guianza Express.

The bus will take you from the airport to the entrance of the walled city, but not along the Via Perimetral, which is the most famous panoramic artery of Cartagena de Indias and will give you open views of La Boquilla, but through the interior, where it shares stops with the hop-on-hop-off tourist bus of the city. This detail could go unnoticed during the night, but if you arrive during the day you will miss a very nice first approach to this destination.

Note that these services are available from the airport parking lot, and that you can hire them in advance online or at the bus offices located in the arrivals lobby. Generally, if you book in advance you will be able to get better prices. The approximate initial cost of the ticket is 11 euros per person and the frequency between each bus is 30 minutes.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 11 euros per person.
• Travel time: about 40 minutes from the airport to the hotel zone.
• How to book this method: you can book it in advance online at the official website of one of the companies that offer the service or book it once you are in Cartagena de Indias.
• Advantages of using this method: it is a very popular option with good frequency and includes stops at different points of the city.
• Recommended if... you plan to arrive at the airport during the night or you need a local alternative because you did not hire any service in advance.

Cabs are universally used for last minute transfers and Cartagena de Indias is no exception. If you plan to arrive at the airport during the night or you have not hired any transportation service in advance, you can opt for this traditional alternative, which is not the cheapest or the most efficient, but it is still available to reach the Walled City and its surroundings.

After your arrival at the airport you can get a cab in the area of the arrival gate, although you should keep in mind that in Cartagena de Indias, like other cities in South America, bargaining is very common, so I advise you to negotiate the fare before getting into the vehicle, as they do not usually use taximeters. Generally, a trip from the airport to the hotel sector near Getsemaní costs between 3 and 5 euros, but it will depend on the distance of the trip.

As a reference, keep in mind that a trip from the airport to the Torre del Reloj Monument, which marks one of the entrances to the Walled City, will cost approximately 4 euros and will take about 15 minutes. However, keep in mind that the final time will depend on the state of traffic, which in Cartagena de Indias is somewhat chaotic.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 5 euros, although please note that you will have to negotiate the fare before getting into the cab.
• Duration of the trip: about 15 minutes, although it will depend on the state of the traffic.
• How to book this method: you can hire a cab at the door of the airport arrival hall.
• Advantages of using this method: you will be able to negotiate the price, if that does not cause you stress, and you will have an option available at any time.
• Recommended if... you plan to arrive at the airport during the night and have not booked transfers in advance.

Requesting an Uber car upon your arrival at the airport could solve several problems in Cartagena de Indias. As a first measure, you will not have to haggle over the price, since you will know it in advance and it will be established based on the demand of the moment and the distance you have to travel. And secondly, it will be a safer option than a cab, since you will have information about the driver and the vehicle.

Keep in mind, however, that Uber cars usually cannot enter the airport, since that place is reserved for cabs, so you will have to go to the entrance of this site. This could discourage this alternative, especially if you plan to visit Cartagena de Indias with a lot of luggage.

An Uber ride from the airport to the hotel zone has an approximate initial cost of 6 euros, which can be modified due to high demand and the final distance of the contracted route. However, app cars are very popular for rides to other nearby sites, such as Baru or Playa Blanca, and other coastal destinations in the Colombian Caribbean.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 6 euros, although it will depend on the demand at the time of hiring and the distance traveled.
• Duration of the tour: about 15 minutes, although it will depend on traffic conditions.
• How to book this method: you can request it from the application when you arrive at the airport or leave it programmed in advance upon arrival.
• Advantages of using this method: it is a safer option because you will know the driver and vehicle information.
• Recommended if... you want a safer option than a cab and you do not want to haggle over the price of the trip, a custom that is typical in this destination.

Although it is a rare alternative, if you plan to rent a car as soon as you arrive in Cartagena, the best option is to pick it up directly from the airport, which will allow you to reach the hotel zone in the rented vehicle. In general, due to the complicated traffic that characterizes Cartagena de Indias and the poor condition of the roads in the region, tourists are usually discouraged from driving.

On the other hand, keep in mind that the city is very developed in terms of excursions from Cartagena de Indias, so to tour the nearby sites, which is where the best beaches and some of the main cultural attractions are located, as is the case of San Basilio de Palenque, you will not need to rent a car.

However, if you choose this alternative, you will be able to get mid-size cars for rent starting at 32 euros per day. To this cost you will have to add tolls, when applicable, fuel and parking expenses, since in the central area of the city it is not possible to park for free on the streets.

Interesting details

• Price: the cost of renting a car starts at approximately 32 euros per day.
• Travel time: about 15 minutes from the airport to the hotel zone.
• How to book this method: the ideal is to rent the car in advance through the internet, although you could also rent it once you are at the airport in the rent a car offices.
• Advantages of using this method: you will have the possibility to move at your own pace, although you should keep in mind that the state of the surrounding roads is not the best and the traffic is usually very heavy.
• Recommended if... you want to discover some places further away from Cartagena de Indias or the southern beaches, which are less popular on organized full day tours.

The answer as to which alternative for getting from the airport to the hotel zone is best for you will depend on your travel plan. If you have no budget limitations and want to opt for a comfortable and exclusive option, a private transfer will provide you with the ideal conditions to reach your accommodation efficiently after a tiring trip.

However, if you plan to save money, you can opt for a shared transfer by minivan or bus. These three are the most comfortable and efficient alternatives, since they have a fixed rate and you will not have to haggle over the price as you will with the cab. Whichever way you choose, I advise you to book in advance to confirm your seat, freeze the fare and make sure the driver is waiting for you at the arrival gate.

If you opt for the cab ride, be sure to negotiate the fare before getting into the vehicle to avoid misunderstandings and if, instead, you want to rent a car, keep in mind that the state of the roads is not the best and that the traffic in the city and the surrounding area is often very heavy. If you choose a rental car because you want to get to know the region in depth, keep in mind that excursions from Cartagena de Indias are very popular and work perfectly.