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An independent guide to Cartagena, Colombia

Onward along the coast

Cartagena to Santa Marta: van, bus or private car, door to door

From Cartagena to Santa Marta, take a van if you sleep in or near the old town and travel by day: Marsol and Berlinastur leave from their own offices in El Cabrero and Marbella, a short taxi from the walls, and Marsol gives 5 hours for the ride. The buses leave from the Terminal de Transportes on the edge of town, more often and for less. A private car takes you from hotel to hotel. By road it is 229 km from the Clock Tower in Cartagena, Colombia, about 5 h 10 min by car without traffic. No flight goes direct.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated

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1The answer

Van, bus or private car: which one?

  • Take the vanif you sleep inside the walls, in Getsemaní or in Bocagrande and travel by day. The offices are 5 min to 15 min away by taxi without traffic, and in November 2026 Marsol’s site gave its departures as 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. The vans
  • Take the busfor the lowest fare or a very early or late start: for 13 November 2026, Expreso Brasilia’s ticket site alone listed 22 departures, the first and last at 5:00 and 22:15. Add the taxi to the terminal, about 40 min from the walls. The bus
  • Book a carfor three or more people, heavy bags, a late flight, or a hotel in Minca or near Tayrona: the driver collects you at the door and drops you at the next one. The private car
  • Don’t flyCartagena airport has no route to Santa Marta; a flight means a change of planes elsewhere.

All three on one time scale, from your door in Cartagena to a door in Santa Marta: the strip.

Marsol van, from100,000 COPOne way, about USD 30, on Marsol’s route page, November 2026.

Berlinastur van, from90,000 COPOne way, about USD 27, on Berlinastur’s route card, November 2026.

Terminal busFares change by date and departure: see the day’s fare on Expreso Brasilia’s booking site.

2Door to door

Hotel door to hotel door, on one strip

Where do you sleep in Cartagena?

One scale for all three: the track is six hours wide, each tick an hour. Taxi legs are estimates without traffic; no line includes time waiting at the office or terminal.

From the Clock Tower to the Plaza de la Catedral in Santa Marta

  1. Van, office to office Marsol 5 h 10 min

    5 h

    taxi to the Marsol office 5 minvan, Marsol’s time 5 htaxi or walk to the centre 5 min

  2. Bus from the terminal Expreso Brasilia 5 h 30 min

    4 h 34 min

    taxi to the bus terminal 40 minbus, Expreso Brasilia’s usual time on 13 November 2026 4 h 34 mintaxi into the centre 15 min

  3. Private transfer booked car and driver 5 h 10 min

    5 h 10 min listings say 4 to 5 hours

    private car, door to door, routed without traffic 5 h 10 min

  4. Flight Cartagena (CTG) to Santa Marta (SMR)

    No direct route: Cartagena airport’s route map lists its domestic destinations as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Pereira, Bucaramanga and San Andrés.

From the Plaza de la Trinidad to the Plaza de la Catedral in Santa Marta

  1. Van, office to office Marsol 5 h 10 min

    5 h

    taxi to the Marsol office 5 minthe rest as from the walls

  2. Bus from the terminal Expreso Brasilia 5 h 30 min

    4 h 34 min

    taxi to the bus terminal 40 minthe rest as from the walls

  3. Private transfer booked car and driver 5 h 10 min

    5 h 10 min listings say 4 to 5 hours

    private car, door to door, routed without traffic 5 h 10 min

From central Bocagrande to the Plaza de la Catedral in Santa Marta

  1. Van, office to office Marsol 5 h 15 min

    5 h

    taxi to the Marsol office 10 minthe rest as from the walls

  2. Bus from the terminal Expreso Brasilia 5 h 40 min

    4 h 34 min

    taxi to the bus terminal 50 minthe rest as from the walls

  3. Private transfer booked car and driver 5 h 15 min

    5 h 15 min listings say 4 to 5 hours

    private car, door to door, routed without traffic 5 h 15 min

  • taxi leg, routed
  • be there early, as the operator asks
  • the van or bus, at the operator’s time
  • private car, routed
  • hotel door

Days with rain in Cartagena, IDEAM normals 1991 to 2020 at the airport station. For Santa Marta, see IDEAM’s station normals.

