Bogotá is the largest city in the world without metro and rail transport. Therefore, you can only use buses or taxis to get to the airport.
Taxi, Uber
Taxis are the most convenient and straightforward form of transportation.
Only official yellow metered taxis run from the airport. So you don't have to haggle over the price. You can pre-book a taxi in advance via the airport's official website: eldorado.aero/taxis.
Uber also works very well in Bogotá, offering slightly lower prices than regular taxis in most cases.
- Taxi to the historic centre of La Candalería - approx. 42 000 cop
- Uber to the historic centre of La Candalería - approx. 35 000 cop
Buses
The cheapest way to get to the centre of Bogotá is city buses.
The public transport system in Bogotá is modern and relatively fast and, if you know Spanish, easy to navigate.
Routes and timetables
There are several bus routes to the airport, but only two of them are usable for getting to the central area.
You can search for individual routes on the website: transmilenio.gov.co/buscador_de_rutas.
Transmilenio
Transmilenio's backbone buses run in dedicated corridors and pass through turnstiles to reach their stops. They have fewer stops than regular routes and are usually operated by long articulated buses.
- K86/M86 - runs between the airport and the historic centre (Museo Nacional, Universidades) as the K86 line, then continues north to Bogotá as the M86 line without the need to change.
- Travel time to the centre - approx. 45 minutes
- Frequency - 5 to 10 minutes
- Hours of operation - 5:30 am to 11:00 pm (Sundays only until 10:00 pm)
Urbano
There are also many regular Urbano buses to the airport, which do not have dedicated lanes for most of the route and stop at all stops.
For travel in the direction of the city centre from the airport, use only some of these lines.
- 12 - goes to the northern part of the centre to the Chapinero district with the final station being Prociúncula.
- Travel time to the centre - approx. 65 minutes
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 4:00 to 23:00 (5:00 to 22:00 on Sundays)
- P500 - goes to the north of the centre to the "Centro Andino" department store.
- Travel time to the centre - approx. 65 minutes
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 4:00 to 22:00 (Saturday and Sunday 5:00 to 21:30)
Lines G147, K309, H317, K315, K317, K321, K323, G502, 577, K903 and 927 run completely outside the centre and are of no use for tourist purposes.
Fares and prices
Fares are paid in the same way and cost the same price on all bus routes in Bogotá, both on the Transmilenio backbone services and on the regular slower services.
To use the bus, you must buy a plastic Tullave card. This can only be purchased in Terminal 1 at the kiosk on the ground floor of the public hall by door number 8.
The TuLlave card is sold with a credit at the lowest value 8 000 cop, which you can use to pay the fare. You can choose to charge as much as you like at the time of purchase. Once the credit is used up, you can top up the card at any Transmilenio rapid bus station and other locations, see map: tullaveplus.gov.co/puntos-de-recarga.
- 2 950 cop - fare for 110 minutes (maximum 2 transfers)
All-day fares are not available. For current ticket prices, visit: sitp.gov.co/tarifas.
When travelling on the red Transmilenio express buses, the card is attached to the turnstile when you enter the platform.
On the blue and green slower "Urbano" buses, the card is attached to the reader at the first door when you board the bus.
Tip for the hotel at the bus stop
Don't look for complicated accommodation when you arrive in the city and choose one of the hotels right by the bus stop for the airport bus.
Ideally, look for hotels along the K86/M86 routes that go to Bogotá's tourist centre. Hotels around the Museo Nacional bus stop will be most suitable.
- Hotel Tequendama ***** - One of the most famous hotels in Bogotá with great value for money (from 60 usd)
- ibis Bogota Museo *** - a classic multinational chain with reasonable prices from 40 usd
Rent a car
For trips to the Colombian countryside, a rental car is the best option. The main roads in Colombia are of good quality, albeit very winding and leading over high mountains.
Right in Terminal 1 you will find the counters of many well-known international car rental companies.
Prices for the week start at 270 usd.