Everything is fun and games until you land in Colombia without pre-booking your Bogota Airport transfers. If you are flying into El Dorado Airport Bogota, you are probably curious about the best hotels near Bogota with shuttle service and Bogota Airport transportation options. If you spend a few days in Bogota, like most backpackers or travelers, you will likely stay in La Candelaria or Chapinero. I’m sharing essential info on how the Bogota Airport taxi and other transport methods work to help you decide how to get from El Dorado Airport Bogota to your accommodation.
Most people want to get from Bogota Colombia airports to Candelaria—the cheapest and easiest way is the Transmilenio. If you are heading north to Chapiearo, your best option is to take a Bogota airport transfer or a taxi.
Need a Colombia backpacking itinerary? Click here to read mine.
Quick Tip: Book accommodation, tours, and transport ahead of time online to save money and stress.
Best La Candelaria Tours: Click here to check out the top La Candelaria tours
Best La Candelaria Accommodation: Click here to check out the best accommodation in La Candelaria
Best La Candelaria Transport: Click here to book a bus, ferry, or train in La Candelaria
Bogota Airport Transportation
To simplify things, I’ve narrowed down five convenient ways to travel from El Dorado Airport Bogota to your next adventure.
- Transmilenio
- Uber
- Airport taxi
- Colombian Buddy (private Bogota airport transfer)
- GottoGo
P.S. If you haven’t chosen accommodations yet, the best area to stay in Bogota is Chapinero. Later, we’ll discuss the best hotels near Bogota Airport with shuttle service.
Confession: I have something to confess about my first trip to Bogota. I arrived at the airport tired, jetlagged, and disorientated—my Spanish was okay, but I was accustomed to Guatemalan Spanish, which is slower and less accented. A guy approached me saying he was an Uber driver and quoted me a good price into town.
Stupidly, I got into his unmarked car and he took me to La Candelaria. By the time I arrived, it was dark and he kicked me out near my accommodation, telling me he was unable to drive down the street. I reluctantly got out and spent the next hour walking the streets unable to find my Airbnb and getting more upset. My Guatemalan phone didn’t work, I had no local currency, and I was a big flashing tourist target.
The police found me wandering on the main road and escorted me to my accommodation. It could have been so much worse! I made many stupid mistakes, so don’t be like me—plan your Bogota Airport transportation in advance.
Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet?
The Insurance companies I recommend are Hey Mondo and Safety Wing
Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy.
Read my full travel insurance post here, where I go into detail about all companies.
1. Take the Transmilenio
If you are a budget traveler staying in La Candelaria, the Transmilenio is the cheapest option from El Dorado Airport Bogota to the city. It costs around $2mil (60 cents or 50p) and is quick. There is a Transmilenio station inside the airport, so follow the signs and get on a bus to Universidades.
Check how far your accommodation is from the station—if it is a significant walk, download a taxi or ridesharing app and book a car to go the rest of the way. Don’t flag down a taxi, especially at night or when alone.
2. Book an Airport Transfer Bogota
GuateGo is my top choice for booking Bogota Airport transfers. They recently added Colombia to their transportation offerings, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve traveled with them throughout Guatemala, and they never fail. You can search for a Bogota Airport transfer from Bogota Colombia airports to cities like La Candelaria.
3. Hire an Uber
Uber is technically illegal in Colombia—it was banned in early 2020 but came back online two weeks later. There is still tension between taxi and Uber drivers. Using an app rather than hailing a cab in person is usually safer and more reliable.
Taxi Bogota Airport Apps
- Uber
- Beat
- DiDi
- Tapsi
- Cabify
I used Beat from the airport to north Bogota for less than $9 USD. A traditional taxi would cost more than double!
4. Take a Taxi Bogota Airport
One golden rule is don’t get in a taxi in Colombia, especially in Bogota. However, an official Bogota airport taxi is usually a safe option.
If your flight arrives late, taking a taxi from Bogota Airport to La Candelaria is the safest option. Taxis park outside the airport, but you must visit a booth to pay for your ride. A cab from El Dorado Airport Bogota to La Candelaria should cost close to $15 USD, while the fare to Chapinero is around $20 USD.
A general note about Bogota taxis: Taxis in Bogota are unsafe for tourists due to paseo millonarios (“millionaire rides”), when taxi drivers pick up nasty friends once tourists are in their car. They will take the tourists to a cash machine and make them withdraw millions of pesos. While this is the worst case scenario, don’t risk it by picking up a cab on the street! For more reasons not to take a street taxi, read this article from How to Bogota.
If you want to get a taxi in Bogota, use the Tapsi or Easy Taxi apps. You use a booking system and the company keeps a record of driver details, making it the safest option.
