Cartagena.info

An independent guide to Cartagena, Colombia

Getting here

Medellín to Cartagena: fly or take the bus, door to door

From Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia, fly. Avianca's direct flights leave José María Córdova airport (MDE) in Rionegro and are scheduled at 70 to 75 minutes (Avianca booking search for 12 January 2027); from a hotel in El Poblado to the Clock Tower that comes to 4 h 50 min to 5 h door to door, airport time included. The bus from the Terminal del Norte is 13 h 40 min to 17 h 25 min door to door, with Rápido Ochoa’s fares from 161,000 COP (about USD 49). From 18 December Clic also flies from Olaya Herrera (EOH), the airport inside Medellín, which saves the drive to Rionegro. Colombia’s passenger trains run on two corridors that reach neither city.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated

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1Door to door

From your Medellín hotel to the Clock Tower, on one dial

The flight is the short part of this trip; the rides and the airport time decide it. Pick the square nearest your hotel: only the first ride changes.

Start from a hotel near
Door to door from Medellín to the Clock Tower in Cartagena, on a 24-hour dialThree rings start at the top, when you leave your door in Medellín, and run clockwise. Outer ring: the flight from José María Córdova airport. Middle ring: the seasonal flight from Olaya Herrera airport. Inner ring: the bus. Each ring is made of five legs. The flights close their ring a little over a sixth of the way round; the bus goes more than half way. The table below the dial gives every total.3 h6 h9 h12 h15 h18 h21 hdoorMDEEOHBusTaxi to the airport in Rionegro: 1 h 14 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (published)Flight MDE to CTG: 1 h 10 min to 1 h 15 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Spread to the slow end: 4 h 59 min in allTaxi to Olaya Herrera: 16 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (allowance)Flight EOH to CTG: 1 h 20 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Taxi to the Terminal del Norte: 23 min (estimate)At the terminal: ticket window, bay: 30 min (allowance)Bus to the Cartagena terminal: 12 h to 15 h 40 min (published)Off the bus, bags, out to the taxi station: 10 min (allowance)Taxi from the terminal to the old town: 40 min (estimate)Spread to the slow end: 17 h 23 min in allfrom El PobladoTaxi to the airport in Rionegro: 1 h 26 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (published)Flight MDE to CTG: 1 h 10 min to 1 h 15 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Spread to the slow end: 5 h 11 min in allTaxi to Olaya Herrera: 21 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (allowance)Flight EOH to CTG: 1 h 20 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Taxi to the Terminal del Norte: 20 min (estimate)At the terminal: ticket window, bay: 30 min (allowance)Bus to the Cartagena terminal: 12 h to 15 h 40 min (published)Off the bus, bags, out to the taxi station: 10 min (allowance)Taxi from the terminal to the old town: 40 min (estimate)Spread to the slow end: 17 h 20 min in allfrom LaurelesTaxi to the airport in Rionegro: 1 h 24 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (published)Flight MDE to CTG: 1 h 10 min to 1 h 15 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Spread to the slow end: 5 h 9 min in allTaxi to Olaya Herrera: 26 min (estimate)At the airport before departure: 2 h (allowance)Flight EOH to CTG: 1 h 20 min (published)Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station: 20 min (allowance)Taxi from the airport to the old town: 10 min (published)Taxi to the Terminal del Norte: 15 min (estimate)At the terminal: ticket window, bay: 30 min (allowance)Bus to the Cartagena terminal: 12 h to 15 h 40 min (published)Off the bus, bags, out to the taxi station: 10 min (allowance)Taxi from the terminal to the old town: 40 min (estimate)Spread to the slow end: 17 h 15 min in allfrom the centreto the Clock Tower
Read it like a watch: the top is the moment you leave the door, one full turn is a day and a night. The pale tail of a ring runs on to the slow end of its range.
  1. 1Fly from José María Córdova (MDE), Rionegro 4 h 50 min to 5 h5 h 5 min to 5 h 15 min5 h to 5 h 10 min
  2. 2Fly from Olaya Herrera (EOH), from 18 December 4 h 5 min to 4 h 10 min4 h 10 min to 4 h 15 min4 h 15 min to 4 h 20 min
  3. 3Bus from the Terminal del Norte 13 h 40 min to 17 h 25 min13 h 40 min to 17 h 20 min13 h 35 min to 17 h 15 min
  • Published by the airline, the bus company or the airport
  • Estimate, without traffic
  • Allowance
  • The spread to the slow end
  • The ride your starting point changes
Door to door, Medellín to the Clock TowerTotals from the three starting points, rounded out to the next five minutes. The flight from Olaya Herrera is a seasonal route from 18 December.
WayFrom Parque El PobladoFrom Primer Parque de LaurelesFrom Parque Berrío
Fly from MDE4 h 50 min to 5 h5 h 5 min to 5 h 15 min5 h to 5 h 10 min
Fly from EOH4 h 5 min to 4 h 10 min4 h 10 min to 4 h 15 min4 h 15 min to 4 h 20 min
Bus13 h 40 min to 17 h 25 min13 h 40 min to 17 h 20 min13 h 35 min to 17 h 15 min

