Overview Compare Minivan Bus To Stay
To continue your journey along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, many travellers head to the country’s most visited destination: Cartagena.
Unlike the rest of the country, Cartagena has been a tourist hub for quite a while as it’s a common stop for cruise ships sailing the Caribbean. Its appeal lies in the almost intact and colourful, colonial-style mansions in the old city that are surrounded by towering stone walls.
We also can’t help but mention the variety of delicious food options lining every street and the people who never seem to stop smiling. Cartagena is also the well-known location for multiple international cultural festivals during January-March.
How to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena
The distance from Santa Marta to Cartagena is about 227 km (141 miles). There are no direct flights between the 2 cities, so the most popular options to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena are a 5-hour during bus ride or 4.5-hour minivan ride. Fares range between $8.50 (40,000 COP) and $18.50 (85,000 COP).
3 ways to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena
A minivan is a popular choice when travelling any route between Cartagena-Barranquilla-Santa Marta and vice versa. They leave from the city centre of Santa Marta and also arrive in the city centre of Cartagena.
The bus tickets are cheaper than the minivan, but you’ll have to add the costs of getting to/from the bus terminals. When using public transport, you will be off slightly cheaper, but when using a taxi, the costs will be similar to the minivan.
Travelling by taxi from Santa Marta to Cartagena is another option, but can be expensive. Expect to pay between $105 (500,000 COP) – $150 (700,000 COP), depending on the holiday seasons. There’s also the option of booking a private car through BookAway, or alternatively, most hotels can arrange it for you as well.
Santa Marta to Cartagena by Minivan
Taking a minivan from Santa Marta to Cartagena is an easy option as the vans leave from Santa Marta’s city centre and drop you off in the centre of Cartagena.
There are a number of different companies offering minivan service from Santa Marta to Cartagena, but the most popular ones are Marsol, Caribe Vans, Pro tours and Coche Express. They all used to operate every 2 hours, from 06:00-18:00.
Since the pandemic, options are a bit more limited. You can check the availability and book a minivan with Marsol through BookAway, providing your pick-up and drop-off addresses.
Unfortuantley the other bus companies are currently not available for online bookings.
Minivan schedule from Santa Marta To Cartagena
Note that departures are marked with a 5.5 hour duration time. This means that the minivan will also stop in Barranquilla to pick-up and drop-off passengers, adding an extra hour onto your journey versus going straight to Cartagena.
Expect to pay around $18.50 (85,000 COP) for the trip from Santa Marta to Cartagena. Prices can increase by around 25% during the holiday seasons, though.
Santa Marta to Cartagena by Bus
Getting from Santa Marta to Cartagena is a cheaper option than the minivan, The main journey might be even quicker, but this excludes the transfer time to/from the bus station.
The easiest way to travel to/from the bus stations would be to take a taxi. However, this will also be more expensive and if you add the taxi costs to the costs of the bus ticket, the final costs will be higher than the minivan.
Luckily it’s also possible to get to the bus station by public bus.
Bus schedule from Santa Marta to Cartagena
How to get to Santa Marta Bus terminal
To get to Santa Marta bus terminal take a yellow cab and tell the driver that you want to go to the “Terminal de buses”.
The fare should be around $1.70 (8,000 COP) from Santa Marta city centre, where most hotels are. If you are staying in the El Rodadero area, that fare will significantly increase to around $5 (25,000 COP).
There are three major bus companies that will take you from Santa Marta to Cartagena: Unitransco, Expreso Brasilia and Copetran.
They have buses leaving from Santa Marta Bus Terminal (Terminal de Buses) at various times every day.
You can book your tickets online (make sure to print your ticket in advance), or directly at the bus terminal.
How to get from Cartagena Bus Terminal to the city centre
Cartagena bus terminal is quite far from the city centre. There are 2 ways to connect from there: a 1-hour bus or a 30-minute taxi ride.
Option 1: Cartagena Bus Terminal to city centre by Transcaribe Bus
The bus terminal is well connected to the city centre of Cartagena, as well as the popular neighbourhoods of Getsemani and San Diego with the Transcaribe buses.
You can find these buses just outside the bus terminal. They run every 30 minutes and the line that takes you to the city centre is X104.
You should get off at the last stop ‘La Bodeguita’ for the old city, or the one before called ‘Centro’ if you are going to either the Getsemani or San Diego areas.
Option 2: Cartagena Bus Terminal to city centre by Taxi
Taxis can also be found right outside the bus terminal. Expect to pay $3.90 (18,000 COP) for a ride to the old city. Taxi rates are regulated by the local government, nevertheless, as a general rule in Cartagena, it is better to agree on the price before stepping in.
Uber does not really work in Cartagena, but if you prefer to use an app, locals use InDriver, which allows you to bid the rate you want to pay, and drivers will accept or decline it.
Our favourite places to stay in Cartagena
Cartagena is a popular international tourist destination in Colombia. This means that it’s flooded with hotels, particularly luxury resorts.
Finding a cheap place to stay here can be a bit harder due to the high demand, but there are many great options to choose from.
Here are our favourite places to stay in Cartagena:
San Lazaro Art Hotel - Treat Yourself
How often do you get to stay in a hotel that overlooks a castle? With floor to ceiling windows in most rooms, you’ll never want to close your curtains and stop looking at San Felipe de Barajas Castle.
The rooftop pool, terrace restaurant and bar also offer the same incredible view. All of the rooms offer ultimate comfort, with huge beds and modern bathrooms.
- Rooftop pool
- Incredible views from the restaurant and terrace
- Amazing staff
- Great breakfast included
Double rooms available from $80 per night
Posada La Fe - Mid Range
Cartagena can get hot, so having a pool to take a dip in is the perfect touch. All of the modern and spacious rooms have air conditioning too.
The staff go above and beyond to make sure that your stay is nothing short of perfect. By the end of your stay, you’ll feel like you’re leaving family. The location is also hard to beat!
- Exceptional staff
- Light and airy rooms with air conditioning
- Swimming pool
- Delicious breakfast included
Double rooms between $40-$80 per night
Hotel Santa Cecilia B&B - Mid Range
Offering a light and neutral colour palette, Santa Cecilia oozes relaxation. The large beds guarantee a great night’s sleep too.
The location is great, with some rooms offering balcony views over the city. Just across the road, you’ll find a selection of food trucks, a nice place to grab some delicious food and chill out.
- Friendly and welcoming staff
- Calm and relaxing rooms
- Great location
- A large and delicious breakfast included
Double rooms between $40-$80 per night
Ayenda Casa Roman - Budget Friendly
Ayenda is a chain of hotels found in Colombia, and Casa Roman in Cartagena is one of the best. Being close to the main boulevard and the beach makes this an ideal location to stay.
The modern rooms and terrace with hammocks are perfect for relaxing after a busy day. Helpful staff and a delicious breakfast will help to set you up right for the day ahead.
- Large and modern rooms
- Terrace with hammocks
- Great location
- Superb breakfast included
Double rooms between $20-$40 per night
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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.