Quick Tip: View my full Colombia packing guide here including a downloadable checklist. And check out my Colombia Essentials shopping list here.
5. Get a Colombian Buddy to Pick You Up
Colombian Buddy is the perfect Bogota Airport transportation method to ease your mind. This fantastic company employs friendly local experts who transport you from the airport to your accommodations. During these Bogota Airport transfers, you can ask them about things to do in Bogota to maximize your time. It doesn’t get better than that!
Colombia Travel Guide Planning
🧳 Any recommendations on what I should pack for Colombia?
Yes! I have created a whole packing guide to Colombia which you can read here and you can also check out my packing list for Colombia on Amazon here.
🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m in Colombia?
I strongly recommend using GottoGo. You can book almost all transport in the major tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.
🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours in Colombia?
I recommend either Viator or GetYour Guide. They have a lot of options!
👩⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?
I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing digital nomad insurance.
I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here
✈️ Any flight recommendations?
WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.
📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?
I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.
With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using eitherAirhub or Alosim. Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.
🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?
The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.
🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?
I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack.
Bogota Airport Transportation: FAQs
What transportation options are available from El Dorado Airport Bogota?
You can take a taxi, airport transfer, bus, Uber, or book a Colombian Buddy to drive you from the Bogota Airport.
What’s the cheapest Bogota Airport transportation method?
The Transmilenio is the cheapest way to get to La Candelaria—a ticket costs $2mil (60 cents or 50p).
What should I do if I have an early or late flight from Bogota?
Stay in one of the local hotels near Bogota Airport with shuttle service for convenience and minimal stress.
Best Hotels Near Bogota Airport With Shuttle Service
If you have an early or late El Dorado Airport Bogota flight, I suggest staying at one of the many hotels near Bogota Airport with shuttle service. This ensures you won’t worry about Bogota Airport transportation while tired or disoriented. Here are my top picks:
- Aloft Bogotá Airport: Great value hotel 2.5 km from the airport
- Ayenda 1045 Boutique Aeropuerto: Small place for a short stay if you are flying in or out of Bogota Colombia airports
La Candelaria Accommodations
I recommend Chapinero over La Candelaria if you stay longer than 24 hours for safety reasons. Check out my roundup of the best areas in Bogota to stay in.
Chapinero Hotels
Hotel Morrison
Selina Chapinaro
Republica Hostel Chapinero
Hotel Living 55
93 Luxury Suites & Residences
La Candelaria Hotels
Selina La Candelaria
Casa Artistica
Arche Noah Boutique Hostel
Bogota Airport Transportation: Final Thoughts
There are many safe, straightforward, and affordable ways to travel from El Dorado Airport Bogota to other cities. Whether you opt for an official Bogota Airport taxi or private Bogota Airport transfers, you won’t spend much on transportation. You can also stay at one of the top hotels near Bogota Airport with shuttle service for ultimate convenience.
This post was proofread by Grammarly.
Oliver
Friday 29th of April 2022
Hi Claire, you should add to your article the fact that you need to have a Transmilenio card to ride the bus. We waited for a bus and tried to pay cash, but it’s not possible. There is a booth to buy the card inside the arrivals terminal.
Lucu
Monday 23rd of November 2020
I'd like to comment that more instructions needed to locate the bus. The bus stops aren't INSIDE the airport, they are outside exit 9. I had to ask few people to locate it, there were no signs where I was exiting the airport. There are also different stops for buses going different routes, to get to Universidado you'll need the 500 bus. I had to look at the routes to figure it out. The payment is only via transport card, but I gave cash to someone who swiped it for me . Carrying change comes in handy !
Claire Summers
Saturday 5th of December 2020
Thanks, Lucu that's super helpful. I only did it traveling to the airport which was much easier! When I was there in March the bus stop was just outside the airport exit though (still within the airport grounds). Has this changed?
Andrew Caro
Thursday 13th of February 2020
Your article is quite good. The only comment I have to make is regarding the taxis. It is an unfair generalization to say that taxis are not safe for tourists. There are more than 50 thousand taxis in Bogotá, and it is a safe service. The advice should be not to stop a taxi on the road, but to ask for a taxi by phone or any of the platforms (they will come in less than 5 minutes and they’ll tell you the number of registration plate of the taxi). Most taxis belong to any of those organized platforms and they are safe.
Claire Summers
Thursday 13th of February 2020
Thanks for your comments... If you actually read my post though I do say taxis from the airport are fine and using one of the taxi aps is also safe. But flagging a taxi down on the street if you are a solo female traveler (who my blog is written for) is not a safe option. But yeah thanks for mansplaning what I already wrote ?