Practical Guide to Taxis and Taxi Prices in Cartagena, Colombia

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If you’re currently planning a trip to Cartagena and wondering how to get around, my recommendation is to keep it simple and use the plentiful taxis in Cartagena.

However, it isn’t quite that simple!

Cartagena taxis don’t use meters and drivers have a reputation for overcharging.

However, there are set legal taxi prices in Cartagena. You just have to know them and be ready to negotiate and insist on them.

Knowledge is definitely power!

In this post, I’ll share my knowledge after 11 years living in Cartagena and go over some practical tips for taking taxis in Cartagena, share some alternative ways of getting around, and cover the legal taxi prices in Cartagena, Colombia.

Taxis in Cartagena – Are They Worth It?

I’m not going to beat around the bush here, taking taxis in Cartagena can be a pain in the you know where!

In my 11 years living in Cartagena, I definitely developed a love-hate relationship with them.

There aren’t taxi meters in Cartagena, and it’s very common that taxi drivers take advantage of people by charging more than the established fares.

And, no, it doesn’t just happen to tourists or gringos!

It happens to locals too!

This is why you’ll see lots of people recommending Uber or other alternatives to taxis in Cartagena like InDrive, my preferred ride share app.

I understand why (and I’ll cover a few alternatives in a moment), but to be honest, I still think taxis are the most convenient way to get around for the average tourist in Cartagena.

They are plentiful and easy to flag down at almost any hour just about everywhere in the city.

You don’t have to worry about having data on your phone, or fiddling with your phone in the street, something I advise against in my Cartagena safety guide.

They are also pretty darn cheap.

You just need to be armed with some knowledge of what to expect, how to handle them, and what the correct taxi prices in Cartagena are.

Alternatives to Taxis in Cartagena

However, if you’d rather use a ride share app where you can see and agree to the price before hand, I’d recommend InDrive.

It allows you to offer a fare, including a suggested one, and looks for a driver to accept it. You can adjust it incrementally upwards until someone accepts it if you don’t get any bites at first.

Of course, there is also Uber, which will allow you to see an upfront price you agree to.

Generally, Uber’s prices are more or less in line with what you’ll pay in a taxi, although due to dynamic prices, it can sometimes charge more. You do 100% know the price when you order it though and don’t need to worry about haggling.

There’s still a lot of confusion swirling about Uber’s legality in Colombia.

It is currently fully legal, despite being banned in the past. You can read more about its status in my post on Uber in Colombia or in my guide to Uber in Cartagena.

If you’re willing to pay a bit more and want to be more comfortable, you can also book private transportation. This can be a particularly good option if you don’t speak Spanish. You can book Cartagena private transportation here.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to get around more cheaply, you can read this guide to taking the bus in Cartagena, which is cheap, but does require a metrocard. Using Cartagena collective taxis can be another cheap alternative.

You can compare all your options in this guide to Cartagena transportation.

Tips for Taking Cartagena Taxis

The best way to avoid being overcharged by taxis in Cartagena is to know what to expect and keep in mind the following:

• There are not taxi meters in Cartagena
• Prices are regulated by established legal fares based on distance
• Not all taxi drivers respect those prices all the time
• You should always, always, always, agree on price before getting in the taxi

Let me stress that always, always, always part!

Many taxi drivers, especially in the tourist areas will attempt to overcharge, sometimes considerably more than the legal fares.

Unfortunately, the set legal taxi fares in Cartagena often operate more as guidelines, particularly in the tourist areas and particularly during peak hours and peak travel seasons.

Technically, it’s illegal for taxis to charge more.

In practice, do you really want to deal with the police for the equivalent of a dollar or less?

I’ll go over the correct taxi prices in Cartagena below to give you a good starting point on what to expect. You should never pay considerably more than those.

However, if you’ve flagged down 4 taxis in a row that are quoting you a few thousand pesos more, you just have to decide to pay a little more or walk.

Or open up InDrive or Uber and see what they quote you.

The most important thing though is to just make sure you’re not surprised by the price at your destination.

Trust me, even knowing the prices, I had a few run ins with taxis after I got in all cool and confident that I didn’t need to ask the price before hand cause I’m that gringo who knows the prices, only to get in a shouting match when they wanted more at my destination.

Arguing with them at the end of the ride is a bigger pain in the you know where than haggling when you get in.

So, just agree when you get in!

How to Determine the Correct Cartagena Taxi Prices

Ok, so, there are a handful of things to keep in mind when looking at and interpreting the legal taxi prices in Cartagena listed below.

Prices for Taxis in Cartagena are Bases on Distance Between Certain Zones

First, the way the prices are set is based on certain “zones,”, which are roughly different distances.

Most of them are determined by distance from the Centro Histórico, better known in English as the areas of Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní.

Keep in mind, these rates apply vice versa as well.

For example, you’ll see there are set prices from the Centro to Crespo and from Centro to Marbella, both in Zone 1.

However, there’s no clear definition of the price for going from Marbella to Crespo.

The general rule is for going one neighborhood over, you’ll pay the minimum. For each subsequent neighborhood/area, expect to pay a few thousand pesos more.

Again, always confirm!

What is the Minimum Taxi Price in Cartagena?

Speaking of minimums: the minimum taxi fare for 2026 is set at $12,250 Colombian Pesos (COP).

This is generally the price for going one neighborhood over.

Recargo Nocturno Night Time Surcharge

There an additional surcharge for taking a taxi between 9 pm and 5 am known as the “recargo nocturno.”

This is set at $1,100 pesos for 2025.

So, tack on $1,100 to the prices below at night.

Some taxi drivers might give you the day time price though if it’s only shortly after 9 pm or a bit before 5 am in the morning.

Again, always ask!

Round Up and Try to Have Small Change!

First, always expect to round up.

While I’ve had taxi drivers hand me the small change, they were pretty few and far between.

So, that $12,250 minimum is really likely to be $13,000 in practice, but you might be able to get $12,000 flat if you’re a hard bargainer.

Also, Cartagena taxi drivers often don’t like to make change, especially for larger bills.

Given the current minimum, $20,000 peso bills should generally be fine, but if you have only a $50,000 or $100,000 peso bill, be sure to ask when getting in if they have change.

Rates Increase Every Year

Finally, the prices are officially established every year in a decree from the local government after negotiations with the taxi union.

This decree usually does not come out promptly because the negotiations drag on after the new year. For example, the new decree for 2026 didn’t come out until late February, and it’s pretty common it doesn’t come out until March or even April.

For what it’s worth prices went up by a whopping 12+% for 2026, a result of a combination of general inflation, exchange rates, and a hefty raise to minimum wages in Colombia for 2026.

For what it’s worth, many price increases in Colombia follow the government’s designation of minimum wage increases which track inflation as well as result from negotiations between the workers’ union and the government.

My experience was after the New Year (and oftentimes even during the busy Christmas holiday season), taxi drivers will start to raise their prices even though technically the old rates are still in effect.

The rates I’ve listed here are correct as of the most recent update to this post in March 2026, but if you’re reading this in 2027 or beyond, rates may have gone up. The prices below are all based on the decree from February 20, 2026, which you can find officially linked here as posted on the mayor’s office’s website.

For what it’s worth, I am unable to open that pdf outside Colombia, but you can also consult it uploaded to the site here.

Cartagena Taxi Prices

Ok, with all that out of the way, let’s talk about what the actual officially established correct prices for taxis in Cartagena are.

I’ll go over the official rate for most routes tourists are likely to take, and I’ll also mention a few other routes, such as to and from the airport.

Taxis to and From Centro (aka the Walled City and Getsemaní)

• Centro to Bocagrande, Laguito, or Castillogrande: $12,250
• Centro to Cabrero: $12,250
• Centro to Marbella: $12,250
• Centro to Manga: $12,250
• Centro to Crespo: $12,250
• Centro to Pie de la Popa: $12,250
  • *This is the fare that should apply to the Castillo San Felipe Fort
  • *Taxis do charge more to go to La Popa Monastery, and I’d recommend negotiating they wait for you or arranging private transport or doing this as part of a tour.
• Centro to the Bazurto Market: $14,200
  • * I strongly recommend doing the market only as part of a tour by the way!
• Centro to La Boquilla: $30,600
• Centro to Manzanillo including Hotel Estelar and Karibana: $64,800
• Centro to Playa Blanca or the National Aviary on Barú: $141,800
  • *I’d recommend hiring a taxi to take you and wait for you to go to either of these places. Rates should be negotiable based on roughly somewhere between double and triple this rate.
  • A private driver that waits for you is also a convenient way to do this.
  • More info on Playa Blanca here and on the Aviary here, by the way.
• Centro to the Town of Barú (far end of Barú): $219,300
  • Compare areas of Barú here.

Officially Established Rates to and From Bocagrande

In a helpful move, in recent years, there have also been established Cartagena taxi prices between Bocagrande and other neighborhoods.

These fares can also help give you an idea of what going between other neighborhoods that are more than one over might cost.

Here are a few of the most common routes:

• Bocagrande to Manga: $18,300
• Bocagrande to Pie de la Popa (and Castillo San Felipe): $18,300
  • *Keep in mind going to La Popa Monastery will cost a bit more.
• Bocagrande to Marbella, El Cabrero, and Crespo: $18,300
• Bocagrande to Bazurto Market: $20,400

Taxis to and From the Airport

Cartagena taxi rates to and from the airport are established higher. My understanding is that taxis pay some kind of surcharge, and they also definitely have to wait in line.

Taxi rates to and from the airport to most of the best areas to stay in Cartagena range from $20,200 to $34,400.

You can see a complete list of Cartagena airport taxi prices here.

At the airport, always either go to the little kiosks where you can enter the address or neighborhood name to get a ticket to give your taxi driver to ensure you get charged the correct amount.

You can learn more about getting to and from the airport and what to expect upon arrival and departure at my complete guide to the Cartagena airport.

Taxis to and from the Bus Terminals

Keep in mind the main bus terminal is far away from the central tourist area.

If you’re just heading up the coast to Santa Marta or the vicinity, such as the mountain town of Minca, unspoiled beaches of Tayrona National Park, or hipster beach town Palomino, I strongly recommend using the charter buses from Marsol or Berlinas, which both have offices much closer in El Cabrero.

This is mostly because the difference in price doesn’t save you much if any money if you take a taxi to the terminal.

Read more about why I recommend them in my guide to traveling between Cartagena and Santa Marta.

For travel to and from the interior, I generally recommend flying, but you can also take buses, most of which will arrive or depart from the main bus terminal.

There is a new terminal on the northern outskirts of the city, known as the Teriminal del Norte I don’t have any experience with and as I understand has pretty limited service still. So, I’d recommend the main terminal over it.

• Terminal del Transporte to Pie de la Popa: $23,500
• Terminal del Transporte to Manga: $28,000
• Terminal del Transporte to Centro and Getsemaní: $32,000
• Terminal del Transporte to Bocagrande, Castillogrande, and El Laguito: $45,500
• Terminal del Transporte to Cabrero, Marbella, Crespo, or the Airport: $45,500
• Terminal del Transporte to La Boquilla: $49,100

Taxis to and from the Cruise Port

These rates apply for passengers arriving to or going to the cruise port (Muelle Turistico) in Manga:

• Cartagena Cruise Port to Bocagrande, Castillogrande, and Laguito: $37,000
• Cartagena Cruise Port to Centro/Getsemaní: $37,00
• Port to Castillo San Felipe or La Popa Convent: $37,000
• Cartagena Cruise Port to Crespo: $37,000
• Cartagena Cruise Port to Airport: $37,000
• Hourly Rate for Hiring a Taxi at the Cartagena Cruise Port: $49,000

Cartagena Taxi FAQs

That covers just most, if not all, the common fares for taxis in Cartagena tourists are likely to need to know.

However, I want to take a few moments to cover some frequently asked questions that come up related to taking taxis in Cartagena.

Are Taxis in Cartagena Safe?

Ah, the big one.

I never felt unsafe in a taxi in Cartagena.

However, I’m a dude that speaks pretty decent Spanish.

I definitely have heard taxi drivers comment on girls walking down the street in…umm, ways that would make me feel weird if I was a girl.

And, I’ve definitely heard stories from girls about comments Cartagena taxi drivers made to them that they didn’t like.

These seem like they are, for the most part more obnoxious than dangerous, but again, I’m not a lady.

I’d encourage solo female travelers to use some extra caution very late at night, especially if going long distances. If possible, buddy up or text a trusted friend the license plate when you get in and then confirming you made it back ok.

Otherwise, your biggest worry is the traffic is bad and the taxi driver will try to strong arm you into paying a few thousand pesos extra.

Should You Tip Taxi Drivers in Cartagena?

No.

It is not customary to tip taxi drivers in Cartagena, or any part of Colombia for that matter.

So, you should not feel like you need to tip. There are some cheeky drivers who may ask for one or act like it’s expected, but it’s not.

That being said, if you want to tip them, I’m sure they won’t complain.

Now You Know the Official Taxi Rates in Cartagena

That should just about cover all the routes you’re likely to take as a tourist in a Cartagena taxi, at least as a short term visitor.

I hope this was helpful and will help you make sure you get the correct Cartagena taxi prices during your stay.

Please do remember to always, always, always (!) agree on price, and please do check out all the other content on the site to help you plan your visit!

Cheers and Happy Exploring!