How to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena
One of the most popular cities you can visit in Colombia, Cartagena is known for its beautiful historic center and nearby tropical islands.
Here you can really enjoy yourself with many things on, whether that be riding around in a local chiva, dancing salsa in a local joint or hitting the city’s atmospheric beaches.
Santa Marta to Cartagena
In this guide we’ll explore some of the most popular ways of getting from Santa Marta to Cartagena. We’ll also take a look at where to stay as well as some other tips based on our time spent here.
Cartagena Quick Summary:
📍 Where is it: Northern Colombia
🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Easy
⏱ Time needed: 3-6 days
☀️ Best Time to Visit: February-April
Where is Cartagena?
Cartagena is located along the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia, within the region of Bolívar.
As already mentioned, the temperatures are pretty hot here year-round and barely fluctuate. Given its location by the coast, it does however mean that there is a dry and wet season.
The dry season is the best time to visit, and runs from December until April seeing as little as 0-1.5 inches of rainfall within each month. The contrasting wet season begins in May and lasts until November, where anything from 3.5-6 inches of rainfall can fall throughout each month.
Things to know BEFORE visiting Cartagena
- Hot Daily Temperatures – Although much of Colombia’s Caribbean coast is warm year-round, in Cartagena you can definitely feel the heat more. Make sure to drink plenty of water (see our guide to drinking water in Colombia) when out and about, and to also rest-up in shade several times whenever you get the chance.
- Some Safety Precautions – Unfortunately Cartagena has been a target for opportunistic criminals in the last few decades. This means you’ll want to avoid bringing valuables out with you, or dressing up too nicely at night and walking around. This is especially so when out in the steets of Getsemani, although you’ll still want to be cautious within the walled historic center.
- Planning Your Time Here – In general we recommend staying anywhere from 3-6 days here to have the best experience, although we’d recommend more rather than less. This is because there’s quite a few day trips worth doing here, such as to the El Totumo Mud Volcano, Rosario Islands and to nearby Caribbean towns such as Santiago de Tolú.
How far is Cartagena from Santa Marta?
Cartagena is located roughly 238 km south-west of Santa Marta, with the coastal highway connecting the two being the quicker way of getting between them.
We can expect the drive to take roughly 4 hours, although this can vary depending on when you are leaving (expect a little more if traveling on the weekend). Also note that buses can sometimes take shorter or longer than expected too.
This also means you could easily visit Cartagena as a day or weekend trip from Santa Marta. Many travelers do this and we also recommend it, given Santa Marta is a great hub from which you can also visit Minca, Palomino and The Guajira Desert.
I (Dan) recently did this trip with the shared taxi service. Before you book, I suggest that you see these reasons to visit Cartagena to see if it really does suit your travel plans.
Where to stay in Cartagena?
There are three main zones we recommend travelers to stay in Cartagena, and what you choose really depends on what you want.
Getsemani is the best for local culture and backpackers, whilst the Walled City (historic center) is best for those who want to be surrounded by beautiful architecture. Finally Bocagrande is a great place to find nicer accommodation options closer to the beach.
If you want to keep things cheap, then we recommend staying at the Media Luna Hostel. It’s located right in the heart of Getsemani, so you’ll have lots of bars and restaurants very close.
As well as including free breakfast, you’ll also have an on-site swimming pool to enjoy.
Those who are after a more comfortable stay (without breaking the bank), will love the Casa India Cartagena.
You’ll be staying within a beautiful colonial building within the walled historic center, where you can upgrade to a more comfortable, air-conditioned private room.
Are you looking for the most memorable and deluxe experience possible? Then you’ll want to stay at the Hotel Almirante. Here you’ll be just a block from the beach in Bocagrande, staying in a luxurious, spacious room.
On-site you’ll find various restaurants, a swimming pool, a bar and a casino, and will also have breakfast included in the room rate.
How to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena
Let’s now explore your different options of getting from Santa Marta to Cartagena. At this time of writing, we’ve found 3 main ways of making the trip.
Bus from Santa Marta to Cartagena
Taking the bus will be the best bet for backpackers, and also other travelers that are looking to stick to a lower budget.
From the main bus terminal we can find several companies that depart hourly from the early morning, with Expreso Brasilia being one of the most reputable providers. The journey will take roughly 4-6 hours.
The price of a one-way ticket is roughly $13, which makes it a really affordable way of getting between the two. Keep in mind that the bus terminal is very far from the tourist center, so you’ll then need to get a taxi or Uber after arriving by bus.
Private Transfer from Santa Marta to Cartagena
On the other side of things we had the more exclusive private shuttle. Here you’ll be traveling in a comfortably air-conditioned vehicle (there’s also AC on the bus, however it can often get pretty cold).
The benefit of heading with a private shuttle is that you’ll be picked-up directly from your accommodation in Santa Marta, and then dropped off where you are staying in Cartagena. No need to organize an extra taxi from the bus terminal here!
You can pre-book your shuttle online here, where we recommend doing it at least a day in advance given availability can vary.
Shared Shuttle to Cartagena from Santa Marta
If the private transfer seems a little too much (and you still want something better than the bus), then you go for a shared shuttle which is a nice mid-way point.
You’ll also be picked-up from where you are staying in Santa Marta, sharing a ride with other travelers and locals until you reach Cartagena. The two main companies that provide this service are MarSol and Berlinastur.
Please note the shuttle stops in Barranquilla for about 30 minutes, before then continuing into Cartagena.
Getting from Santa Marta to Cartagena
And that’s all for this guide on how to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena.
Known for its mix of Caribbean beaches, wild nightlife and beautiful architecture, Cartagena really offers something for everyone.
As you’ll see it’s really easy to get to Cartagena, making it a simple destination to add to your trip in Colombia.
In this guide we’ve explored how to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena, as well as where to stay and what to do.
Be sure to read our Backpacking Colombia Itinerary to find out what other destinations you’ll want to visit, as well as how to create your own itinerary around this memorable South American nation.
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