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How to get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva (and back)
Villa de Leyva is one of the main attractions in the area surrounding Bogota. It is a unique small colonial town with white houses and cobblestone streets that have been extremely well preserved. Villa de Leyva has plenty of activities, from paleontology and historical museums, to extreme sports and hikes offering stunning natural views. If you are going during August, make sure to visit during the kite festival, it’s quite a sight to see!
Villa de Leyva is relatively close to Bogota, so a visit can be done as a day trip. However, you won’t have much time to explore the wonderful things Villa de Leyva has to offer and with the journey on top, it can make for a very tiring day.
2 ways to get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva (and back)
We recommend spending a night or two, to get the most out of your visit because there are also plenty of nice accommodation options. The best way to get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva is by bus. The distance between the two is 165 km (102 miles), which is about 3.5 hours on the road for a fare of only $6 (28,000 COP).
It’s also possible to take a taxi from Bogota to Villa de Leyva. However, the rate for one way is around $135 (620,000 COP). It’s an expensive option and given the good service of the buses, it doesn’t offer that much more comfort. You can check the taxi availability on BookAway.
Bogota to Villa de Leyva by Bus
To get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva, you can take a bus departing from Terminal Salitre or Terminal del Norte in Bogota.
It is recommended to take the buses departing from Terminal del Norte, which is conveniently located near the exit to Villa de Leyva. You will be able to avoid getting stuck in traffic whilst crossing the city from Terminal Salitre.
The Terminal del Norte can be easily reached with the metrobus system called Transmilenio by taking any line starting with the letter B. If you are departing from the city centre, go to the station ‘Universidades’ and take the B74 until the last stop ‘Terminal’. The ticket costs $0.50 (2,400 COP).
If you decide to go from Terminal Salitre, you can also use the Transmilenio. At the station ‘Universidades’ take line 1 towards Portal Eldorado and get off at the station ‘El Tiempo-Maloka’
Buses operating from Bogota to Villa de Leyva depart every 30-60 minutes from 06:00 to 16:45. The main bus companies are Flota Valle de Tenza whose buses depart from both terminals, and Omega, which only departs from Terminal Salitre. Both are very similar in terms of quality, but Valle de Tenza offers more frequent departures.
You can buy the tickets directly at the bus station for $6 (28,000 COP).
Bus schedule from Bogota to Villa de Leyva
The bus will drop you at Villa de Leyva bus terminal. Most hotels and hostels are located within walking distance from the bus stop and the main square is also only a 5-minute walk from the bus terminal. In case you are staying outside of town there are also taxis available to take you too.
Villa de Leyva to Bogota by Bus (the way back)
When travelling back from Villa de Leyva to Bogota, you’ll need to go to the main bus terminal in Villa de Leyva. It’s easy getting to this bus terminal because it’s within walking distance from most parts in town.
Buses to Bogota depart every half hour from 04:30 to 18:00. You can buy the tickets at the bus station; the price is $6 (28,000 COP).
Bus schedule from Villa de Leyva to Bogota (the way back)
When arriving in Bogota, you can choose to get off in front of Terminal del Norte (the bus will not enter the terminal) or you can continue to Terminal Salitre.
Reaching the city centre is easy from both terminals, however it is closer to Terminal Salitre.
To get to the city centre from Terminal del Norte, you’ll need to go to the Transmilenio station called ‘Terminal’ and from there take the line J70 or J72 until the last stop Universidades. The ticket costs $0.50 (2,400 COP).
If you end up staying on the bus until Terminal Salitre, you can take a taxi to the city centre for around $2.60 (12,000 COP) or Uber starting at $1.70 (8,000 COP).
Another option is to walk 15 minutes to the closest ‘Transmilenio’ station (Bogota’s metrobus system) called ‘El Tiempo-Maloka’. From there you can take the #1 line in the direction of ‘Universidades’ and get off at this station too. A ticket costs $0.50 (2,400 COP).
Most popular routes in Colombia
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
