Arrival brief · Cartagena CTG
CTG Arrival Guide: Cartagena Airport to the Old Town, Without the Traps
Cartagena's airport is refreshingly close to the Old Town — a ten-minute ride — so the only thing to get right is the fare. Taxis have no meters, so agree it first, or app it, or have the hotel send a car.
2026-08-23
What to expect after landing
Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez airport (CTG) sits refreshingly close to the city — the walled Old Town is a ten-to-fifteen-minute ride away. Arrival is easy, and with such a short trip the only thing to get right is the fare: taxis have no meters, so agree it first, app it, or have the hotel send a car. Draw pesos from a bank-branded ATM (decline conversion, skip the airport exchange) and keep cash low-profile.
Option 1 — Taxi (fare agreed first)
Cartagena taxis have no meters, so agree the full fare out loud before getting in — and ask your hotel in advance what the fair rate to the Old Town should be (it’s a modest set amount for such a short ride). Use a proper taxi from the rank, not a tout who approaches you, and have small notes ready.
Option 2 — Ride app or hotel transfer
inDrive (set your own fare), Cabify, and Uber (a grey area in Colombia but widely used) all fix the price in advance and remove the no-meter overcharge — follow the app to the pickup and match the plate. A pre-booked hotel transfer meeting you by name is the calmest option for a first arrival or a night landing.
What it looks like
The CTG trap is only the fare: a taxi with no meter quoting high to a newcomer. Agree it first, or fix it in an app, or pre-book the hotel car. And skip the airport exchange counters — a bank ATM gives a fair peso rate.
Do this instead
Agree the taxi fare before getting in (know the fair rate from your hotel), or use inDrive/Cabify/Uber, or a pre-booked transfer. Draw pesos from a bank ATM and keep cash low-profile. It’s a short ride into one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful cities — with the fare sorted, the arrival is easy.
Late-night arrivals
The airport is close to the city and taxis, apps, and transfers all run late. A pre-booked transfer or an app ride is the calmest night choice — fix the price in advance, go straight to your accommodation, and keep valuables low-profile. Agree any taxi fare before getting in.
Quick answers
How much is a taxi from Cartagena airport to the Old Town?
It's a short ride — about 10-15 minutes to the walled Old Town — but taxis have no meters, so agree the full fare before getting in, and ask your hotel what the fair price should be (it's a modest, set amount for such a short trip). Drivers quote high to arrivals who don't know the rate. Alternatively, use a ride app to fix the price, or have your hotel send a transfer. The 'scam' is simply an unagreed, inflated fare.
Should I use ride apps in Cartagena from the airport?
You can — inDrive is popular and lets you set your own fare, and Cabify and Uber operate (Uber in a legal grey area in Colombia but widely used). They fix the price in advance, which removes the no-meter overcharge. Follow the app to the pickup point and match the plate. For a first arrival or at night, a pre-booked hotel transfer is the calmest option of all.
How should I handle money when I land in Cartagena?
Draw Colombian pesos from a bank-branded ATM in the terminal (decline the conversion offer) rather than using the poor-rate airport exchange. Keep cash low-profile, and be ready to agree taxi and vendor prices in pesos. Many places in the tourist areas take cards, so you may need less cash than you think; carry small notes for the taxi so you're not flashing a big wallet.
What if I land in Cartagena at night?
The airport is close to the city and taxis, apps, and pre-booked transfers all operate late. A pre-booked hotel transfer or an app ride is the calmest choice for a night arrival — fix the price in advance and go straight to your accommodation. Agree any taxi fare before getting in, and keep valuables low-profile. It's a short ride, so even a night arrival is low-stress with the fare sorted.