Bogotá, Colombia — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
Tel: (1) 425 1000 (El Dorado) or ext 3218 (Puente Aéreo).
Website: www.aerocivil.gov.co
El Dorado Airport is located 13km (8 miles) northwest of the city center. There are two terminals, El Dorado (the main one) and Puente Aereo (1km/0.6 miles before El Dorado), so make sure you know which terminal you’re flying from.
Airport facilities: These include snack bars, restaurants, Internet cafes and bureau de change, ATMs, several shops, including a book shop, a chemist and duty-free.
Transport to the city center: Both terminals are easily accessible from the center of Bogota by inexpensive colectivos and busetas (marked ‘Aeropuerto’). In town, you catch them on Calle 19 or Carrera 10. At the airport, they stop next to the El Dorado terminal (they do however stop at Puente Aero). The service stops at about 2000. A taxi from/to the airport costs around Col$12,000 (US$6). At the El Dorado terminal there is a special official taxi service which protects travelers against taxi ‘rip off’; visitors get a printout at the taxi booth showing how much the journey to their desired destination in/around Bogota will be; the ticket is then showed to a taxi driver who cannot charge more.
Bogota also has two other airports; the military official CATAM base and Guayamaral, which handles light aircraft and operates a flying school as well.
Getting There By Road
Roads in Colombia are generally good, although driving in the Andean regions and parts of the rainforest will require a 4-wheel drive. Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 45-60kph (28-37mph) in urban areas, and 80kph (50mph) in rural areas. An International Driving Permit is required. Kidnapping was a real risk when traveling by road in Colombia until recently. Security, however, is improving and traveling by bus is generally safe (especially on the main roads, such as the one linking Bogotá and Cartagena), although driving east of the Andes is not recommended, as incidences of kidnapping and carjacking are still high.
Coach services
The main bus terminal in Bogotá (tel: (1) 423 3600; www.terminaldetransporte.gov.co) is near Cuidad Saliter. It handles all arrivals and departures from Colombia to the rest of South America. It is divided into five zones, each represented by a different color: yellow means that buses go to the south of the country, blue indicates bus lines to the east and west, red is for the north and South American destinations, green is for long distance taxis and finally purple is for arrivals and local taxi services.
Getting There By Rail
Although trains still carry freight, inter-city passenger services are virtually non-existent. A restored steam train, Turistren, runs from Bogotá to Zipaquirá and Cajicá (tel: (1) 375 0557; www.turistren.com.co).
Getting Around in Bogotá, Colombia
Public Transport
The bus system operated by TransMilenio (tel: (1) 220 3000; www.transmilenio.gov.co/WebSite/English_Default.aspx) has revolutionised transport in the city. The network covers the whole town (all the main transport arteries), and buses are clean, safe, cheap and efficient. Work started to extend the network to the airport in 2009. For a really South American transport experience, take a local buseta. They are all over the place, stop anywhere to pick up and drop off passengers, and you usually get off/on through the front door.
Taxis
Bogotá is well served by its big fleet of yellow taxis. They all have meters (always insist on the meters being switched on) and are also inexpensive. They also should have stickers displaying day and night time fares. A 10km (6 mile) ride should cost no more than Col$10,000.
Car Hire
Car hire is available with Avis (tel: (1) 629 1722; www.avis.com) and American Car Rental (tel: (1) 243 2130; www.americanrentacarltda.com). Avis, Hertz and National all have representatives at the airport. A driver also can be hired there.
Bicycle Hire
Bogotá is well known for its impressive and extensive bicycle network, which covers over 300km (186 miles) of cycle paths. They are mainly situated in the north of Bogotá, while the city center routes are heavily congested. The best day for a ride is on traffic-free Sunday, known as cyclovía. The bicycle network is integrated with the TransMilenio bus system, which provides bicycle parking facilities. So-called ciclorutas are bicycle lanes on the most important streets in Bogotá. Unlike ciclovias, they are permanent, not just on Sundays. Bike hire is not common, but try Bici-Café (tel: (1) 341 1027; ww.bogotabiketours.com) in La Candelaria.
