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Questions re MarSol Cartegena to Barranquilla

OK, I'm a newbie making my first trip to Colombia later this week (yes!), and I'm hoping for some help regarding the MarSol shuttle. My buddy and I are arriving in Cartagena, and need to get the shuttle to Barranquilla.

I've read TomPower's excellent post from several months ago, so I've got the jist of what to do, but still have some questions:

1. Is it necessary to phone in advance to reserve a spot on the shuttle, or can we just show up at the airport and call from there, or show up at the office?

2. My verbal and listening Spanish skills still need a lot of work, but I'm reasonable proficient with email. Do they have an email address? If not, how capable are they dealing with a bumbling Spanglish speaking gringo over the phone?

3. Should we take a taxi from the Cartagena airport to the MarSol office, or is it safe/advisable to walk? Or can the shuttle pick us up at the airport?

Thanks much,

Whitey

By wwwhitey on Sep 7, 2008, 17:36 in Friendly Talkzone.

toneloc24 says on Sep 7, 2008, 19:14:

1. Depends on what time you arrive in CTG. The last shuttle generally leaves CTG for BAQ at 6 pm - 7 pm. I know MarSol's last shuttle is at 7 pm. I just did it last week again. There is also offices for a couple of the door-to-door services on the main road one block up from the airport.

By the way, MarSol's 19.000 peso service is NOT door-to-door on the CTG-BAQ route. They drop you off at Cra 46 and Cll 93. Safe area, but you'll need a taxi to get to wherever in BAQ you're staying from there.

2. Do not rely on e-mail responses with the transport services. Best option, pick up a phone and call. The level of their patience depends on the level of your clarity. They will try.

3. No need to take a taxi to any office. When you arrive at CTG airport, the baggage porters can/will point you in the direction of any of the door-to-door services generally waiting outside the airport. I believe I saw MarSol, Caribena, and Expreso (I think), there. I took the Caribena shuttle for 25.000 pesos to CTG, since it was ready to go and my reservation with Marsol was an hour away.

If you make a reservation with one of the services to BAQ, they will pick you up from the CTG airport. The CTG airport is on the road towards BAQ.

Best of luck.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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wwwhitey says on Sep 7, 2008, 19:46:

Toneloc ... muchisimas gracias. We arrive 12:35pm local, so sounds like we'll have several options!

Whitey

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tompower says on Sep 8, 2008, 05:58:

map to marsol

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wwwhitey says on Sep 8, 2008, 09:26:

Thanks Tom! Where are the stick-gringos? I'll definitely have to make a pit stop for my first Aguila ... jajajaja

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