  1. Janfewer than 1
  2. Febfewer than 1
  3. Marfewer than 1
  4. Apr2
  5. May7
  6. Jun9
  7. Jul9
  8. Aug10
  9. Sep10
  10. Oct12
  11. Nov9
  12. Dec3
The coast from Cartagena to PalominoA map of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Cartagena is at the lower left. The road runs north-east along the coast to Barranquilla at the mouth of the Río Magdalena, crosses the river, passes the Ciénaga Grande lagoon and the town of Ciénaga, and reaches Santa Marta. A second routed road leaves Cartagena’s bus terminal inland and joins the first near Barranquilla. From Santa Marta, short roads go up into the hills to Minca and east along the coast to the El Zaino gate of Tayrona National Park and on to Palomino. Road distances are written beside each place.Caribbean SeaRío MagdalenaCiénaga GrandeCartagenastart: the Clock TowerBarranquilla119 km by roadBAQ airportCiénagaSanta Marta229 km by roadMinca+21 km by roadTayrona, El Zaino gate+38 km by roadPalomino+81 km by road02550kmNroad by the coast, as routedroad from the bus terminal, as routedonward from Santa Marta© OpenStreetMap contributors
The coast between Cartagena, Colombia and Palomino. Coastline, lagoon, places and the two roads from OpenStreetMap; the roads are as a router draws them, not a bus company’s line. Distances by road: from the Clock Tower for Barranquilla and Santa Marta, from the centre of Santa Marta for Minca, the El Zaino gate and Palomino.
The taxi legs from each part of Cartagena
From your door to where each trip startsRouted on OpenStreetMap; times without traffic, rounded to the nearest five minutes. The private car goes all the way to the Plaza de la Catedral in Santa Marta.
You sleepMarsol officeBerlinastur, MarbellaBus terminalPrivate car to Santa Marta
Inside the walls 2.6 km, 5 min 3.5 km, 10 min 12.0 km, 40 min 229 km, 5 h 10 min
Getsemaní 2.1 km, 5 min 3.0 km, 10 min 11.4 km, 40 min 228 km, 5 h 10 min
Bocagrande 4.3 km, 10 min 5.2 km, 15 min 15.8 km, 50 min 230 km, 5 h 15 min

What the strip shows. The van and the bus take about the same time on the road. What separates them is the start: the van offices sit on the coast road just north of the walls, the bus terminal sits in El Pozón, on the road out of town, and the taxi there takes longer than the one to the van. The private car saves the two changes more than time on the road.

What it leaves out. Traffic. The routed times assume an empty road, and Marsol says the real time depends on the traffic on the coast road and at the city entrances. Leave a margin before a flight or a boat. Rain and the season in Cartagena: the best time to visit.

3The vans

The van offices by the sea: Marsol and Berlinastur

Both van companies work from their own offices on the north side of the old town, not from the bus terminal. Both run office to office: Marsol says its buses leave and arrive at Transportes Marsol offices, and Berlinastur lists its Marbella office for its office-to-office service. Neither names a hotel pickup for these runs, so take a taxi to the office and another from the office in Santa Marta.

Marsol

The Cartagena office is at Carrera 2A # 43-111, on the edge of El Cabrero, 2.6 km by road from the Clock Tower. According to the operator’s site in November 2026, the vans to Santa Marta leave at 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 and take 5 hours. They end at the Marsol office, Carrera 4 # 24-20, 1.1 km by road from the cathedral square. Each passenger may bring one hold bag of up to 15 kg and one hand bag; children pay a fare and take a seat from the age of 3.

Book on Marsol’s route page, then bring the printed voucher and an identity document to the office. Marsol asks travelers to book early for weekends and the high season. A car of your own: private trips are quoted on request by email or phone.

Berlinastur

Berlinastur, part of the Berlinas bus group, runs direct transfers in vans of 16 seats, from Barranquilla la 93, Santa Marta, Rodadero, Cartagena Marbella and more. Its Cartagena office is at Calle 46C No. 3-80 in Marbella, 3.5 km by road from the Clock Tower. In Santa Marta it lists offices at Rodadero (Carrera 3 No. 11-26), Macatoco (Calle 30 No. 57A-80) and Carrera 18 No. 23-04. Its contract asks you to be at the office 30 minutes before departure; otherwise the seat may be given away. It allows one personal item (up to 5 kg), one hand bag (up to 10 kg) and one hold bag (up to 25 kg). Seats are sold on its own site and at the office.

