Transportation, Information on taxis, buses and the Medellin Metro. Options

[Who Knows]

Getting Around

the city of MEDELLÍN

In this section we will cover all of the transportation options that exist in Medellin, Colombia. These will include the two airports that exist here, taxis, buses and of course the Medellin Metro. If you are not aware, the city of Medellin has successfully done what many other cities around the world (and USA) have not been able to do - create a public rail system to serve the public. More detailed information is contained below in the section designated for the Medellin Metro.

AIRPORTS:

There are two airports that exist in Medellin - José María Córdova International & Olaya Herrera.

1) José María Córdova International Airport
LOCATED IN RIO NEGRO/ TEL: (574) 562-2828

*OPEN 24 HOURS PER DAY / 7 DAYS A WEEK

If you are flying into Medellin, Colombia from another country, this will be the airport that you arrive at. It is located just about 40 minutes outside of the city in neighboring Rio Negro. The airport is relatively small in comparison to most international airports, but functions efficiently and is well designed in the shape of a giant horse shoe. It is bi-level with arrivals designated on the lower (1st floor) level and departures (drop off area) on the upper (2nd floor) level. All passengers unload at the upper level (2nd floor) and then proceed downstairs via elevator or stairs to the immigration area. Once through the immigration area, you will collect you luggage and proceed to exit the airport to the pickup area located on the lower level (1st floor) where there are many taxis and minibuses waiting to take the traveler/visitor to the city. This is also the area that awaiting family or friends will be if you have pre-arranged your own pickup.

CURRENT FEES TO/FROM AIRPORT: $48,000 pesos one way

* Traveler Tip - you will need to pay for your cab ride to/from the airport with pesos as taxis/buses do not take foreign currency in most cases. There is a currency exchange center in the airport, but it may not be open depending on when your plane arrives. The best way to exchange money in Medellin is by using your ATM card for withdraws. This will give you the best exchange rate vs. using money exchange houses (casa de cambio) around town. Depending on where you are staying, ATM machines exist in all the malls including Oviedo Mall in Poblado. There is also a Citibank ATM at the "Blockbusters" in front of Oviedo Mall on Avenida Poblado. Almost all ATM machines now have options for "English" instructions.

Medellin FACTOID: The airport is named after José María Córdova, a Colombian army general who was a native of Río Negro.

ABOUT RIO NEGRO: This is a beautiful area outside of Medellin where there is alot of open land, farm houses (fincas) and ranches. In recent years there has also been a surge in both commercial and residential development activity as the city of Medellin begins to outgrow the valley in which it is located. The new suburbs that are springing up come complete with new malls, commercial centers, banking & finance centers, retail shops as well as hotel/hostel options for the traveler/visitor to engage should he/she want to spend some time in the general area before/after arriving in Medellin.

2) Olaya Herrera Airport
CARERRA 65A #13-157
TEL: (574) 285-9999
FAX: (574) 361-5183

HOURS OF OPERATION:
MONDAY - SUNDAY (6 A.M. - 6 P.M.)
* WEATHER PERMITTING. TEMPORARY CLOSING OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME.

The Olaya Herrera Airport is located in the city limits of Medellin and sits in between the highway (autopista) and parts of Belen. This airport is used mainly for transportation within Colombia and serves as the hub for national flights. If you plan on taking trips to other parts of Colombia, there is a chance you will be using this airport. Here is a link to their website, http://www.aeropuertoolayaherrera.gov.co/ (*SPANISH only)

Medellin FACTOID: The first runway in the Guayabal region, seven kilometers away from the city center was opened for service in 1932. This ended Medellin's arial isolation and opened the area for regional flights to/from Bogota, Barranquilla & Panama. Three years later in 1935, Argentinian singer Carlos Gardel died in a plane crash as he was leaving the city. As a tribute to him, the airport built a square that is dedicated to his memory and famous association to the Tango dance. The square is used for artistic performances on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays after 6:00 p.m. The current airport building dates back to the mid 1950's.

TAXIS:

More than likely you will be taking quite a few cab rides while visiting Medellin, Colombia. Cabs/Taxis are relatively inexpensive compared to most European & USA cities. There are a few dozen taxi companies that operate in and around Medellin and they all operate through a central dispatch office (444-4444) or can easily be hailed from the street as well. Here are a few notes regarding taxis in Medellin,

TAXI FARES: All taxis in Medellin are required by the transportation authority of the city to post the city-wide rates on the front windshield of the cab. These rates are all standard and the cabs operate using a meter system. The meters start at 1800 pesos and continue to increase with time and distance. The MINIMUM FARE is currently 3500 pesos. You can also hire taxis by the hour for 20,000 pesos per hour. This is an excellent option if you would like to see more of the city or would like to see a certain part of the city for an extended time frame.

