How to get to or from Bogota airport and how to get around the colombian capital? For most of you, Bogota airport is where you’ll be landing, and where you’ll be taking your first steps in Colombia.
So it’s in Bogota that you’ll have your first encounter with Colombian transport. Here are our tips for getting around Bogota and arranging your airport transfer.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Bogota airport transfer
How to get aroung Bogota
In Bogota, as elsewhere, when you arrive in an unfamiliar country, you’re a bit lost. All the cabs jump out at you, and you feel like you’re going to be taken for a ride – it’s stressful. Here are a few tips to help you arrive a little more relaxed, knowing what to expect.
General information Bogota Airport
- Bogota Airport (BOG)
- Website: eldorado. aero
- Address: Ac. 26 # 103-9
- Telephone: 57 (1) 266 2000
Bogota airport cab transfer
Cabs are the easiest and most comfortable way to reach downtown Bogota from the airport.
Fare and duration
- Journey time: between 30 minutes and 1 hour to La Candelaria, depending on traffic.
- Fare: between $20,000 and $30,000
Cab from airport to downtown
Meet at Terminal 1 Gates 2 and 3 (domestic flights) or Gates 5 and 6 (international flights) and at the arrivals gate at Terminal 2.
Cab from downtown to the airport
To get to the airport, it’s best to order a cab by phone or app. Be sure to calculate the journey time according to your flight time.
TIP
Cab Imperial is the “official” company of Bogota airport. They are the only ones allowed to park and wait for customers leaving the airport. Other cab services also have access, but only to the “drop-off” area like normal cars. Official cabs in Colombia are yellow and must have a registration number.
Bogota airpot transfer by bus
Airport transfer by bus is the cheapest option for those who are not in a hurry and are not afraid of getting stuck on a bus with suitcases and backpack:
Fare and duration
- Journey time: 1h minimum, depending on traffic and not counting the wait at the bus stop
- Fare: $2,200 – You’ll need to buy a $3,000 rechargeable card in advance
BUS from airport to downtown
- Go to Terminal 1, floor 1, exit 6 to take Shuttle 16-14 (free)
- Head for the “El Dorado” Transmilenio station.
- Take the Transmilenio K86 to downtown
- Alternatively, take Transmilenio 1 to “Universidades” station, which connects with “Las Aguas” station north of Candelaria.
BUS from downtown to the airport
- Take Transmilenio K86 or Transmilenio 1 towards “Portal El Dorado”
TIP
The Transmilenio bus system can be particularly congested at peak times, with long waits for buses. If you plan to transfer to Bogota airport during rush hour, we advise against this option.
Getting around Bogota
Our best advices
We’ve already talked about the different means of transport in Colombia, but here we’re going to talk specifically about Bogota. First of all, it’s important to know that Bogota was built on a checkerboard layout with its “calles y carrerras”.
How do you find your way around Bogota?
The calles cross the city from east to west, and the carreras from south to north. To find your way around the city center, take the Monserrate as your reference point, as it lies to the east of the city. This explains why, with the exception of a few major avenues, the streets have no names but are identified by numbers.
Help getting around Bogota
To help you get around Bogota, as well as anywhere else in Colombia, we strongly recommend using route planner applications such as Moovit or Googlemaps.
With these applications, you can easily plan your itinerary, whether on foot, by car or by public transport (Transmilenio, bus…)
Types of transport in Bogota
How to get around Bogota
If you’re staying in La Candelaria and don’t want to leave, you can do everything on foot. But Bogota is such a big city that at some point you’ll have to take some form of transport to get around the city.
Transmilenio in Bogota
This is Bogota’s most important transport system. It works like the metro, but with red buses that run on a dedicated lane, avoiding traffic jams. It’s a very practical system that crosses the city’s main thoroughfares, but should be avoided at rush hour. It works with rechargeable cards that can be purchased at the station entrances.
Fares
- Journey price: $2,200
- Price of rechargeable card: $3,000
Bus in Bogota
There are blue and orange buses integrated into the Transmilenio system that also work with rechargeable cards, and other buses that are not part of the system, both of which provide connections between neighborhoods and the main Transmilenio routes.