Avenida Santander running along the open sea through Marbella, seen from a high building, with buses on the road, groynes and beach on the sea side, a lagoon on the land side and the walled city in the haze behind
Avenida Santander, the coast road out of the walled city, seen from Marbella in 2008. The Marsol and Berlinastur offices sit on the blocks just behind this viewpoint.Photo: Nickeyra, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Which officeFrom Bocagrande the drive to either office is 10 min to 15 min, routed without traffic. Where each part of town lies: where to stay in Cartagena.

Last vanMarsol’s last departure arrives in Santa Marta after dark. For a late start, the bus runs later.

4The bus

The bus from the Terminal de Transportes

The Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena sits in El Pozón, 12 km by road from the Clock Tower, about 40 min by taxi without traffic (address and phone: Carretera La Cordialidad, Diag 56 # 57-236, Barrio El Pozón; phone 6630454, WhatsApp 3205721282). The long-distance companies sell their seats there. The terminal’s own list of operators: Berlinas, Brasilia, Copetran and others; Marsol is not among them.

The busiest timetable belongs to Expreso Brasilia, whose booking site also sells Unitransco seats. For Friday 13 November 2026, its ticket site listed 22 departures from the terminal to Santa Marta, the first and last at 5:00 and 22:15. Most were timed at 4 h 34 min; the range ran from 3 h 45 min to 5 h 30 min. The bus ends at the Santa Marta bus terminal on the Troncal del Caribe, 5 km from the cathedral square, about 15 min by taxi.

Coming straight from a flight, the airport’s official taxi fare to the terminal is 51,000 COP (the airport fares). On a budget from the old town, the Transcaribe route X104 runs between the terminal and the Centro, stopping at Bazurto, La Popa, Chambacú, Centro, Bodeguita.

Late and earlyOf the scheduled services, only the bus leaves before 6:00 or after 16:00.

Getting around townTaxis, apps and buses inside Cartagena: getting around Cartagena.

5The private car

A private car, and the road it takes

A booked car is the one way that starts at your hotel and stops at the next. It is the simple choice for a group, with surfboards or children, after a late flight, or for a hotel up in Minca. The sellers state shorter times than the drive of 5 h 10 min routed without traffic, so plan on the longer figure. The listings state:

The road. The drive follows the Vía al Mar (route 90A) to Barranquilla, across Barranquilla to the Magdalena bridge, then route 90 by Ciénaga to Santa Marta. It is a toll road, with toll stations at Marahuaco, Puerto Colombia, Papiros, Zona Franca, Laureano Gómez (at the Magdalena bridge) and Tasajera. The first listing above includes tolls and fuel in its price; ask any other driver whether the tolls are on top.

A day there and back is possible on a tour, and the day trips page explains why it is a poor use of a day: plan at least one night in Santa Marta.

Driving yourselfSafety on Colombian roads, as the governments’ advisories put it: is Cartagena safe.

6Past Santa Marta

Tayrona, Minca and Palomino: where to get off

Every van and bus ends in Santa Marta, in the centre or on its eastern edge. Tayrona, Minca and Palomino all lie beyond it, so the question is whether to change there or ride through.

Tayrona National Park

The main gate, El Zaino, is east of Santa Marta on the road to Palomino, 38 km from the cathedral square, about 55 min by car. According to the operator’s site in November 2026, Marsol runs straight there from Cartagena at 6:00 and 10:00, in 6 hours, and lets you off at the El Zaino entrance, km 30 of the Troncal del Caribe, a stop on the road. A car to the gate: the private transfer to Tayrona Park, 5 hours, with pickup anywhere in Cartagena: hotels, hostels, vacation rentals and points of interest.