Leg by leg
The legs of each wayOnly the first leg changes with the starting point, so it is given for all three. Flight times as scheduled in Avianca’s booking search for 12 January 2027 and Clic’s for 21 December 2026, both read on 12 November 2026.
LegTimeWhere the time comes from
Fly from José María Córdova (MDE), Rionegro
Taxi to the airport in RionegroEl Poblado: 1 h 14 min; Laureles: 1 h 26 min; the centre: 1 h 24 minestimate, no traffic
At the airport before departure2 hAvianca, for domestic flights
Flight MDE to CTG1 h 10 min to 1 h 15 minAvianca schedule, direct flights
Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station20 minallowance
Taxi from the airport to the old town10 minCartagena airport operator
Fly from Olaya Herrera (EOH), from 18 December
Taxi to Olaya HerreraEl Poblado: 16 min; Laureles: 21 min; the centre: 26 minestimate, no traffic
At the airport before departure2 hallowance
Flight EOH to CTG1 h 20 minClic schedule
Off the plane, bags, out to the taxi station20 minallowance
Taxi from the airport to the old town10 minCartagena airport operator
Bus from the Terminal del Norte
Taxi to the Terminal del NorteEl Poblado: 23 min; Laureles: 20 min; the centre: 15 minestimate, no traffic
At the terminal: ticket window, bay30 minallowance
Bus to the Cartagena terminal12 h to 15 h 40 minRápido Ochoa, fastest to slowest departure
Off the bus, bags, out to the taxi station10 minallowance
Taxi from the terminal to the old town40 minestimate, no traffic

The drive to Rionegro is most of the difference between the two flights: 28 km, 74 min from El Poblado, against 4 km, 16 min to Olaya Herrera. The two hours at the airport are the airline's own figure. And even the fast end of the bus is more than twice the slow end of a flight.

2Which airport

Rionegro or Olaya Herrera: two airports, one of them in town

José María Córdova (MDE) is Medellín's main airport, in Rionegro, east of the city. By taxi without traffic it is about 28 km, 74 min from Parque El Poblado, 33 km, 86 min from Laureles and 32 km, 84 min from Parque Berrío in the centre. Without a taxi: buses, colectivos and taxis leave the Sandiego roundabout for the airport 24 hours a day, by the Túnel de Oriente, by Alto de Palmas, or from the centre near Hotel Nutibara by the Medellín-Bogotá highway (operator).

Olaya Herrera (EOH) is inside the city. The operator's directions: the Terminal del Sur bus station is beside the airport, and Poblado metro station (Line A) is about a 30-minute walk (operator). Flights run every day, 5:30 to 18:30.

Avianca, Wingo and JetSMART all sell Cartagena from MDE (route pages: Avianca, Wingo, JetSMART). From EOH, Clic flies Cartagena as a seasonal route from 18 December, flown every day of the week (Clic). In that season, from El Poblado or Laureles, the airport in town is the shorter day.

Rafael Núñez airport from an arriving plane: the runway on the strip between the Caribbean and the Ciénaga de la Virgen lagoon, with the Crespo grid below it
On the approach: the runway runs along the strip between the Caribbean and the Ciénaga de la Virgen lagoon, with the streets of Crespo and the beach road into town below it (2019).Photo: Kidwiki91, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Name the airportGive the taxi the name: José María Córdova or Rionegro for MDE, Olaya Herrera for EOH.

3The flights

Who flies non-stop, and for how long

Avianca’s booking search for Tuesday 12 January 2027, listed 8 direct flights from MDE, the first and last at 5:00 and 22:30, each scheduled at 70 to 75 minutes. The dial uses that timetable. Wingo and JetSMART also sell the route; their booking screens give the time of each flight.

Clic flies from Olaya Herrera in its season: its booking screen for 21 December 2026, showed one morning flight, scheduled at 80 minutes.

When to be there. Avianca asks for 2 hours before a domestic flight, and its cut-off for a domestic flight is 45 minutes before departure (Avianca).

The ticket. Fares change by the day; the airlines' pages show them, and what things cost once you land is on Cartagena prices. Colombia's tourism tax and exit tax are charged on international tickets, so neither is in a Medellín to Cartagena fare. International ticket taxes are on the Cartagena airport page.

Landing lateFrom 19:00 to 5:00 the airport taxi adds 1,100 COP to the zone fare.

4By road

The bus: half a day or more from the Terminal del Norte

Two companies run the route from Medellín's north terminal (Terminales Medellín). Rápido Ochoa gives 12 h to 15 h 40 min, depending on the departure; its bus leaves Medellín's Terminal Norte and arrives at the Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena. Its timetable has 5 departures, the first at 5:30 and the last at 22:30, it allows two pieces of up to 15 kg each in the hold, and its fares start at 161,000 COP one way (Rápido Ochoa). For 19 November 2026, Expreso Brasilia’s booking site listed 8 departures, 12 h 45 min to 14 h 30 min (Expreso Brasilia).

Most departures leave in the evening and arrive in the morning: a bus seat instead of a hotel night. You arrive at a terminal on the city's edge, not in the old town.

How far it is

In a straight line Cartagena is 462 km north of Medellín. By road, terminal to terminal, it is 645 to 695 km, depending on the road taken.

Is there a train?

No. Colombia's national infrastructure agency counted rail passengers in 2023 only on La Dorada-Chiriguaná and Bogotá-Belencito, neither of which reaches Medellín or Cartagena (ANI, 14 March 2024).

The bus on the dialThe inner ring uses Rápido Ochoa's range, 12 h to 15 h 40 min, the operator that publishes one for every departure.

Driving yourselfFrom Parque Berrío to the Clock Tower the road is 656 to 713 km, depending on the road taken.

5Arriving

The last leg: from the plane or the bus to the old town

By air you leave Rafael Núñez by the domestic exit, which has its own authorized taxi station (the two exits). The operator puts the historic center 10 minutes away, and the city's 2026 fare to the walled city and Getsemaní is 20,200 COP, or 24,300 COP if the station counts your hotel in the hotel zone of the historic center (fare table; every zone in the fare finder). To be met instead: Airport Transfer to Cartagena Hotels, a private car; on its listing, a private transfer; pickup is arranged by WhatsApp with your flight number, the driver waits at the airport exit, and if the flight is late they wait or send another driver.

By bus you arrive at the Terminal de Transportes in El Pozón. It has a taxi and bus station open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a left-luggage service (terminal). The drive to the Clock Tower is 12 km, about 40 minutes without traffic. The city's published taxi table covers rides from the airport only, so agree the fare first; what the travel advisories say about taxis is on is Cartagena safe. Transcaribe's route X104 runs from the terminal into town, stopping at Bazurto, La Popa, Chambacú, Centro, Bodeguita; a ride is 3,900 COP, paid by contactless Visa card (Transcaribe). In town: getting around Cartagena.

Airport to the old town20,200 COPZone 1, about USD 6 by day.

Airport taxi tableIt prices rides from the airport only: 51,000 COP from the airport to the bus terminal, 20,200 COP from the airport to the old town. It lists no fare from the bus terminal.

