How to Get from Medellín to Bogotá Top Tips

If you are currently planning a trip to Colombia, there’s a good chance your’e considering traveling from Medellín to Bogotá as part of your travels.

Medellín is one of the country’s most popular destinations with good reason. It has near perfect year round weather and lots to do and see. After Cartagena (this website is all about it after all!) it’d be my top recommendation for another city to visit in Colombia.

However, Bogotá is also an underrated destination. The sprawling city sometimes gets a bad rap, but as the country’s political and cultural capital, there’s lots to do and see there.

It also has the largest airport in Colombia.

So even if you don’t plan to spend a lot of time touring Bogotá, there’s a chance you’ll want to travel from Medellín to Bogotá to catch a flight elsewhere in Colombia or back home.

I lived in Colombia for over a decade and had the opportunity to travel extensively, including numerous visits to both Medellín and Bogotá

If you are looking to travel to Medellín from Bogotá, read on to learn about my tips for traveling between the two cities, including tips for finding the best prices on a Medellín to Bogotá flight and also how to take a Medellín to Bogotá bus.

Getting from Medellín to Bogotá – Contents

• Quick Tips for Traveling to Bogotá from Medellín
• How Far is Bogotá from Medellín?
• Tips for Finding a Medellín to Bogotá Flight
• Tips for Taking the Bus from Medellín to Bogotá
• Can I Drive to Bogotá from Medellín?

Quick Tips for Traveling to Bogotá from Medellín

If you check out some of my other posts on getting between cities in Colombia, you’ll notice I generally strongly recommend taking flights from the interior to the coast instead of buses since the travel times over land are so long.

However, when traveling between cities in Colombia’s interior, I think both options can work well, depending on your time and budget.

I would still generally recommend traveling on a Medellín to Bogotá flight for most travelers if you are simply trying to get directly to Bogotá from Medellín. Even though the difference isn’t near as much as it is if you’re going from Medellín to Bogotá, flying is still much shorter than a bus.

Honestly, based on my experiences traveling around Colombia since 2011, I would almost always choose to fly. I say that as someone who has also bused around Colombia extensively. I just don’t think the benefit of saving a little bit is worth the cost of how much time it takes.

That’s mostly because, many times it also works out to not be much more expensive than the bus to fly either.

I get the gut inclination, especially if you’re on a tight budget or backpacking is to bus everywhere, but traveling between major cities in Colombia usually works out to not be much more expensive and is a lot quicker due to the mountainous roots of the Andes that dominate the country’s geography.

I’d recommend checking prices on sites like CheapOair and Expedia to see if you can find a good deal.

That being said, unlike traveling to or from the coast, the time to take a bus from Medellín to Bogotá is much more manageable.

Therefore, I’d recommend checking the prices for a Medellín to Bogotá bus at sites like BusBud and Bookaway to get an idea if you think the actual savings you’ll get offset the increased travel time compared to flights to Bogotá from Medellín. I’ve used both sites for booking buses in and outside of Colombia and have found them to be reliable.

I’m willing to bet you might be surprised at how little difference there is in the cost.

You might want to factor in what you want to do in each city as well, especially since you’ll gain the better part of a day to enjoy yourself if you do end up flying.

I’ve got some recommendations for things to do in Bogotá, which as I mentioned above I think tends to get overlooked as a destination. So even if you’re only taking a flight to Bogotá from Medellín in route to another destination, I’d encourage you to consider spending a night or two to at least see the highlights.

You can also check out the top tours to do in Bogotá on GetYourGuide and Viator. And don’t forget to also check out all the many tours in Medellín on GetYourGuide and Viator too!

If you would prefer some expert help from a travel agent, consider planning your trip with my partner travel agency BnB Colombia Tours. Fill out the form here, and one of their agents will start working with you to build a perfect, custom tailored trip that includes Medellín, Bogotá, and anywhere else your heart desires to see in Colombia. They’ll even give you a discount for contacting them through my site!

If you are more of a DIYer, they also do offer some individual day tours in both cities you can book here with the code ExploreColombia10 for a discount.

Oh, and one final tip, if you are stopping into Bogotá after a flight from Medellín to Bogotá, you might want to check out my picks for the best hotels near Bogotá’s airport too.

If you’d like some more tips for each of these ways to get to Bogotá from Medellín, I’ll go into more detail on each below.

How Far is Bogotá from Medellín?

By road the quickest distance from Medellín to Bogotá is around 420 km, or 260 miles.

Now, it is a bit closer on a straight shot in the air. That’s why the Medellín to Bogotá flight time is only about an hour.

Driving from Medellín to Bogotá, on the other hand, will take around 9 hours if traffic and road conditions are mostly good.

A bus from Medellín to Bogotá will take 10-12 hours depending on stops and traffic.

Tips for Finding a Good Medellín to Bogotá Flight

That massive difference in travel time is the big reason to choose a Medellín to Bogotá flight over a Medellín to Bogotá bus.

Even factoring in time in transit and waiting at the airport, you’re saving around 6 or 7 hours.

That’s why I recommend taking flights from Medellín to Bogotá for most travelers, especially those that are short on time.

While that difference isn’t nearly as much as if you take a bus to Cartagena from Medellín, it’s still pretty substantial.

And, you may not end up spending too much more money either!

I took a quick look while putting this article together, and I found a Medellín to Bogotá flight for as low as $47 USD.

Meanwhile, the cheapest buses to Bogotá from Medellín I can book online go for $23.

So, we are really only talking about saving around $25 bucks.

If you’re on a super tight budget that might be worth it, but I think for most people getting nearly an entire day’s worth of exploring in is worth that difference. I know I’d be willing to just spend the extra money for an easier trip, much less more time to actually enjoy myself.

To find the best deals on flights, I do suggest checking sites like CheapOair and Expedia.

But also check airlines’ websites directly.

For example, that price I mentioned above I found directly through Avianca. They and LATAM frequently run flash sales, especially on one way flights from Medellín to Bogotá and elsewhere in Colombia.

Budget carrier Wingo is also worth checking out.

Just be sure to read over the fine print as often the cheapest tickets on flights from Medellín to Bogotá do not include checked bags.

So, if you’re short on time and not incredibly limited on your budget, I generally suggest just flying from Medellín to Bogotá especially if you’re traveling directly.

I do think there can be some advantages of taking the bus if you are making stops in between, especially in the coffee region, but I’d also encourage you to check flights into and out of Pereira, Armenia, and Manizales too as they all offer easy access to many of the popular stops in the coffee region, including Salento

You may be able to find cheap prices between one or all of them and both Bogotá and Medellín too.

I’ll cover more on the bus as well as one other special scenario when I think the bus can be advantageous in the following section.

Oh, and if you do choose to take a flight to Bogotá from Medellín, you might want to check out the Wikipedia pages for the Bogotá airport and Medellín airport to help you plan.

Tips for Taking a Medellín to Bogotá Bus

If you have a bit more time to slow travel and want to save those pesos, taking a Medellín to Bogotá can be a good way to do it.

As mentioned above, the bus from Medellín to Bogotá will take 10-12 hours.

For that reason, I’d still be most inclined to just fly unless my budget was really tight, especially if I was simply traveling directly to Bogotá from Medellín.

There are two scenarios where I think taking a bus can actually end up being the most advantageous though.

The first, which applies for traveling directly from Medellín to Bogotá, is if you are comfortable taking a night bus.

That means you won’t only save the money in the difference of cost, but you’ll also be able to save on the cost of accommodation for a night.

And, you won’t really need to sacrifice any daylight time you can use to actually enjoy yourself!

That does depend on if you can actually sleep on a bus. Most of these buses do offer reclining seats, and some may even offer premium seats that are extra comfy, although usually for a bit of an additional cost.

We’ve taken a few night buses around Colombia, and I liked it, but Susana wasn’t a fan and didn’t sleep much. So, that comes down to personal preference. I’d also be leery of doing this if I was carrying a lot of valuables. While generally safe, I have heard of robberies or bags being snatched.

The other good scenario for taking a bus from Medellín to Bogotá is if you plan to include a visit to the coffee region too.

This is especially true if you want to visit several smaller towns in the region.

You could bus from Medellín to places like Jerico, Jardín, and/or Santa Rosa de Cabal before continuing on the Salento and then Bogotá. This would also allow you access to Los Nevados National Park pretty easily, and you could always opt to fly on to Bogotá out of Pereira or Armenia too.

If you want a happy medium, you can check out these private transfer options from Medellín to some of those towns. Use that ExploreColombia10 code for a discount on any of them.

If you do want to take a Medellín to Bogotá bus with or without stops in between, check BusBud and Bookaway for good ideas on price and schedules and even to book online.

You can usually also get more options and book at the terminal. However, if you’re set on a specific time though, it’s not a horrible idea to just book ahead.

Can You Drive from Medellín to Bogotá?

Yes, you can.

However, I generally don’t recommend it.

Colombians tend to drive aggressively, and you’ll be on some winding mountain roads.

If you’re comfortable with that kind of driving on that kind of road, then go for it, but I’d personally choose to just fly or bus.

I do think if you are ok driving and plan to make several stops along the way, in the coffee region for instance, driving a car could be a good way to do that, again, as long as you’re comfortable. If not, check out those private transport options.

If you do want to drive, you can check prices for rentals at RentalCars.com.

Ready to plan your trip from Medellín to Bogotá?

Now you’ve got a number of options and things to consider to decide what’s the best way to get to Bogotá from Medellín for you.

Whichever of these ways to get from Medellín to Bogotá you choose, I hope this guide was useful to you, and, most importantly, you have a safe trip and enjoy yourself in both places and everywhere else you go in Colombia.

Cheers and Happy Exploring!

Did you like this post?

Please do check out all the other content in the Other Destinations section of the site for other places you can visit in Colombia. Of course, there’s tons of useful info on Cartagena too

So, please do consider including Colombia’s Caribbean gem too!

In Bogotá, you’ll want to see the Monserrate Chapel and its great views of the city. Lake Guatavita is also worth the trip. Please do also check out my guide to where to stay in Bogotá for booking your place to stay as well.

Bogotá also makes a great jumping off point to visit some lesser traveled areas in Colombia like the rugged landscapes of Guaviare, the incredible wildlife of Casanare, and the beautiful colors of the Caño Cristales Rainbow River. You’ll also likely need to route through Bogotá to visit Leticia and Colombia’s Amazon.