It closes. Parques Nacionales shuts the park three times a year, by agreement with the Sierra Nevada’s indigenous peoples: 1 to 15 February, 1 to 15 June, and 19 October to 2 November. The last closure of 2026 ran from 19 October to 2 November, and the park opened again on 3 November 2026. It can also close at short notice. After threats against park staff and blockades at the gates, it was closed on 17 February 2026 by Resolución 091 and reopened on 5 March 2026 by Resolución 112. Check the park’s news page before you book the ride.

At the gate. El Zaino’s hours: high season entry 7:00 to 15:00, leave by 18:00; low season entry 8:00 to 17:00. You also need an accident insurance with visitor assistance from an approved insurer (Resolución 273 de 2024), and the induction talk and registration before entry. Yellow fever: Parques Nacionales, in its bulletin of 2 May 2025: vaccination at least 10 days before entry is obligatory for the protected areas of the national parks system, for nationals and foreigners (bulletin). The bulletin names no park; what each authority says: yellow fever.

Minca

Minca is a village in the hills of the Sierra Nevada above Santa Marta, 21 km from the centre, about 1 h 5 min by car. No van from Cartagena goes there. Marsol’s own advice: the bus ends in Santa Marta; colectivos to Minca leave from the Mercado area of Santa Marta when full, about 45 minutes to an hour, or a taxi. The first private transfer listed above includes Minca.

Palomino

The beach village of Palomino, in La Guajira, is 81 km past Santa Marta, about 1 h 50 min by car. According to the operator’s site in November 2026, Marsol runs through from Cartagena at 6:00 and 10:00, in 7 hours, to a stop on the main road.

Tayrona, foreign visitor, low season81,000 COPEntry under Resolution 551 of 2025, in force from 1 January 2026: about USD 25.

Tayrona, foreign visitor, high season96,500 COPabout USD 29. High season: 1 December to 31 January, 1 June to 31 July, Holy Week, long weekends with a Monday holiday, and the school break week before the October holiday.

Bahía Concha sector, all year43,500 COPFor foreign visitors, about USD 13.

Marsol to El Zaino, from130,000 COPabout USD 39; to Palomino from 150,000 COP, on Marsol’s route page, November 2026.

7Barranquilla

Barranquilla on the way, and its Carnival

Barranquilla sits halfway, at the mouth of the Río Magdalena: 119 km by road from the Clock Tower, about 2 h 35 min without traffic. According to the operators’ sites in November 2026, Marsol runs 14 departures a day in 2 h 30 min to its office at Calle 93 # 47-13, and Berlinastur’s vans run up to 23 a day between the two cities. By car: the private door-to-door transfer to Barranquilla, 2 h 30 min, with door-to-door pickup in Cartagena.

Carnival. The Carnaval de Barranquilla runs Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027. Marsol asks travelers to book early for weekends and the high season; book the ride for Carnival when you book the room. What else falls on your dates in Cartagena: Cartagena events.

The other airport. Barranquilla’s Ernesto Cortissoz airport (BAQ) in Soledad is 129 km by road from the Clock Tower and 105 km from the centre of Santa Marta. Flying in or out of there can save the long ride back to Cartagena. How the flights into Cartagena compare: getting to Cartagena.

Marsol to Barranquilla, from40,000 COPOne way, about USD 12; Berlinastur from 45,000 COP, on the operators’ sites in November 2026.

Arriving from MedellínThe overland and air options into Cartagena: Medellín to Cartagena.

8Questions

Santa Marta trip questions

How to reach Santa Marta, Colombia?

From Cartagena, by road: a Marsol or Berlinastur van from their offices near the old town, a bus from the Terminal de Transportes, or a booked private car. Marsol gives 5 hours for the van ride; the car is about 5 h 10 min without traffic. Cartagena airport lists no flight to Santa Marta, so flying means a change in another city.

Does Santa Marta, Colombia have Uber?

Uber’s own city page says Uber is available in Santa Marta; riders can request a ride at any hour, 24/7 (uber.com). Whether app rides in private cars are legal in Colombia is a question for the national transport regulator; what it has said, and when, is on getting around Cartagena. In Santa Marta the Marsol office is 1.1 km by road from the cathedral square.

Is it safe to use Uber in Cartagena, Colombia?