The Clock Tower and the city wall lit at night, with horse carriages waiting in front
The Clock Tower and the wall beside it at 19:18 on an August evening in 2013, with horse carriages waiting. The tower is the gate between the walled city and Getsemaní.Photo: Zezar02, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

6The other way

Cartagena to Medellín

The same choice, reversed. Avianca’s booking search for 12 January 2027, listed 8 direct flights from Cartagena to MDE, the first and last at 6:50 and 22:25, each at 75 minutes. Clic’s booking screen for 21 December 2026 showed the flight back to Olaya Herrera at 95 minutes. Rápido Ochoa's bus takes 12 h 40 min to 13 h (Rápido Ochoa).

When to leave the old town. Cartagena's airport asks for 2 hours before a domestic flight (operator), and the drive from the Clock Tower is 6 km, 16 min without traffic. Leave the walls about 2 h 20 min before departure, more from Bocagrande. Or book the car: Transfer from Cartagena hotels to the airport, a private ride from the door of a hotel or rental in Bocagrande, the old city, Getsemaní, El Laguito, Castillogrande, Marbella, Los Morros, Cabrero, Manga or San Felipe to the airport.

Landing at MDE. The white taxis are authorized to run from the airport to Medellín 24 hours a day, drivers carry an airport ID (operator).

The bus backAsk the taxi for la Terminal de Transportes; the Medellín buses leave from there.

7Two cities

Medellín or Cartagena: the climate in brief

Medellín’s airport station stands at 1,490 m, Cartagena’s at 2 m. The mean daily high over the year is 27.9 °C (82 °F) in Medellín and 31.7 °C (89 °F) in Cartagena, and Medellín is wetter: 1,758 mm of rain a year against 1,074 mm (IDEAM normals 1991 to 2020, IDEAM open data, CC BY-SA 4.0). Cartagena month by month, with the felt heat by hour: Cartagena weather.

Brick walkway on top of the city walls, with the Caribbean on the left
The wide brick walkway on top of the old city walls, with the Caribbean on one side and apartment towers in the distance.Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

8On arrival

Once you are in Cartagena

Which area to sleep in: where to stay in Cartagena. The old town: the walled city and Getsemaní. A plan for the days: the Cartagena itinerary. The arrival in detail: Cartagena airport. Other cities and routes: getting to Cartagena. Off an overnight bus, use the cool morning; the walking hours by month are on getting around Cartagena, every street on the map of Cartagena, and a day on the water on the islands near Cartagena.

City and Bocagrande skyline seen from La Popa hill
Seen from La Popa hill, the city spreads toward the bay, with the Bocagrande towers on the horizon.Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9Questions

Medellín to Cartagena, asked and answered

What is the distance between Medellín and Cartagena?

In a straight line Cartagena, Colombia is 462 km north of Medellín. By road, from bus terminal to bus terminal, it is 645 to 695 km. The bus takes 12 h to 15 h 40 min on Rápido Ochoa's timetable; Avianca's direct flights were scheduled at 70 to 75 minutes in its booking search for 12 January 2027.

Is there a train connection from Medellín to Cartagena?

No. Colombia’s national infrastructure agency counted rail passengers in 2023 only on the La Dorada to Chiriguaná and Bogotá to Belencito corridors, neither of which reaches Medellín or Cartagena. The choice is a flight of a little over an hour or a bus of half a day or more.

What is the best way to get from Medellín to Cartagena?

Fly from José María Córdova airport (MDE) in Rionegro, where Avianca lists several direct flights a day; Wingo and JetSMART also sell the route. From El Poblado to the Clock Tower that is 4 h 50 min to 5 h door to door. From 18 December Clic also flies from Olaya Herrera, inside the city. The bus is 13 h 40 min to 17 h 25 min door to door.

Is Medellín or Cartagena better?

They differ most in climate. On IDEAM's 30-year normals Medellín's airport station sits at 1,490 m with a mean daily high of 27.9 °C (82 °F); Cartagena's is near sea level with 31.7 °C (89 °F). Medellín gets more rain, 1,758 mm a year against 1,074 mm. Cartagena has the sea and the walled city.

How do I get to Medellín from Cartagena?

Fly to MDE: Avianca’s booking search for 12 January 2027, listed 8 direct flights, each at 75 minutes. Cartagena's airport asks for 2 hours before a domestic flight, so leave the old town about 2 h 20 min before departure. The bus takes 12 h 40 min to 13 h.

Sources
  1. Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia: location and travel time to the historic centre and convention centre: 10 min. OINAC: Cómo llegar al aeropuerto.
  2. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Centro - San Diego - La Matuna - Getsemaní (2026 table): 20,200 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  3. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Centro - Zona hotelera Centro Histórico (2026 table): 24,300 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  4. 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').
  5. Airport taxi night surcharge in Cartagena, Colombia (2026): 1100 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  6. Airport taxi night surcharge hours in Cartagena, Colombia (2026): 19:00 to 5:00. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  7. Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia: minimum time to be at the airport before a domestic flight, per the operator: 2 h. OINAC: Preguntas frecuentes.
  8. Avianca, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: airports on the airline's own route page: Medellín (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG). Avianca: Vuelos Medellín a Cartagena (route page), 2026-11-12.
  9. Avianca, Medellín (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: direct flights in the airline's booking search for Tuesday 12 January 2027: 8. Avianca booking search, one way MDE-CTG, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  10. Avianca, Medellín (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: shortest scheduled flight time of the direct flights, 12 January 2027: 70 min. Avianca booking search, one way MDE-CTG, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  11. Avianca, Medellín (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: longest scheduled flight time of the direct flights, 12 January 2027: 75 min. Avianca booking search, one way MDE-CTG, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  12. Avianca, Medellín (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: first and last direct departure, 12 January 2027: 5:00 and 22:30. Avianca booking search, one way MDE-CTG, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  13. Avianca, Cartagena (CTG) to Medellín (MDE), Colombia: direct flights in the airline's booking search for Tuesday 12 January 2027: 8. Avianca booking search, one way CTG-MDE, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  14. Avianca, Cartagena (CTG) to Medellín (MDE), Colombia: scheduled flight time of every direct flight, 12 January 2027: 75 min. Avianca booking search, one way CTG-MDE, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  15. Avianca, Cartagena (CTG) to Medellín (MDE), Colombia: first and last direct departure, 12 January 2027: 6:50 and 22:25. Avianca booking search, one way CTG-MDE, 12 Jan 2027 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  16. Avianca: when to be at the airport before a domestic flight: 2 h. Avianca: Timelines and steps, 2026-11-12.
  17. Avianca: last moment for a domestic flight, after which you cannot board: 45 min. Avianca: Timelines and steps, 2026-11-12.
  18. Clic Air, Medellín Olaya Herrera (EOH) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: route status on the airline's route page: a seasonal route from 18 December, flown every day of the week. Clic Air: Vuelos de Medellín a Cartagena (route page), 2026-11-12.
  19. Clic Air, Medellín Olaya Herrera (EOH) to Cartagena (CTG), Colombia: scheduled flight time, flight VE 9132 on 21 December 2026: 80 min. Clic Air booking search, one way EOH-CTG, 21 Dec 2026 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  20. Clic Air, Cartagena (CTG) to Medellín Olaya Herrera (EOH), Colombia: scheduled flight time, flight VE 9133 on 21 December 2026: 95 min. Clic Air booking search, one way CTG-EOH, 21 Dec 2026 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  21. Wingo, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: Medellín airport named on the airline's route page: José María Córdova International Airport (MDE). Wingo: Low cost flights from Medellin to Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  22. JetSMART, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: route on the airline's route page: MDE-CTG, one-way fares listed by date. JetSMART: Flights from Medellin to Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  23. Olaya Herrera airport (EOH), Medellín, Colombia: hours of air operations, per the operator Airplan: every day, 5:30 to 18:30. Airplan: Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera, Cómo llegar (page footer), 2026-11-12.
  24. Olaya Herrera airport (EOH), Medellín, Colombia: getting there, per the operator: the Terminal del Sur bus station is beside the airport, and Poblado metro station (Line A) is about a 30-minute walk. Airplan: Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera, Cómo llegar, 2026-11-12.
