Cartagena to santa marta bus10/13/2023 ![]() ![]() You must reserve a shuttle the night before - your hotel can do this for you, but it means you have to know your travel time the night before. #Cartagena to santa marta bus driver#My personal experience was that the driver was very conservative by Colombian standards, but I can’t speak for all their drivers.įinally, shuttles only depart every hour and pick you up within a half-hour window. You can go to/from either airport for a bit less, or on to Parque Tayrona for a bit more.Īdditionally, some travelers report reckless driving and breakdowns when using Marsol. ![]() The price for the Marsol shuttle is 55,000 pesos. When you’ve already been on a bus for five hours, you don’t really want to keep sitting in traffic four blocks from your hotel.Īnother issue is cost. This is compounded by the fact that traffic in Santa Marta is horrific. I was the last one off my shuttle (staying at the amazing Masaya Hostelin Santa Marta), and it took 45 minutes to drop off all the other passengers first. It’s slower than just going to a bus station. The biggest downside to Marsol is the time it takes to drop everyone off at their various hotels. Sure, it adds a bit of time to your journey, but it also allows you to stretch your legs without worrying about the bus leaving without you. Marsol also makes a snack/restroom stop at a very clean and nice gas station halfway through the trip, just outside of Barranquilla. The air conditioning in my van worked well. The seats are large and comfortable, and you get a decent amount of leg room. No taxis to bus stations or getting lost and asking for directions. You will be picked up at your hotel in Cartagena and dropped off at your hotel in Santa Marta. Marsol’s biggest selling point is it offers door-to-door service. If you’re looking for convenience for your bus to Santa Marta from Cartagena, Marsol is the shuttle for you. Marsol Cartagena is convenient, but pricier and slower. So which company is better? Read on to find out! (In other words, you’re guaranteed to get a seat.) And neither sells more tickets than there are seats in the van. Both are equipped with televisions, typically screening awful music videos or Colombian films with English subtitles. #Cartagena to santa marta bus windows#There are pros and cons of each, as I’ll cover below.īoth companies use vehicles with air conditioning and windows that open. The two main companies offering this option are Berlinastur and Marsol Cartagena. These are minibuses that hold 15-20 people, including a couple passengers sitting up front. ![]() While it’s not the only option, the vast majority of travelers take a shuttle bus to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta. The Berlinas Santa Marta shuttles are one of the two best companies that cover this route. On one of my shuttle trips, one woman’s massive rolling suitcase had to go on the roof, even though it was raining.Ĭartagena to Santa Marta shuttle companies You’ll feel safest if you travel during daylight hours.įinally, space is a luxury on Colombian transportation. Speeding on long, straight stretches of road like the one from Cartagena to Santa Marta is very common, as is passing across a double-yellow line on blind curves. Second, road safety in Colombia leaves a bit to be desired. It’s the largest city in the area and the traffic is horrible. The main thing that adds time to your trip is a stop in Barranquilla, halfway between Cartagena and Santa Marta. All the shuttle companies, hotels, and tour agencies will tell you it’s a three-hour trip, but that’s simply untrue. While you have a variety of bus and shuttle options to get between the two major Caribbean coastal cities, a few things are the same across the board.įor one, your journey is going to take at least five hours. No matter what the tour companies tell you, the bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta will take at least five hours. What to expect on your bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta If you decide to purchase through these links, I receive a percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you, which helps me keep this site up and running. ![]() Note: This post contains affiliate links. In this post, I’ll cover the two most popular transportation options - and a few alternatives - to help you decide which best fits your travel style. If you want to fully explore this region, sooner or later you’ll need to make the trip from Cartagena to Santa Marta, the major transport hub for the beaches and mountains. You can visit the magical colonial city of Cartagena, go on a four-day jungle trek to the Lost City, or relax on amazing beaches like Parque Tayrona or Costeño Beach. The Caribbean coast of Colombia is one of the top backpacker destinations in South America. ![]()
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