No government rates the safety of a ride-hailing brand. On 15 July 2022 Colombia’s transport regulator, the Superintendencia de Transporte, announced fines on the companies behind Beat, DiDi and Cabify, because some of their drivers carried passengers in private cars not authorized for public transport; Uber was not named. What the travel advisories say about taxis and apps: is Cartagena safe.

Is Santa Marta in Colombia worth visiting?

Santa Marta is the town nearest the main gate of Tayrona National Park, El Zaino, to Minca in the Sierra Nevada and to the beaches running east to Palomino; the distances are on this page. The ride from Cartagena takes most of a day, so plan at least one night in Santa Marta. Check Tayrona’s closure dates before you fix them.

Sources
  1. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Pozón - Terminal de Transporte (2026 table): 51,000 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  2. Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia: domestic destinations on the operator's connectivity map: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Pereira, Bucaramanga and San Andrés (no Santa Marta). OINAC (airport operator): Conectividad, map "¿Cómo nos conectamos?", 2026-01-01.
  3. PNN Tayrona: the three yearly closures agreed with the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa and Kankuamo peoples: 1 to 15 February, 1 to 15 June, and 19 October to 2 November. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: park page Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona.
  4. PNN Tayrona: the last closure of 2026 and the reopening: closed 19 October to 2 November 2026, open again from 3 November 2026. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news of 16 October and 2 November 2026, 2026-11-02.
  5. PNN Tayrona: El Zaino entrance hours: high season entry 7:00 to 15:00, leave by 18:00; low season entry 8:00 to 17:00. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: park page Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona.
  6. PNN Tayrona: closure for security in 2026: closed on 17 February 2026 by Resolución 091 and reopened on 5 March 2026 by Resolución 112. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news of 17 February 2026 and bulletin "Resolución 112 de 04 de marzo de 2026", 2026-03-05.
  7. PNN Tayrona: what every visitor needs besides the entry fee: an accident insurance with visitor assistance from an approved insurer (Resolución 273 de 2024), and the induction talk and registration before entry. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: park page Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona.
  8. PNN Tayrona (near Santa Marta, reached from Cartagena, Colombia): entry fee, foreign visitor not resident in Colombia and not from the Andean Community, low season: 81,000 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, p. 7 ("Áreas protegidas con temporadas"), 2025-12-19.
  9. PNN Tayrona (near Santa Marta): entry fee, foreign visitor not resident in Colombia and not from the Andean Community, high season: 96,500 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, p. 7 ("Áreas protegidas con temporadas"), 2025-12-19.
  10. PNN Tayrona (near Santa Marta): entry fee for the Bahía Concha sector, foreign visitor not resident, all year: 43,500 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, p. 7 ("Áreas protegidas con temporadas"), 2025-12-19.
  11. PNN Tayrona: high season under Resolución 551 de 2025: 1 December to 31 January, 1 June to 31 July, Holy Week, long weekends with a Monday holiday, and the school break week before the October holiday. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, p. 15 (definitions), 2025-12-19.
  12. PNN Tayrona: Resolución 551 de 2025 (entry fees) in force from: 1 January 2026. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, 2025-12-19.
  13. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to Barranquilla (OSM relation 1335179), routed on OpenStreetMap: 119.1 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  14. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to Barranquilla (OSM relation 1335179), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 2 h 35 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  15. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 2.64 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  16. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  17. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 3.52 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  18. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 10 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  19. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routed on OpenStreetMap: 11.99 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  20. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 40 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  21. Road distance from the Marsol office, Carrera 4 # 24-20, Santa Marta to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 1.05 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  22. Driving time from the Marsol office, Carrera 4 # 24-20, Santa Marta to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  23. Road distance from the Terminal de Transportes de Santa Marta (OSM way 633398896) to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 5.15 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  24. Driving time from the Terminal de Transportes de Santa Marta (OSM way 633398896) to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 15 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  25. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 228.56 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  26. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 h 10 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  27. Road distance from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to Minca (OSM node 703472311), routed on OpenStreetMap: 21.39 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  28. Driving time from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to Minca (OSM node 703472311), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 1 h 5 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  29. Road distance from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to the El Zaino entrance of PNN Tayrona (OSM node 1488723991), routed on OpenStreetMap: 37.84 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  30. Driving time from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to the El Zaino entrance of PNN Tayrona (OSM node 1488723991), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 55 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  31. Road distance from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to Palomino, La Guajira (OSM node 703378831), routed on OpenStreetMap: 80.94 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  32. Driving time from the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685) to Palomino, La Guajira (OSM node 703378831), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 1 h 50 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  33. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to Ernesto Cortissoz airport (BAQ), Soledad, Barranquilla (OSM way 200859709), routed on OpenStreetMap: 128.75 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  34. Road distance from Ernesto Cortissoz airport (BAQ), Soledad, Barranquilla (OSM way 200859709) to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 105.01 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  35. Toll stations OpenStreetMap marks on the routed road from Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta by the coast road: Marahuaco, Puerto Colombia, Papiros, Zona Franca, Laureano Gómez (at the Magdalena bridge) and Tasajera. OpenStreetMap: barrier=toll_booth nodes (Overpass API) within 70 m of the Valhalla route from the Clock Tower to the Plaza de la Catedral, Santa Marta, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  36. Roads on the routed drive from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta by the coast: the Vía al Mar (route 90A) to Barranquilla, across Barranquilla to the Magdalena bridge, then route 90 by Ciénaga to Santa Marta. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  37. Map data for the coastline, the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, the places and the routed roads on the coast drawing of /cartagena-to-santa-marta/ (Cartagena, Colombia to Palomino): licence: Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0, © OpenStreetMap contributors. OpenStreetMap Foundation: Copyright and License, 2026-11-12.
  38. Road distance from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 2.1 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  39. Driving time from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  40. Road distance from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 2.97 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  41. Driving time from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 10 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  42. Road distance from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routed on OpenStreetMap: 11.44 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  43. Driving time from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 40 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  44. Road distance from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 228.01 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  45. Driving time from the Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 h 10 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  46. Road distance from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 4.32 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  47. Driving time from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Marsol office, Carrera 2A # 43-111, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 10 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  48. Road distance from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routed on OpenStreetMap: 5.2 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  49. Driving time from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Berlinastur office, Calle 46C No. 3-80, Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia, routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 15 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  50. Road distance from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routed on OpenStreetMap: 15.75 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  51. Driving time from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1798882), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 50 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  52. Road distance from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routed on OpenStreetMap: 230.24 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  53. Driving time from the centre of Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia (OSM relation 1643328) to the Plaza de la Catedral, historic centre of Santa Marta (OSM way 233437685), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 5 h 15 min. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  54. Carnaval de Barranquilla 2027 (near Cartagena, Colombia): the four days of Carnival: Saturday 6 to Tuesday 9 February 2027. Fundación Carnaval de Barranquilla: home page, "Agéndate para el Carnaval 2027".