  25. José María Córdova airport (MDE), Rionegro, Colombia: buses from Medellín, per the operator: buses, colectivos and taxis leave the Sandiego roundabout for the airport 24 hours a day, by the Túnel de Oriente, by Alto de Palmas, or from the centre near Hotel Nutibara by the Medellín-Bogotá highway. Airplan: Aeropuerto MDE, Cómo llegar, 2026-11-12.
  26. José María Córdova airport (MDE), Rionegro, Colombia: taxis to Medellín, per the operator: the white taxis are authorized to run from the airport to Medellín 24 hours a day, drivers carry an airport ID. Airplan: Aeropuerto MDE, Cómo llegar, 2026-11-12.
  27. Road distance from Parque Berrío (centre) to the Clock Tower (Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia), routed on OpenStreetMap: 656 to 713 km. OSRM and Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  28. Road distance from Terminal del Norte bus station to the Cartagena bus terminal (Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia), routed on OpenStreetMap: 645 to 695 km. OSRM and Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  29. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Cartagena bus terminal (Terminal de Transportes, El Pozón; OSM relation 1798882), routed on OpenStreetMap: 12.0 km. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  30. Driving time from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the Cartagena bus terminal (Terminal de Transportes, El Pozón; OSM relation 1798882), routing estimate without traffic, rounded to 5 minutes: 40 minutes. Valhalla auto routing (FOSSGIS public instance) on OpenStreetMap data, fetched 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  31. Reference point Parque El Poblado, El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia: position in OpenStreetMap: 6.2103450, -75.5709742 (OSM way/28565493). OpenStreetMap via Nominatim, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  32. Reference point Primer Parque de Laureles, Laureles, Medellín, Colombia: position in OpenStreetMap: 6.2459659, -75.5934622 (OSM way/35414119). OpenStreetMap via Nominatim, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  33. Reference point Parque Berrío, La Candelaria, Medellín, Colombia: position in OpenStreetMap: 6.2500151, -75.5681360 (OSM way/31965663). OpenStreetMap via Nominatim, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  34. Medellín, Colombia (Olaya Herrera airport station 27015330), climate normal 1991-2020: mean daily maximum air temperature, annual: 27.9 °C. IDEAM, Normales Climatológicas de Colombia (datos.gov.co nsz2-kzcq), 2026-11-12.
  35. Medellín, Colombia (Olaya Herrera airport station 27015330), climate normal 1991-2020: mean annual precipitation: 1758.4 mm. IDEAM, Normales Climatológicas de Colombia (datos.gov.co nsz2-kzcq), 2026-11-12.
  36. Medellín, Colombia: altitude of IDEAM's Olaya Herrera airport station (27015330) in the national climate normals: 1490 m. IDEAM, Normales Climatológicas de Colombia (datos.gov.co nsz2-kzcq), 2026-11-12.
  37. Cartagena, Colombia: altitude of IDEAM's Rafael Núñez airport station (14015080) in the national climate normals: 2 m. IDEAM, Normales Climatológicas de Colombia (datos.gov.co nsz2-kzcq), 2026-11-12.
  38. Cartagena, Colombia (Rafael Núñez airport station 14015080), climate normal 1991-2020: mean daily maximum air temperature, annual: 31.7 °C. IDEAM, Normales Climatológicas de Colombia (datos.gov.co nsz2-kzcq), 2026-11-12.
  39. By car from Parque El Poblado to José María Córdova airport (MDE), Rionegro (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 28.0 km, 74 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  40. By car from Primer Parque de Laureles to José María Córdova airport (MDE), Rionegro (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 32.7 km, 86 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  41. By car from Parque Berrío (centre) to José María Córdova airport (MDE), Rionegro (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 32.0 km, 84 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  42. By car from Parque El Poblado to Olaya Herrera airport (EOH) (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 3.7 km, 16 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  43. By car from Primer Parque de Laureles to Olaya Herrera airport (EOH) (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 4.5 km, 21 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  44. By car from Parque Berrío (centre) to Olaya Herrera airport (EOH) (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 8.6 km, 26 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  45. By car from Parque El Poblado to Terminal del Norte bus station (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 10.0 km, 23 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  46. By car from Primer Parque de Laureles to Terminal del Norte bus station (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 7.2 km, 20 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  47. By car from Parque Berrío (centre) to Terminal del Norte bus station (Medellín, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 4.6 km, 15 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  48. By car from the Clock Tower to Rafael Núñez airport (CTG) (Cartagena, Colombia), Valhalla routing estimate on OpenStreetMap without traffic: 5.9 km, 16 min. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-12, 2026-11-12.
