Colombia Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Normal courtesies should be observed. It is customary to offer guests black Colombian coffee, well sugared, called tinto. Spanish style and culture can still be seen in parts of the country, although in Bogotá, North American attitudes and clothes are becoming prevalent. Casual clothes can be worn in most places; formal attire will be necessary for exclusive dining rooms and social functions. Smoking is allowed except where indicated.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Avianca (AV) (website: www.avianca.com) which runs direct flights from Madrid and New York to Bogotá. There are no direct flights from the UK.

Departure Tax

Transit passengers are exempt. Passengers who have stayed in Colombia for more than two months must pay an additional US$19.

Main Airports

Bogotá (El Dorado International Airport) (BOG) (website: www.elnuevodorado.com) is situated 12km (8 miles) east of the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis are available to the city center (journey time – 30 minutes). Facilities: Bank, ATMs, duty-free shop, bars, restaurants, tourist information, pharmacist, car hire and Internet access.

Barranquilla (Ernesto Cortissoz) (BAQ) (website: www.baq.aero) is 10km (6 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis are available. Facilities: Car hire is available.

Cali (Alfonso Bonilla Aragón) (CLO) (website: www.aerocali.com.co) is 19km (12 miles) from the city.

Cartagena (Rafael Nuñez) (CTG) (website: www.sacsa.com.co) is 2km (1 mile) from the city.

Getting There By Water

Main ports:Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta and Turnaco (Caribbean coast) and Buenaventura (Pacific coast). Many ships and cruise lines visit these ports from the USA, Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean Islands.

Leticia is the upper Amazonian port, from where boats travel into Brazil and Peru.

Getting There By Rail

There are no international rail connections.

Getting There By Road

It is inadvisable to try to reach Colombia from Panama by road; the route you would have to take is long, arduous and dangerous. There are road links with Ecuador and Venezuela, although travelers should check with their local embassy about the safety of roads before crossing the border to Venezuela.

Coach: Ormeño (website: www.grupo-ormeno.com.pe) runs coach services to Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be taken into Colombia by people 18 years of age and older without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars and up to 500g of tobacco.
• Two bottles of alcoholic beverage.
• A reasonable quantity of perfume.

Prohibited Imports

Ammunition and firearms, unless prior authorization has been obtained, and item(s) are declared on arrival. Vegetables, plants or plant material; meat and food products of animal origin.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

There is an excellent internal air network connecting major cities, including those in the Caribbean coastal area. There are also local helicopter flights. Flights between the mainland and the islands of San Andrés and Providencia operate from most major Colombian cities. The main domestic carriers are AeroRepública (website: www.aerorepublica.com.co), Avianca (website: www.avianca.com), Aires (website: www.aires.aero) and Satena (website: www.satena.com).

Getting Around By Water

Cargo ships from Cartagena to San Andrés occasionally take passengers; however the trip takes several days. Information can be obtained from the Maritima San Andrés office.

The Magdalena River is the main artery of Colombia. Some cargo boats take passengers, though this is a slow way to travel. Paddle steamers no longer run services up and down the river and hiring can be expensive.

From Leticia, on the Peruvian border, a number of operators run sightseeing tours and jungle expeditions up the Amazon. It is necessary to make enquiries locally, and wise to shop around before booking on any one trip.

Getting Around 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; website: www.turistren.com.co).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. A good highway links Santa Marta in the east with Cartagena, and passes Barranquilla en route. The Trans-Caribbean Highway has placed Barranquilla only five hours away from Venezuela. Northeast of Santa Marta, in the Guajira Peninsula, roads are usually passable except during rainy periods. There is highway transportation between the coastal cities and the capital and other cities of the interior, but much of the highway is rutted. Travelers should seek advice before driving in rural areas to avoid any areas where guerilla and paramilitary groups have a strong presence.

Bus: The long distances make air travel advisable. Among the best bus lines are Flota Magdalena (website: www.flotamagdalena.com), Expreso Bolivariano (website: www.bolivariano.com.co) and Expreso Palmira (website: www.expresopalmira.com.co). There are also collectivos (taxi-buses) for shorter distances.

Car hire: The major international companies have offices, but driving in cities is not recommended.

Regulations: Seat belts in the front seats are mandatory; however, car seats for children are not. Children under 10 cannot sit in the front seat. The urban speed limit is 45-60kph (28-37mph), and the rural speed limit is 80kph (50mph).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Bogotá’s bus service, TransMilenio (website: www.transmilenio.gov.co), is the most efficient way to travel round the capital. There are also shared taxis (buseta) which are not expensive and stop on demand. Taxis are fairly cheap; passengers should insist that meters are used. Drivers are generally not tipped. Medellín, Colombia’s second largest city, has a metro train service. The newest addition to the system is MetroCable, a cable car.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times from Bogotá (in hours and minutes) to other major towns/cities in Colombia.

	Air
Barranquilla	1.15
Medellín	1.15
Manizales	1.00
Cali	1.00
Leticia	2.00