TAXI TIPS:

1) GETTING A CAB - Although hailing a cab is easy to do and generally considered safe in Medellin, you may want to consider calling the cab from the central dispatch system (444-4444) as this process creates an electronic record of the request and assigns a specific cab for the pickup thus reducing the chance of any "funny business". Most locals here recommend calling taxis versus hailing them. You will be given the number of the cab that has been dispatched as well as the anticipated arrival time to pick you up.

2) THE METER SYSTEM - Make sure the meter has been cleared to reflect the start rate of 1800. Most meters are clearly displayed and this is rarely a problem. However, sometimes people forget and if this happens to you, politely ask the driver to clear the meter before you start.

3) PAYING - Tipping taxi drivers is not customary here in Medellin, nor is it expected by the driver unless other tasks are performed such as help with luggage, extended waiting times, etc. It is also best to have plenty of small bills ($1000 & $2000) on you as alot of the drivers have problems making change for $20,000 & $50,000 peso bills for short rides.

BUS SYSTEM:

One of the most economical ways to travel in and around Medellin is by bus. There is an intricate network of buses designated for intercity (inside of Medellin city limits) travel as well as two bus stations for traveling outside of the city. The bus system in and around Medellin is very efficient as well as affordable. However, using this system requires familiarity with the various routes around the city. Many times, a passenger is required to change busses 2 or 3 times before reaching the final desired destination.

TAKING THE BUS TO LOCATIONS OUTSIDE THE CITY:

If you wish to travel outside the city to other more distant locations, there are two bus terminals to serve traveler needs - the North terminal & the South terminal. These two transportation terminals in Medellin are traditional points of reference in the city as arrival and departure gates for thousands of people. Visitors and travelers can count on excellent and efficient service using busses in and around Medellin and Colombia in general. If you are looking for reliability and affordabilty, consider using the bus system!

1) South Terminal (Terminal del Sur)
CARERRA 65 #8B-91
TEL: (574) 361-1499

OFFICE HOURS (5:30 A.M. - 9:30 P.M.)

services locations that lie in the southern sectors of Colombia including Antioquia's southern tourist routes.

2) North Terminal (Terminal del Norte)
CARERRA 64C #78-58
TEL: (574) 230-8514

OPEN 24 HOURS / 7 DAYS A WEEK


services locations that lie mainly northern sectors of Colombia including Antioquia's northern tourist routes.


MEDELLIN METRO:
http//www.metrodemedellin.org.co

The Medellin Metro is one of the most efficient ways to explore and discover the city of Medellin. The only one of its kind in the entire country of Colombia, the Medellin Metro stretches from the far south station in Itagúí (Itagúí station) all the way to the northern station in Bello (Niquía station). There are also two cable car systems in place that work in the same fashion as ski lifts and take people to their homes high into the mountains. Here is a list of the current routes that are in place now,

LINE A: This is the main Metro line and is also the longest. It runs north and south and connects the municipality of Itagui in the south and the Medellin barrio Bello in the north. There are a total of 19 stations that connect through LINE A and the Metro follows the Medellin River (Rio Medellin) most of the way. Although, the main tourist attractions are listed in the Medellin Travel Guide, there are many other secondary sites of interest to be seen at almost every station the Metro services. Here is a summary of the different stations on LINE A and their corresponding sites of interest according to the Medellin Metro website.

LINE B: This is the main feeder than runs east and west. LINE B can be accessed off of the main Metro LINE A at transfer station SAN ANTONIO. There are 7 stations on LINE B ending with transfer station SAN JAVIER. The soccer stadium and sports complex "Atanasio Girardot" are located at ESTADIO station and can be found on LINE B.

METROCABLE LINES:

LINE K: Servicing a total of 4 stations, this is the metrocable that is located in the northeastern part of the city and services the Spain Library (Biblioteca España) at Metro station SANTO DOMINGO high on the mountainside after transferring at station ACEVEDO. Opened for service in 2004, this metrocable takes people to and from their homes in the XXXXXXXXXX neighborhood(s).

LINE J: This is the most recent metrocable to open (November 2007) and services a total of 4 stations including tranfer station SAN JAVIER.

METRO MAP (click map to increase size):