  49. Cartagena, Colombia (Rafael Núñez airport), climate normal 1991-2020: mean annual precipitation: 1073.8 mm. IDEAM: Normales Climatológicas de Colombia 1991-2020 (open data, datos.gov.co dataset nsz2-kzcq), station 14015080 Aeropuerto Rafael Nuñez, Cartagena de Indias, 2025-07-01.
  50. GetYourGuide listing 'Airport Transfer to Cartagena Hotels' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: pickup and delays: a private transfer; pickup is arranged by WhatsApp with your flight number, the driver waits at the airport exit, and if the flight is late they wait or send another driver. GetYourGuide listing 569361 (AV COL).
  51. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Transfer from Cartagena hotels to the airport' (AV COL, t750043), Cartagena, Colombia: what it is: a private ride from the door of a hotel or rental in Bocagrande, the old city, Getsemaní, El Laguito, Castillogrande, Marbella, Los Morros, Cabrero, Manga or San Felipe to the airport. GetYourGuide listing t750043 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  52. 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.
  53. Transcaribe (BRT) bus fare, Cartagena, Colombia: 3900 COP. Transcaribe S.A.: news 'Alcaldía de Cartagena expide decreto que fija nueva tarifa de Transcaribe', 2026-01-20.
  54. 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.
  55. Rápido Ochoa bus, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: lowest one-way fare per person on its route page (the cheapest of the next seven days, "desde"): 161,000 COP. Rápido Ochoa: bus de Medellín a Cartagena (route page), 2026-11-11.
  56. Rápido Ochoa bus, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: published trip time: 12 h to 15 h 40 min. Rápido Ochoa: Tiquetes de bus de Medellín a Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  57. Rápido Ochoa bus, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: where it leaves and arrives: leaves Medellín's Terminal Norte and arrives at the Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena. Rápido Ochoa: Tiquetes de bus de Medellín a Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  58. Rápido Ochoa bus, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: departures on Wednesday 11 November 2026: 5 departures, the first at 5:30 and the last at 22:30. Rápido Ochoa: Tiquetes de bus de Medellín a Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  59. Rápido Ochoa bus, Cartagena to Medellín, Colombia: published trip time: 12 h 40 min to 13 h. Rápido Ochoa: Tiquetes de bus de Cartagena a Medellín, 2026-11-12.
  60. Rápido Ochoa bus, Medellín to Cartagena, Colombia: luggage allowance: two pieces of up to 15 kg each. Rápido Ochoa: Tiquetes de bus de Medellín a Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  61. Expreso Brasilia bus, Medellín Terminal Norte to Cartagena terminal, Colombia: scheduled trip times on 19 November 2026: 8 departures, 12 h 45 min to 14 h 30 min. Expreso Brasilia booking search, Medellín-Cartagena, 19 Nov 2026 (read 2026-11-12), 2026-11-12.
  62. Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena, Colombia: services, per the terminal: a taxi and bus station open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a left-luggage service. Terminal de Transporte de Cartagena: Nuestros servicios, 2026-11-12.
  63. Colombia's national infrastructure agency (ANI) on rail passengers, report of 14 March 2024: corridors that carried passengers in 2023: La Dorada-Chiriguaná and Bogotá-Belencito. ANI: Gobierno del Cambio impulsa la reactivación férrea en el país (14 Mar 2024), 2026-11-12.
  64. Distances on the chart. Straight-line distance from the Clock Tower, computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates (ODbL).

Photographs

  1. Torre del Reloj above the Puerta del Reloj, the main gate in the city wall. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Rafael Núñez airport from an arriving plane: the runway on the strip between the Caribbean and the Ciénaga de la Virgen lagoon, with the Crespo grid below it. Photo: Kidwiki91, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. The Clock Tower and the city wall lit at night, with horse carriages waiting in front. Photo: Zezar02, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. City and Bocagrande skyline seen from La Popa hill. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Brick walkway on top of the city walls, with the Caribbean on the left. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons