- Must visit
Museo Histórico de Cartagena de Indias MUHCA
Leading museum inside the Palace of the Inquisition. Exhibits cover Cartagena’s colonial history, society, and documented Inquisition era.
Cheapest price on Sep 15
€20
Average ticket price on Sep 15
€29
Fastest journey on Sep 15
4 h 30 m
Average journey duration on Sep 15
4 h 54 m
Buses on Sep 15
18
Distance
171 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Santa Marta to Cartagena is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Santa Marta to Cartagena will cost around €29 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only €20.
On Tue, Sep 15, we found 18 buses from Santa Marta to Cartagena, including 18 direct services.
On Tue, Sep 15 the direct buses cover the 171 km distance in an average of 4 h 54 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 4 h 30 m .
On Tue, Sep 15 the slowest buses will take 5 h and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Santa Marta to Cartagena among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €28 For those with little time, consider booking a bus, which has an average total journey time of 5h 34m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €28, while a flight costs an average of €442.
Distance: 106 miles (171 km)
Most popular Bus | Flight |
|---|---|
€28 Average price Cheapest | €442 Average price |
5h 34m Average total duration Fastest 5h 4m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 36m Average total duration 3h 36m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular airline |
Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Santa Marta to Cartagena:
A bus is €414 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Santa Marta to Cartagena costing on average €442.
Other travel options to Cartagena take longer:
Bus takes on average 5h 4m.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 05:30AM | Arrival Time 10:30AM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 07:00AM | Arrival Time 12:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 01:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 08:30AM | Arrival Time 01:45PM | Duration 5h15 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €21 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 02:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 09:30AM | Arrival Time 02:00PM | Duration 4h30 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €21 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 04:00PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €21 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 04:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 12:00PM | Arrival Time 05:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 12:25PM | Arrival Time 05:30PM | Duration 5h05 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €19 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 01:00PM | Arrival Time 06:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 01:25PM | Arrival Time 07:15PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €19 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 07:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 08:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 09:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €21 |
Operator Marsol | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 09:00PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Wed, Fri | Cheapest price €33 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 04:25PM | Arrival Time 09:30PM | Duration 5h05 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price €20 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 07:25PM | Arrival Time 12:30AM | Duration 5h05 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €19 |
Operator Infobus | Departure Time 09:44PM | Arrival Time 03:15AM | Duration 5h31 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price €19 |
The table below shows live departures for Santa Marta to Cartagena buses for today, Monday, September 14. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 7:25 PM Santa Marta | 5h05 | 12:30 AM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 9:44 PM Santa Marta | 5h31 | 3:15 AM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Tuesday, September 15 | |||||
0 | 5:30 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 10:30 AM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 7:00 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 12:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 8:00 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 1:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 8:30 AM Santa Marta | 5h15 | 1:45 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 9:00 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 2:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 9:30 AM Santa Marta | 4h30 | 2:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 10:00 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 3:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 10:30 AM Santa Marta | 5h30 | 4:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 11:00 AM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 4:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 12:00 PM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 5:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 12:25 PM Santa Marta | 5h05 | 5:30 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 1:00 PM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 6:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 1:25 PM Santa Marta | 5h50 | 7:15 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 2:00 PM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 7:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 3:00 PM Santa Marta | 5h00 | 8:00 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
0 | 4:00 PM Santa Marta | 5h30 | 9:30 PM Cartagena | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare bus and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Buses from Santa Marta to Cartagena run on average 18 times per day, taking around 5h 4m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at €18 if you book in advance.
There are 18 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 04:15, the last at 22:15. The fastest bus covers the 106 miles (171 km) distance in 3h 45m.
Distance 106 miles (171 km) |
Average bus duration 5h 4m |
Cheapest ticket price €18 |
Buses per day 18 |
Direct buses 18 |
Fastest bus 3h 45m |
First bus 4:15 AM |
Last bus 10:15 PM |
Cheapest Month Nov |
Cheapest Day Thu |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Oct - Dec |
Busiest Day Sun |
Least Busy Day Fri |
Best time to book 2 days |
Discover the best of Cartagena — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Cartagena trip today.
Leading museum inside the Palace of the Inquisition. Exhibits cover Cartagena’s colonial history, society, and documented Inquisition era.
Excellent museum of pre-Columbian gold and ceramics from the Zenú culture. Compact, free, and very informative.
Museum dedicated to naval history and maritime heritage. Strong exhibits on fortifications, sea trade, and naval defense.
Cartagena’s UNESCO-listed old town of plazas, churches, balconies, and colorful streets. Essential for walking, history, and atmosphere.
Vibrant historic district known for murals, music, plazas, and nightlife. Great for street life, culture, and local character.
Lively square beside the Clock Tower and old city gate. A practical starting point for exploring the historic center.
Coconut rice cooked with panela or coconut milk, often served with seafood or fried fish. It is a signature Caribbean side in Cartagena.
Whole fried fish, usually mojarra or red snapper, served with patacones, salad, and coconut rice. A classic beach and coastal meal.
Creamy seafood casserole with shrimp, fish, and shellfish in a rich sauce. It reflects Cartagena’s long coastal cooking tradition.
Refined Caribbean Colombian restaurant in the walled city, known for creative local ingredients, polished service, and a fine dining atmosphere.
Sophisticated restaurant by Colombian chef Harry Sasson, offering seafood, meats, and cocktails in a chic contemporary setting.
Elegant seafood-focused restaurant in Centro Histórico, celebrated for Caribbean flavors, ceviches, and a stylish colonial setting.
Moderate for Caribbean Colombia: lodging in the walled city is pricier, but local food, taxis, and buses stay fairly affordable versus many beach destinations.
A voluntary 10% service charge is often added in restaurants; confirm before paying. Round up small cafe bills. Taxis do not require tips, but rounding up is appreciated.
Official public transport app
Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez -> Torre del Reloj, Cartagena
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Santa Marta to Cartagena by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Cartagena, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Santa Marta to Cartagena buses use the Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet) to Cartagena station pair. Use this guide to compare Santa Marta and Cartagena bus stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like bus station facilities and services.
Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet) is 1 km from Santa Marta city centre. Public transport options include:
Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet) has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower, and Ticket Office.
Wi-Fi is available at Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet). ATMs are available at Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet).
Ticket office support is available at Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet).
Available at Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet): Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Santa Marta, Calle 22 (Gino Pascalli Outlet): Ramps are available for easy access.
Cartagena is 3 km from Cartagena city centre. Public transport options include:
Cartagena has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower, and Ticket Office.
Wi-Fi is available at Cartagena. ATMs are available at Cartagena.
Ticket office support is available at Cartagena.
Available at Cartagena: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cartagena: Wheelchair access provided.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need