  55. Parques Nacionales Naturales bulletin 2 May 2025: yellow fever vaccination for protected areas: vaccination at least 10 days before entry is obligatory for the protected areas of the national parks system, for nationals and foreigners. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: bulletin 'Nuevo requisito para visitar nuestros parques', 2025-05-02.
  56. Viator listing 'Cartagena Private Transfer to Santa Marta or Minca or Tayrona' (d4498-127977P4), Cartagena, Colombia: duration, one way: 4 to 5 h. Viator product page d4498-127977P4.
  57. Viator listing 'Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer' (d4498-59388P161), Cartagena, Colombia: duration, one way: 5 h. Viator product page d4498-59388P161.
  58. Viator listing 'Cartagena Private Transfer to Santa Marta or Minca or Tayrona' (d4498-127977P4, Bukap Travels), Cartagena, Colombia: what the price covers: pickup from Cartagena hotels or the airport, a driver in the language you choose, tolls, fuel and parking, and up to an hour at an optional lunch stop at Caimán del Río. Viator: product page (read in a browser).
  59. Viator listing 'Private transfer from Cartagena to Santa Marta or viceversa' (d4498-89094P5), Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 3 h 30 min to 4 h 20 min. Viator: product page (read in a browser).
  60. Viator listing 'Private transfer from Cartagena to Santa Marta or viceversa' (d4498-89094P5): luggage per traveller: one suitcase and one carry-on bag. Viator: product page (read in a browser).
  61. Viator listing 'Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer' (d4498-59388P161, Gran Colombia Tours): pickup: anywhere in Cartagena: hotels, hostels, vacation rentals and points of interest. Viator: product page (read in a browser).
  62. Viator listing 'Private Door-to-Door Transfer from Cartagena to Barranquilla' (d4498-5549P126, Impulse Travel), Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 2 h 30 min. Viator: product page (read in a browser).
  63. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer' (t519174), Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 4 h. GetYourGuide: product page (read in a browser).
  64. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer' (t519174): vehicle by group size: a sedan for one to three people, a minivan for four or five, a van for six or more. GetYourGuide: product page (read in a browser).
  65. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Shared-car transfer to Santa Marta or vice versa' (t840137), Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 4 h. GetYourGuide: product page (read in a browser).
  66. Colombian peso exchange rate (TRM) valid 2026-11-11: 3297.07 COP per USD. Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia: TRM, open dataset on datos.gov.co, 2026-11-11.
  67. Superintendencia de Transporte (Colombia) on ride-hailing platforms, July 2022: fined the companies behind Beat, DiDi and Cabify for facilitating breaches of transport rules, as some of their drivers carried paying passengers without meeting the legal requirements, among other things in private vehicles not authorized for it. Superintendencia de Transporte: Supertransporte sanciona a Beat, Didi y Cabify (press release, 15 July 2022), 2022-07-15.
  68. Transcaribe route X104 Terminal - P. Romero - Centro, Cartagena, Colombia: stops: Bazurto, La Popa, Chambacú, Centro, Bodeguita. Transcaribe S.A.: Rutas y recorridos Transcaribe SITM (route book PDF, modified 2024-07-03), 2024-07-03.
  69. Bus terminal of Cartagena, Colombia: address: Carretera La Cordialidad, Diag 56 # 57-236, Barrio El Pozón; phone 6630454, WhatsApp 3205721282. Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena S.A..
  70. Marsol bus Cartagena to Barranquilla: duration: 2 h 30 min. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  71. Marsol bus Cartagena to Barranquilla: fare from: 40,000 COP. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  72. Marsol bus Cartagena to Barranquilla: departures a day: 14. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  73. Marsol bus Cartagena to Santa Marta: duration: 5 h. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  74. Marsol bus Cartagena to Santa Marta: fare from: 100,000 COP. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  75. Marsol bus Cartagena to Parque Tayrona (El Zaino): duration: 6 h. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  76. Marsol bus Cartagena to Parque Tayrona (El Zaino): fare from: 130,000 COP. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  77. Marsol bus Cartagena to Palomino: duration: 7 h. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  78. Marsol bus Cartagena to Palomino: fare from: 150,000 COP. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  79. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: departure office: Carrera 2A # 43-111. Marsol: website (operator's own published durations and 'desde' fares).
  80. Berlitur vans Barranquilla - Cartagena: departures a day: up to 23. Berlinas del Fonce: website.
  81. Berlinas del Fonce Barranquilla - Cartagena: fare from: 45,000 COP. Berlinas del Fonce: website.