For buses that are not part of the system, there is no specific ticket; you pay cash directly to the driver as you board. In the absence of bus stops, you can get on and off just about anywhere you need to. (Now that’s practical!).
Over the past few years, these buses have been gradually disappearing in favor of the more modern, integrated system, which would make it easier for local residents to get around.
Fare
- Price per trip: between $1,700 and $2,000
Cabs in Bogota
Cabs are fairly plentiful in Bogota. They’re the easiest way to get around if your destination isn’t near a Transmilenio station. Compared with France, fares are not expensive. Although it’s now possible to take a cab on the street, for greater safety we advise you to order cabs by telephone (ask your hotel) or via an app. One of the most popular is Cabify.
Rates
- Starting price: $2,500
- Minimum fare: $4,400
- Additional door-to-door (ordering a cab): $800
- Additional airport pick-up: $4,400
- Additional night fare: $2,200
Calculate the fare for a cab ride in Bogota
The fare is calculated according to distance:
1 unit = $82 = 100 m (or 24 seconds in traffic jams – speed under 15 km/h)
Price per kilometer: $820 (without traffic jams)
TIPS FOR TAKING A CAB IN BOGOTA
Taximeter
Cabs must have the taximeter on when you enter the vehicle. If it’s not on, you must ask for it to be turned on before accepting the fare. If the driver refuses, get out of the vehicle.
Waze
Waze is a mobile application that helps you find your way around town by car. It’s a great way to avoid cab scams. If you’re in any doubt about the route the cab is taking, launch the app and show the driver that he’s extending the route. Likewise, if you’re stuck in traffic, suggest an alternative route to avoid getting stuck.
Payment
Try to carry small-denomination bills with you so that you can top them up when you pay.
Safety
Today in Bogota, it’s perfectly possible to take an official cab on the street by raising your arm. During the day, we regularly do this without any problems. At night, it’s always best to order a cab by telephone (ask your hotel or the restaurant/bar where you’re staying). You can also use an app like Cabify.
Uber
Uber has developed very well in Bogota, and I’d say that “bogotanos” prefer Uber to cabs when it comes to quality of service, although we’ve never used this service and haven’t encountered any problems with cabs. In any case, it’s also a possibility.
For those who don’t know, Uber is a mobile application, available on your phone’s stores. You download the app, fill in your details and payment methods and you’re ready to order a driver.
Bogota bus terminal
Transfer between terminal and city center
For those who want to leave the city by bus, head for the Salitre terminal located in the city center, halfway between the airport and Candelaria. This is Colombia’s largest bus terminal, serving all destinations in the country.
General information Bogota bus terminal
- Bogota bus terminal
- Website: terminaldetransporte.gov.co
- Address: Terminal Salitre (central): Diagonal 23 # 69-11
- Terminal del Sur: Calle 57Q #75F-82
- Terminal del Norte: Calle 192 #19-43
- Telephone: 57 (1) 423 3600
- Mail: terminalbogota@terminaldetransporte.gov.co
- Facebook: facebook.com/TerminalBogota
Cab from Terminal Salitre to downtown
Terminal Salitre is located halfway between El Dorado airport and the historic Candelaria district.
Fare and duration
- Duration: approx. 45 minutes from Candelaria
- Fare: approx. $15,000
Rent a car in Bogota
Getting around Bogota
If you want to explore the region around Bogota, renting a car is a great option. We’ve been on several road trips in Colombia, and it’s an option worth considering, because it’s a lot of fun. But first of all, we advise you to read our following posts:
There are plenty of things to see around Bogota that are easily accessible by car, and if you feel like it, it would be a shame to miss out on this means of transport, which offers welcome freedom if you respect a few safety rules that we’ve covered in our posts.
Best tips
Rent a car in Colombia
To rent a car, we advise you to use the Rental Cars comparator, which gives you a complete overview of the different rental companies in Colombia.
Visit Bogota in english
Best city tours in Bogota
Contact our local partner for a guided tour of Bogota in english!
Practical information about Bogota
For all the practical information you need about Bogota, visit our general post and our dedicated posts:
