Getting Around Barranquilla
Barranquilla is a sprawling Caribbean port city, and how you get around depends largely on your budget, your comfort with Spanish, and your appetite for adventure. The city has no metro or tram system, so visitors rely on a mix of taxis, buses, walking, and — for the more intrepid — bicycles and informal transport.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Barranquilla does not have a metro or tram network. The closest thing to a rail-style service is the city's bus rapid transit system, which includes feeder routes known as alimentadores. These feeders connect neighbourhoods to the main transit corridors and can be useful for reaching specific destinations. For example, if you are heading to a long-distance bus company terminal on Calle 96 with Carrera 46, you can take Alimentador A-71 or A-94 from the transit system.
Buses and Public Transport
Public buses are the cheapest way to move around the city, but they come with a steep learning curve. Fares are paid with a prepaid card rather than cash, so you will need to buy a card in advance at a major bus stop or station, some supermarkets, and other locations. If your Spanish is passable, some passengers will accept cash in exchange for letting you use their card for a ride, but this is not something to count on.
Riding the bus is not for the faint of heart. Buses often start moving before you are seated and may pull away before both your feet are on the ground when you get off. They also start and stop abruptly, so hold on. Knowing someone in town is a great help when figuring out the right route. If you go to a main street and ask someone who is waiting for a bus, you increase your chances of finding a direct connection. The Moovit app covers some bus lines.
For longer journeys along the coast, Barranquilla can serve as a connection point to other cities. The main bus terminal is quite far from the city centre, and buses departing from there are generally slow and stop at every village. As an alternative, some companies operate direct links to Cartagena, Bogotá, or Santa Marta from around the city centre. One of these is Berlinastur, which departs to Cartagena or Santa Marta every hour from a terminal at Calle 96 with Carrera 46. Cochetur runs air-conditioned van services among Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta, with trips to either of the other cities taking around two hours.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are one of the most convenient and recommended options for newcomers. Unlike in Bogotá or Medellín, taxis in Barranquilla traditionally do not display visible meters inside the vehicle. Instead, drivers determine the cost based on factors such as the distance between zones, the time of day, and special surcharges for services like airport transfers, nighttime rides, and holidays. Fares can significantly increase — even doubling in some cases — during nighttime, weekends, national holidays, carnival events, rush hour, travel to or from the airport, and rainy days. Official base fares can be periodically adjusted by local authorities.
Mototaxis — motorcycle taxis — are an illegal form of transport that has grown in popularity. They charge significantly less than a regular cab and will take you virtually anywhere, but they are riddled with risks for personal safety, as these drivers have a tendency to be reckless.
Walkability
Walking is a practical way to explore specific districts and neighbourhoods, but Barranquilla is a large, spread-out city, and heavy traffic, aggressive driving, motorcycles weaving through traffic, and inconsistent road signage in some areas make walking less pleasant as a primary way to cross the city. It works best for short trips within a single area rather than as a way to get from one end of town to the other.
Bicycles
Bicycles are an excellent way to get around town and are popular with locals. You can rent a bike from Carliño Bicicletas on Calle 64, south of Carrera 46. Buying a bike is also an option: the Colombia headquarters of Buffalo Bicycles, part of the World Bicycle Relief NGO, is in Barranquilla at a warehouse on Calle 73, north of Vía 40. Second-hand bikes can be found at several pawn shops in the Centro district.
Renting a Car
Renting a car is an option for visitors who prioritise flexibility and comfort. Driving in Barranquilla can be challenging for newcomers, though, due to heavy traffic during rush hours, frequent lane changes caused by other vehicles obstructing the way, aggressive driving styles, motorcycles weaving through traffic, occasional abrupt stops by buses, and inconsistent road signage in certain areas. Navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are widely used and can provide real-time traffic updates to help you navigate more effectively.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Visitors most commonly arrive at Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport, which sits in the neighbouring municipality of Soledad, just south of Barranquilla on the edge of the metropolitan area. The airport handles international direct flights from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Panama City, as well as domestic non-stop flights from Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali.
Official airport taxis operate from designated stands outside the terminal and are the most straightforward way into the city. Public buses also depart from in front of the terminal building at ground level, offering a cheaper but less direct option. If you prefer to drive yourself, airport car rental services can be arranged from abroad with two main companies: Hertz and National Car Rental.