  82. Uber's city page for Santa Marta, Colombia: is Uber available there: Uber is available in Santa Marta; riders can request a ride at any hour, 24/7. Uber: Santa Marta city page (FAQ "Is Uber available in Santa Marta?").
  83. Marsol bus Cartagena to Santa Marta, Cartagena, Colombia: daily departures from the Cartagena office: 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Transportes Marsol: route page Cartagena to Santa Marta (timetable table and boarding points).
  84. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta: arrival point in Santa Marta: the Marsol office, Carrera 4 # 24-20. Transportes Marsol: route page Cartagena to Santa Marta (timetable table and boarding points).
  85. Marsol buses between Cartagena, Colombia, Barranquilla and Santa Marta: luggage included per passenger: one hold bag of up to 15 kg and one hand bag. Transportes Marsol: home page and Condiciones y restricciones.
  86. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: where the scheduled buses leave and arrive: at Transportes Marsol offices. Transportes Marsol: home page ("Puntos de abordaje") and Cómo reservar servicios privados.
  87. Marsol bus Cartagena, Colombia to the El Zaino entrance of Parque Tayrona: daily departures: 6:00 and 10:00. Transportes Marsol: route page Cartagena to Santa Marta (Entrada al Parque Tayrona).
  88. Marsol bus Cartagena, Colombia to Palomino: daily departures: 6:00 and 10:00. Transportes Marsol: route page Cartagena to Palomino.
  89. Marsol stop for Parque Tayrona (from Cartagena, Colombia): the El Zaino entrance, km 30 of the Troncal del Caribe, a stop on the road. Transportes Marsol: home page ("Puntos de abordaje").
  90. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: what to show when boarding after buying online: the printed voucher and an identity document. Transportes Marsol: home page FAQ.
  91. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: children: pay a fare and take a seat from the age of 3. Transportes Marsol: home page FAQ.
  92. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: how Minca is reached with Marsol: the bus ends in Santa Marta; colectivos to Minca leave from the Mercado area of Santa Marta when full, about 45 minutes to an hour, or a taxi. Transportes Marsol: destination page Minca.
  93. Marsol, Barranquilla office (on the Cartagena, Colombia route): Calle 93 # 47-13. Transportes Marsol: home page ("Puntos de abordaje").
  94. Berlinastur office in Marbella, Cartagena, Colombia (office-to-office special transport: sales and boarding): Calle 46C No. 3-80. Berlinas del Fonce: Puntos de venta (sales and boarding points).
  95. Berlinastur offices in Santa Marta for the office-to-office service (from Cartagena, Colombia): Rodadero (Carrera 3 No. 11-26), Macatoco (Calle 30 No. 57A-80) and Carrera 18 No. 23-04. Berlinas del Fonce: Puntos de venta (sales and boarding points).
  96. Berlinastur, as the Berlinas group describes it (Cartagena, Colombia): direct transfers in vans of 16 seats, from Barranquilla la 93, Santa Marta, Rodadero, Cartagena Marbella and more. Berlinas del Fonce: Berlitur page, "Nuestras otras marcas".
  97. Berlinastur contract of carriage (Cartagena, Colombia routes): when to be at the dispatch office: 30 minutes before departure; otherwise the seat may be given away. Berlinastur S.A.: Condiciones de transporte.
  98. Berlinastur contract of carriage (Cartagena, Colombia routes): luggage per passenger: one personal item (up to 5 kg), one hand bag (up to 10 kg) and one hold bag (up to 25 kg). Berlinastur S.A.: Condiciones de transporte.
  99. Berlinastur fare Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta, from: 90,000 COP. Berlinastur: route card Cartagena to Santa Marta "Desde $90.000".
  100. Expreso Brasilia ticket site, Cartagena, Colombia bus terminal to Santa Marta: departures listed for one day (13 November 2026): 22. Expreso Brasilia: online ticket search (viajes.expresobrasilia.com), Cartagena to Santa Marta, departures for 13 November 2026, 2026-11-13.
  101. Expreso Brasilia ticket site, Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta (13 November 2026): first and last departure from the Cartagena terminal: 5:00 and 22:15. Expreso Brasilia: online ticket search (viajes.expresobrasilia.com), Cartagena to Santa Marta, departures for 13 November 2026, 2026-11-13.
  102. Expreso Brasilia ticket site, Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta (13 November 2026): scheduled time of most departures: 4 h 34 min. Expreso Brasilia: online ticket search (viajes.expresobrasilia.com), Cartagena to Santa Marta, departures for 13 November 2026, 2026-11-13.
  103. Expreso Brasilia ticket site, Cartagena, Colombia to Santa Marta (13 November 2026): range of scheduled times: 3 h 45 min to 5 h 30 min. Expreso Brasilia: online ticket search (viajes.expresobrasilia.com), Cartagena to Santa Marta, departures for 13 November 2026, 2026-11-13.
  104. Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Colombia: bus companies on its list of operators: Berlinas, Brasilia, Copetran and others; Marsol is not among them. Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena S.A.: Empresas de transporte.
  105. Marsol, Cartagena, Colombia: private trips: quoted on request by email or phone. Transportes Marsol: Cómo reservar servicios privados.

Photographs

  1. Avenida Santander running along the open sea through Marbella, seen from a high building, with buses on the road, groynes and beach on the sea side, a lagoon on the land side and the walled city in the haze behind. Photo: Nickeyra, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons