How to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta

How to Get

Apr 15

About traveling from Cartagena to Santa Marta

Both Cartagena and Santa Marta are stunning reflections of Colombia, both are beautiful Caribbean port towns, where the scenery and atmosphere take center stage. Cartagena has a rich colonial history set against the backdrop of beautiful beaches. While Santa Marta, the first Spanish settlement in Colombia, is a lively port city surrounded by beautiful parks filled with mountains and beaches.

If you decide to take a car transfer from Cartagena to Santa Marta, you can also enjoy some exceptional sights, including the hot El Totumo Mud Volcano, the Julio Florez House Museum, the lively Barranquilla, the inspiring Cienaga, and the wonderfully lush Minca.

How to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta

If you’re travelling from Cartagena to Santa Marta, you have several travel options. For travellers on a budget, the bus is the cheapest way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta. The fastest way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta is by car, therefore a car is of course the best way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta since it’s so convenient.

Cartagena to Santa Marta by bus

To travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta by bus, go to the Cartagena Transportation Terminal and buy a ticket to Santa Marta. While you can buy your ticket at the station, it’s best to purchase them in advance. There are about 25 buses to Santa Marta that depart from Cartagena. The earliest bus is at 4:00 AM, and the last bus is at 4:30 PM, with one bus leaving every 30 minutes. The bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta is run by Torcoroma with bus tickets from Cratagena to Santa Marta costing around 6.5 EUR (28000 COP) for the about 4 hour trip. There are a couple other companies that service this route (Expreso Brasilia, Berlinastur, and Copetran), but they run less frequently and require a direct request. The distance from Cartagena to Santa Marta is about 239 kilometers.

All options offer direct service from Caratgena to Santa Marta.

Cartagena to Santa Marta by bus

Time intervals

every 30 minutes

First/Last Departure

4:00 AM/4:30 PM

Avg. Price

€6.5

Distance

~239 km

Duration

~4 hr

Operating Companies

Torcoroma

Cartagena to Santa Marta Private Car Transfer

For speed and convenience, a private car transfer with Daytrip is the best way to travel from Cartagena to Santa Marta. You will be picked up at your accommodation in Cartagena, and the driver will take care of your luggage. You’ll then be able to enjoy door-to-door service to your accommodation in Santa Marta, and can even add sightseeing stops on the way!