Travel btwn. Santa Marta and Cartagena

oldbongo says on Jan 31, 2005, 09:04:

hollywood.. lotsa drivers/private taxis...
maybe 300000P door to door...air-condish.
fast road..3-4hrs. ...no nites, obvio.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jan 31, 2005, 13:37:

Buses? Anyone here have experience taking one of the bus lines?

greg says on Jan 31, 2005, 14:26:

Bus I took a bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta a few years ago with no problem. The bus was air conditioned with tv. Changed buses in Baranquilla but only waited a few minutes. I think trip was about 4 hours. Don`t remember what it cost but i don`t think it was more than 30,000.

chiche says on Jan 31, 2005, 18:25:

no problem i took a bus recently from Maicao to Barranquilla and it was no problem. took 6 hours and $22000 pesos.
I think it cost me more to get my exit and entry on the same day at the border.
I think you should do it during the day.
you get to see the journey from a bus window and see some interesting things.

brunito says on Jan 31, 2005, 18:45:

You can even get it for less then $20,000 COP but... ...be prepared to wait a long while untill the bus driver is statisfied with the quantity of passengers. He does not leave on time but when he feels he has enough passengers.

Also be prepared to do the scenic route meaning stopping at every pueblo on the way as well as every intersection on the way.

Don't be surprised if he breaks down just outside Baranquilla and you wait 20 minutes before he finally gets his burro of a bus to start up again...

Don't be surprised if you get a free shower because the bus is no longer waterproof....

All these facts happened to me last october and it drove me nuts because I had had a usually good experience with colomnbian bus companies in the past.

Next time I'll shell out the additional $15,000 COP to go with Costena or another company and leave at different time as some of my friends who insist in taking those cheap (in all senses) buses.

Oh! Did I forget to mention that the bus left at 10AM in Santa Marta and arrived at 5PM in Cartagena for what in the past tooke me less then 3 hours with Costena?

Miguel says on Feb 1, 2005, 10:41:

Invertours One way BAQ-CTG 26 mil per persona...safe, relatively quick...serves the entire north coast...just used them this weekend. (Mini van)

elmodefoque says on Feb 1, 2005, 10:52:

mr. H, how the hell are you going to go from cartagena to santa marta and not even stop in the greatest city south of new jersey, barranquilla! i guess you never seen a burro stampede.

miguel, i got serious problem, my girlfriend from bogota is also going to be in barranquilla and happens to be staying in "el prado" where my wife and i are also staying. check "el heraldo" for any news of a dead druken guajiro with ball cut off.

Miguel says on Feb 1, 2005, 16:03:

NO JODAS With a US pasaporte...should be easy MODO...where should I sent the body?

Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 1, 2005, 17:01:

Elmo Sadly, I'm not the one doing the travelling. I could never pass through Barranquilla without visiting your dear Maria Elena.