Are you wondering how to get to Santa Marta from Cartagena or what is the best way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta?

Santa Marta is a popular addition to a trip to Cartagena or the Colombian Caribbean coast. It’s got a pretty colonial historic center and there are some decent beaches nearby. It’s also a great jumping off spot for several other neat destinations nearby.

So if you’re planning to visit multiple spots along the Caribbean coast, you might be asking yourself, how to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta.

You’re in luck, because, it’s relatively easy and relatively quick to get to Santa Marta from Cartagena. You even have a handful of different options. I’ve traveled from Cartagena to Santa Marta many times in many different ways.

In this post, I’ll go over the ways to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta, the pros and cons of each based on my experiences, and give you all the information you need to decide what’s the best way to get to Santa Marta from Cartagena for your trip.

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5 Ways to Get to Santa Marta from Cartagena

As I mentioned in the introduction, Santa Marta is a popular addition to a trip to Cartagena or stop on a trek up the Colombian Caribbean coast.

It’s a decent enough destination in its own right with a pretty waterfront and some neat colonial vibes of its own. The beaches at El Rodadero and the pretty scenery at Taganga, both on the outskirts nearby are also nice.

But what really makes it worthwhile to come to Santa Marta from Cartagena is all the nearby other destinations, especially for nature lovers.

The mountain town of Minca with its jungle covered mountains and neat waterfalls, the unspoiled beaches of Tayrona National Park, and the hip vibes of beach town Palomino are all within a short distance of Santa Marta. I also loved the chill atmosphere of Costeño Beach. If you want to get really adventurous, you can even travel up to the rugged desert of La Guajira to Cabo de la Vela and on to Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point in South America!

Those are some of our favorite places in Colombia, after Cartagena, of course!

If you’re considering visiting any of them, you’ll most likely route through Santa Marta. As I see it, there are 5 ways to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta. They are:

• Private Transportation
• Charter Bus Services
• Buses from the Terminal
• Renting a Car and Driving
• Cartagena to Santa Marta Flights?

I’m going to go over some details, options, and pros and cons of each of those methods of transportation from Cartagena to Santa Marta below, but if you’re in a hurry, I strongly recommend either private transportation or charter bus services like Marsol and Berlinas over the other options.

One is more convenient, and one is more budget friendly while still being pretty convenient. The other options are only really worth it in certain, very specific situations. Read on for more details on each of those 5 options.

Private Transportation from Cartagena to Santa Marta

This is by far the most convenient, safest, and most comfortable way to travel to Santa Marta from Cartagena.

You can plan your departure time based on your schedule. You won’t be crammed in like sardines or uncomfortable in A/C that is too hot or too cold. You’ll be able to see all the pretty scenery out the window. You can stop for a potty break, a snack, or just to enjoy some of that scenery on the Cartagena to Santa Marta drive whenever you want.

It’s also generally going to be the quickest (spoiler: there are no direct flights from Cartagena to Santa Marta as of this writing).

It is, of course, also the second most expensive after flying, so those looking for a more budget friendly choice, should look to option 2 below.

I would recommend private transportation most in the following situations:

• You have limited time
• You have a tight schedule and things planned for certain times the day of travel
• You have limited Spanish

Private transportation would also make a great choice if you are a group of 3+ where the price can be divided between you to make it a bit more cost effective.

If you’d like to book private transportation from Cartagena to Santa Marta, you can do so via our partners BnB Colombia Tours. They will even give you a discount if you use the code ExploreColombia10!

They also have direct transfers from Cartagena to Tayrona and Cartagena to Palomino as well as transfers from Santa Marta to Minca and Santa Marta to Palomino.

You can also use that discount code above to get a discount on any of their day tours in Santa Marta or their Cartagena tours.

Actually, if you want the ultimate in convenience and safe travel, they can even design your entire trip for you, complete with private tours and bilingual guides. And they’ll even offer you a discount for that too! Fill out the form on this page to make an inquiry for the tailor made Colombia trip of your dreams, from Cartagena to Santa Marta and beyond.

It’s also possible to book private transfers from Cartagena to Santa Marta via Viator. For larger groups, you can also book private minivans on BookaWay.

Charter Bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta

This is my preferred choice for how to get to Santa Marta from Cartagena.

It’s the perfect balance of being more budget friendly while still also being fairly comfortable and convenient. It’s the way we have traveled the most to Santa Marta from Cartagena, and the one I’d recommend as long as you’re not on a super tight schedule and are ok with shared transportation.

There are two main companies that offer charter Cartagena to Santa Marta bus services. Well, really these are usually big vans. The two companies are Marsol and Berlinas.

Both have offices in Marbella, a short and cheap taxi ride from the Walled City and easily accessible from the tourist areas of Cartagena. That is the main reason why I recommend them over the standard buses from the terminal I’ll talk about below.

Yes, they are a bit more expensive.

However, the terminal is a longer trip from the area where 99% of visitors to Cartagena will be staying, up to even an hour plus if traffic is bad. The money you’ll save on a cheaper ticket for a Cartagena to Santa Marta bus is often not worth it, and if you take a taxi to the terminal, you might not really spend any less total.

I’ve done both Berlinas and Marsol numerous times and both are fine.

I have a slight preference for Berlinas as I think they have a little bit better customer service and are often a tad cheaper (I’m not including prices here because they tend to change at least once a year and sometimes more often; generally the two companies are within a few thousand pesos of each other).

Marsol does offer door to door service, so they can pick you up from your hotel in Cartagena and/or drop you off at your hotel in Santa Marta. I generally don’t recommend this because they will pick you up much earlier than you’ll need to leave to take a taxi and the last time I checked they charged extra for this. It can be useful if you have a lot of luggage and/or are not sure your way around or not comfortable with taxis.

Honestly, though, they are pretty similar services, so I’d just contact them and pick the one that offers the best price and/or departure time. Both should have departures at least every 1-2 hours throughout the day.

There is one thing I’d say to keep in mind if you are flexible on departure time: ask if they offer any buses that go direct Cartagena to Santa Marta and don’t stop in Barranquilla. This will be quicker, because not only will they not stop to drop off and pick up passengers, but they will avoid traffic in and out of downtown Barranquilla too.

If they offer a direct bus and it works for you schedule wise, it’s worth it, because you should save an hour to an hour and a half off your travel time.

In my experience, both companies are pretty good about answering Facebook messages and Whatsapp messages (quicker) about current schedules and pricing. I’d recommend contacting them to confirm times and prices a few days before your trip from Cartagena to Santa Marta.

Generally, you don’t need to book in advance. If it is a particular busy time of year, like Semana Santa or Christmas time, you should try to get there early to make sure you get a ticket or you could go to the office a day or two before and buy it just to be on the safe side.

If you do want to book in advance, you can do so for Marsol via BookaWay (look for the tourist minivan operated by Marsol). Click here to book.

There is just one word of warning I’d give here. I’ve noticed a few anecdotes pop up in expat Facebook groups the last couple years about these buses being targeted for robberies. There is a stretch of road just outside of Santa Marta that goes through a pretty rough area, and often has backed up traffic. I’ve seen kids jump on big tractor trailers and steal lights off of them before passing through here.

Also, these buses also sometimes pick up people traveling between smaller towns and they pay the drivers under the table I’m pretty sure. One of those stories I’ve seen seems to suggest they think someone was in league with a driver.

I don’t know, out of the hundred or so people that take these buses everyday, a few stories over the span of a few years means this is a very infrequent occurrence, and I’d still be most likely to make this my choice for how to get to Santa Marta from Cartagena.

I would recommend avoiding night vans if possible and having some extra vigilance if you do need to take a night bus.

Day or night, I’d keep valuable items in a carryon type bag on your lap, not stored overhead or in the back. Having along a safety waist wallet or bra pouch to stash your cash, credit cards, passport, and other valuable isn’t a terrible idea either. If you’re traveling with very valuable equipment like nice computers or cameras, it might be worth considering if the extra cost of private transportation is worth it as a bit of better safe than sorry insurance.

Cartagena to Santa Marta Bus from the Bus Terminal

For traveling around most of Colombia on a budget, heading to the bus terminal, or terminal de transporte, and buying a bus ticket is the cheapest way to travel to nearby, or even in many cases faraway, cities.

That is also true for taking a Cartagena to Santa Marta bus.

So, why don’t I recommend it?

Because it comes with a big caveat.

As I mentioned in the introduction, the Cartagena bus terminal is far away from the main tourist area of Cartagena, all the way on the eastern edge of the city. That is basically the exact opposite side of the city from where the historic, colonial area, most hotels, and attractions are all located.

The officially established fare from the Walled City to the terminal for 2023 is $23,000 pesos and $32,700 COP from Bocagrande, El Cabrero, or Marbella. My experience is many taxis will either charge a bit more or just not want to take you, especially if there is traffic.

Speaking of traffic, with moderately heavy traffic, it can take an hour to get there. If you’re in a group and not pressed for time, this might be worth it as you can split the cost of the taxi.

If you’re solo, you’re going to end up spending the same or even more than if you had just booked a charter van from Cabrero on Marsol or Berlinas.

Now, you can take the Transcaribe buses to the terminal. Route X-104 makes stops at the two stations by the Walled City (across from the tourist marina by the Clocktower and across from Centro Uno in Matuna) and goes to the terminal. You can also take any of the routes that say “Portal” that go to the main Transcaribe terminal and there you should be able to get a bus or cheaper taxi that goes to the terminal.

Transcaribe is actually quicker than a taxi in most cases since the buses have their own lane for much of the way. However, you’ll have to buy a card and load money on it. It also probably isn’t the most comfortable if you have much luggage.

You’re also still going to spend time getting to the terminal. Finallym, you’ll also be starting farther away from Santa Marta (it is a straight shot up the coast and you’re traveling inland to get to the terminal). You’re also likely to spend more time stopped in Barranquilla on these buses.

Honestly, I’d just recommend skimping somewhere else to make up the difference in cost between the charter bus and a bus from the terminal. For those traveling light and trying to spend as little as possible, it is the cheapest way to bus to Santa Marta from Cartagena, though.

If you do want to do a Santa Marta from Cartagena bus, you can get an idea of price and schedule and even book ahead at BookaWay and BusBud. While they offer more or less the same prices, you will usually find more options at the terminal as well.

Can I Rent a Car for the Cartagena to Santa Marta Drive?

Yes. You can rent a car and make the Cartagena to Santa Marta drive yourself. However, I don’t recommend this except for in some very specific cases.

First, people in Colombia drive very aggressively. Like up your tailpipe, passing on two lane roads overtaking multiple cars and just barely getting over before oncoming traffic collides with them kind of aggressive.

In my decade plus living in Colombia, I never had much desire to drive or rent a car. Oh, and did I mention, motorcycles weave in and out of traffic? This road between Cartagena and Santa Marta is especially bad because a lot of it is just a two lane road and there are lots of trucks, so lots of overtaking.

Now if you’re ok with that and/or are used to this kind of driving, you’ll probably be fine. But, is it really worth it? You’re likely spending similarly to having a private transfer and you do have to worry about any possible issues with the car.

There are a few stops you could make along the way, like the Mud Volcano or the Pink Sea of Galerazamba. However, I would still recommend just doing an extra day with them as a day trip out of Cartagena.

The only way I’d consider renting a car might be worth it is if you wanted to stop at various sites along the coast north of Santa Marta and are uncomfortable taking the buses, which are relatively easy.

If you do want to rent a car, you can compare prices across different companies at Rentalcars.com and Discovercars.com.

Can’t I Just Take a Cartagena to Santa Marta Flight?

You might be asking yourself is it worth it to book a Cartagena to Santa Marta flight.

Given the fact that I have this last on the list, I imagine you have figured out I would say no, it’s not.

First of all, as of this writing in April 2023, there are currently no direct flights from Cartagena to Santa Marta. Most flights to Santa Marta from Cartagena will route through Bogotá, or maybe Medellín.

These are relatively short flights, and if you have a minimal layover, total travel time might be in the neighborhood of 3 hours. However, that’s really more like 5 once you factor in check-in and waiting to depart once landing.

Private transportation and charter buses take 4-6, depending on traffic (usually private more like 4-5, charter buses more like 5-6).

So, really, you’re spending a similar amount of time. You’ll have to deal with the hassle of airports, checking bags, risk of delays, etc.

Plus, you’re most likely paying more.

To me it’s not really worth it.

Even if you’d prefer not to take the bus, you’ll probably get a better deal just getting a private car, especially if you are two or more people.

If you are a solo traveler with only a carry-on, you could always check and see if you can get a deal on a flight with a minimal layover. If it were me, I’d probably just do the charter bus and save the pesos. Not worth it for just an hour or two extra in travel time, not to mention the risk the flights get delayed, in my opinion.

Now, they may add direct flights to Santa Marta from Cartagena at some point. I feel like they have had them in the past. You’re probably still only talking about saving 3 hours though, so I’d just do a bus or car.

If you want to double check there are still no direct flights, curious to see what flights between Cartagena and Santa Marta look like price and layover wise, or want to check out flights between other cities, you can compare prices across airlines at CheapOair.com.

Cartagena to Santa Marta Travel FAQs

Here are a handful of common questions about traveling to Santa Marta from Cartagena.

How far is Cartagena to Santa Marta?

The distance from Cartagena to Santa Marta is about 140 miles, or 225 km.

How long is the trip from Cartagena to Santa Marta?

By car, with light traffic, the trip from Santa Marta to Cartagena can take around 4 hours. However, it usually takes closer to 5 due to traffic. When there is heavy traffic it can take up to 6 hours to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta.

The bus to Santa Marta from Cartagena should usually take around 6 hours factoring in traffic and possible stops for bathroom breaks and/or to make drop offs and pickups in Barranquilla.

There are currently no directly flights from Cartagena to Santa Marta, but a flight would take approximately 30-45 minutes.

Is it safe to drive from Cartagena to Santa Marta?

It is generally safe to drive from Cartagena to Santa Marta. There are a few rough towns along the way, especially just south of Santa Marta. It is best not to travel at night. It’s worth mentioning that drivers are generally very aggressive and not everyone will be comfortable driving from Cartagena to Santa Marta themselves.

How will you go to Santa Marta from Cartagena?

There you have it, a definitive guide for how to travel to Santa Marta from Cartagena.

Honestly, if you’re asking me what’s the best way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta, I’d say pick Berlinas or Marsol for the best combo of cost and convenience, or pick the private transfer for more convenience and extra safety.

Except for in very specific situations, I’d discourage the other three options. Their cons outweigh their pros for most travelers in my opinion.

Regardless of how you decide to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta, I do hope this guide was helpful. Most importantly, I hope your trip is great, not to mention safe, with as little traffic as possible! Please do check out all the other content on the site to help you plan your trip to Cartagena and beyond!

Cheers and Happy Exploring!

Going to Santa Marta?

Be sure to check out my complete guides to Minca, Tayrona, and Palomino as well as nearby beach town Taganga in the other destinations section. I even have posts on the best places to stay in Minca and the best places to stay in Palomino.