Getting Around Tunja
Tunja is a compact Andean city on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, and its historic core is small enough that many visitors cover the main sights on foot. For everything else, the city relies on minibuses and taxis rather than any kind of rail system. This guide explains the practical options.
Rail, Metro and Tram
Tunja has no rail, metro or tram network for visitors to use. Getting around the city means road transport: minibuses, taxis, and walking. Plan your movements accordingly and do not expect to find a train or metro station.
Buses and Minibuses
The workhorse of local transport is the minibus. Fares are low, and minibuses go pretty much everywhere in the city, which makes them a cheap way to cover longer stretches between the centre and outlying areas.
- Minibus fares are inexpensive and paid on board.
- Coverage is broad, so you can usually find a minibus heading in your direction.
- Minibuses also serve the bus terminal: you can reach it from the main plaza by minibus asking for "Terminal", or by taxi.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are plentiful and are a convenient option for short hops around the city. Fares are modest: there is a minimum fare, and most trips within the city stay close to that minimum, so taxis are an affordable choice even for everyday errands.
- Taxis can be flagged down or called; a local taxi phone number is available for ordering one.
- For the bus terminal, a taxi is a straightforward alternative to the minibus.
Walking
The city centre is walkable, and the main places of interest cluster in the downtown area, including El Cid, El Virrey, Teatro Boyacá and Cinema Boyacá. Because the centre is compact, walking is often the simplest way to move between sights, shops and restaurants.
Two things to keep in mind: Tunja sits at high altitude, with the city centre at roughly 2,820 metres above sea level, so take it easy until you are acclimatised. And the streets follow a naming system based on calle, carrera and avenue designations, which is worth getting familiar with before you set out.
Getting from the Airport into the City
The source material does not describe an airport serving Tunja or an airport-to-city transfer, so no specific airport route can be given here. What is documented is how travellers arrive by road: Tunja's bus terminal, the Nueva Terminal de Transporte, sits in the east of the city and is reachable from the main plaza by minibus or taxi.
If you are arriving overland, this is the practical entry point:
- From Bogotá, buses take around two and a half hours; it can be faster and more convenient to catch one at Portal del Norte rather than at the terminal.
- From Villa de Leyva, the trip takes about an hour.
- From Sogamoso, allow around an hour and a half.
- From San Gil, the journey runs about five hours.
- From Cocuy National Park, it is a long overnight-style haul of roughly nine hours, with services that include a night bus; booking ahead is advised.
Note that online maps have historically shown the old bus terminal as the main result for "Terminal de Transporte" even though it is closed, so make sure you are heading to the current Nueva Terminal de Transporte in the east of the city.
Practical Tips
- Tunja is regarded as a very safe city, with a notably low homicide rate, so getting around on foot or by taxi is generally comfortable.
- For longer regional trips, Tunja works well as a jumping-off point for destinations such as Villa de Leyva, Paipa and the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy.
- When booking intercity buses to farther destinations, it is worth calling the terminal or the bus companies directly and cross-checking information, since some agents may provide inaccurate details.