Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

Cartagena de Indias
Santa Marta
Sat, Mar 14
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Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta Destination Reviews

MM
Martine M
Horrible company cancelled my return twice. Even one day before having to take the bus
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus AC Seater, Expreso Brasilia, Mar 9, 2026
MT
Marc T
The trip should have taken 4.5 hours, but it took us 7 hours to get to Santa Marta. The bus broke down, but we received no information. As a foreigner I had to get up and find out that the bus was out of service and that we were waiting for another one. This one arrived an hour and a half later. I understand that this kind of incident can happen, but the least one could do is provide information and apologize. None of this was done, hence my dissatisfaction.
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus AC Seater, Expreso Brasilia, Mar 8, 2026
AW
Andrej W
The bus was dirty - every seat. Nothing worked (Monitor, electrical sockets etc.). It wasn’t that „Luxury“ experience like advertised. The driving time was 6,5h.
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus Luxury, Expreso Brasilia, Mar 7, 2026
HO
Henry O
Good service, fast , affordable and reliable.
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Van Tourist, Transportes Marsol (Transportes Marsol), Feb 25, 2026
G
Guillaume
Arrival with 1h30 delay
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus AC Seater, Copetran, Feb 21, 2026
FT
Finn T
Waa said to leave at 10.45 and take 4 hours... we left at 11.10 and it took closer to 7 hours. Not recommendable
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus AC Seater, Unitransco, Jan 20, 2026
SJ
Steve J
Seating a bit cramped as typical for Colombian buses
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Van Tourist, Transportes Marsol (Transportes Marsol), Dec 27, 2025
RC
Ryan C
Terrible customer service Bus was dirty and chewing gum everywhere Bus was 2 hours late arriving to Santa Marta
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Bus AC Seater, Unitransco, Dec 14, 2025
MA
Marc A
It was a nice ride, on time, with 2 stops for toilet and or food. They even stopped at a McDonald’s. Totally worth it, and this was the cheapest ride at 24$US
Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, Van Tourist, Transportes Marsol (Transportes Marsol), Sep 15, 2025
4.5
100 customer reviews
5
69%
4
17%
3
7%
2
6%
1
1%

Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Taxi
Transglobal Ejecutivos
Standard 2pax
Any time
+4h 30m
€150.41
Bus
Unitransco
Servicio Preferencial
00:30
03:50
€13.46
  5.0
Bus
Unitransco
Caribe Express
01:00
02:30
€6.33
Bus
Unitransco
Caribe Express
01:30
02:45
€6.33
Bus
Unitransco
Servicio Preferencial
02:00
07:30
€11.22
  5.0
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
02:17
14:37
€114.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
03:42
21:43
€159.60
Van
Cartagena Toures y Excursiones
Minivan
04:00
08:00
€49.12
Flight
Avianca
Economy
04:17
09:44
€116.50
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
04:35
19:57
€116.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
04:51
16:58
€217.69
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
05:11
19:09
€75.00
Flight
Avianca
Economy
05:27
10:51
€167.50
Flight
Avianca
Economy
05:43
06:21
€109.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
05:59
12:03
€83.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
06:16
12:43
€74.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
06:32
06:36
€99.69
Flight
Avianca
Economy
06:50
12:02
€71.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
07:11
21:14
€69.00
Flight
LATAM Airlines Group
Economy
07:27
19:17
€133.50

How to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

When you want to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta, you have a few options to consider. Traveling between these destinations is possible by different means of transport:

  • Flight
  • Bus
  • Van
  • Taxi

If you’re looking for a quick trip, it’s recommended that you use Flight. However, if you’d rather take your time with a slower, more affordable travel option, you can book a Bus ticket.

The cost of travel will depend on the means of transport you choose for your trip. A taxi ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about EUR 554.36. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a van as a van ticket costs as low as EUR 22.03.

How far is Cartagena de Indias from Santa Marta?

If you’re traveling by land, it’s important to know the distance from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta. Your trip will be a total of 187 miles (300 km). The flying distance is 1674 miles (2692 km).

How long does it take to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta?

The travel time from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta can vary depending on the mode of transportation you choose. All things considered, the whole journey should take from 4 to 6 hours.

How much does it cost to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta?

The cost of the trip from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Transportes Marsol: travelling by van expect to pay as low as EUR 22.03 for your ticket.

However, if you’re after more upscale travel . The most expensive variant is to opt for a taxi - a one-way taxi ticket can cost as much as EUR 554.36.

Here is a chart of the average ticket prices and transportation options available from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta:

  • Bus tickets - EUR 13.72 to EUR 16.97;
  • Van price : EUR 22.03;
  • flight price: EUR 109.07 - EUR 403.83. From Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta starting from 05:20 Cartagena Airport until 18:20 Cartagena Airport

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from EUR 230.86 to EUR 554.36.

How many trips per day are there between Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta?

Depending on your choice of transportation, the number of daily trips varies.

  • 20 by flight from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta starting from 05:20 Cartagena Airport until 18:20 Cartagena Airport
  • Vans from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta depart during the day - there are approximately 11 departures a day.
  • Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Buses

Taking a bus from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta is cheaper than flying. Quite often, a long-distance bus is the cheapest transportation option. Buses normally make bathroom and/or lunch stops along the way.

Things to remember before opting for a bus ride:

  • If possible, make sure to choose higher-class buses for a more comfortable travel experience. Such buses often have an air conditioning system, soft reclining seats, Wi-Fi, bathrooms, etc.
  • As with plane tickets, buses are better booked in advance so that you can secure a good seat.
  • While booking a bus, keep in mind that delays are possible. Yet it still pays to get to the bus station at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.

Taxi

Catching a cab is the easiest way to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta. It allows you to tailor-make your trip, plan all the detours and see all the places you want. You can choose the type and the size of your car as well to be as comfortable as you'd like to.

Depending on the route, it might cost as much as EUR 230.86.

Things to remember: It's a good idea to follow the route on Google Maps or any other GPS navigator.

Vans

A shared van is another means of transport for traveling from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta. As far as travel time is concerned, it’s basically equal to a taxi ride, while price-wise it’s way more affordable. The majority of tourists book a van online in advance.

Sometimes, when trains or buses aren’t available, a van is your only way to get from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta.

Things to remember: while traveling by van, you might not have as much space for luggage as you would on a train or a plane. It’s a good idea to pack only the most useful things for a van trip and put them in a backpack that will be easy to carry around..

The most popular transport from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta? In order to make your choice of transportation easier, we asked 1000 users to range their preferences for this route. Here are the results of the poll:

  • 51% opted for a van.
  • 49% decided to go for a bus.

Transportation from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

Facts about the transport from Cartagena de Indias to Santa Marta

Cheapest Transport€14
Fastest Transport3h 10m
Earliest Departure5:00 AM
Latest Departure10:15 PM
Departures per day38
Distance300 kilometers
Transport CompaniesAvianca, Copetran, Expreso Brasilia, Flota La Macarena, Guianza Express, Transportes Marsol, Unitransco