The airport is connected to the city of Santa Marta and the hotel districts of El Rodadero, Pozos Colorados, and Bello Horizonte by public buses, authorized taxis, and ride-hailing applications.
City Buses (SETP)
Santa Marta's Strategic Public Transportation System (SETP) runs blue city buses departing from the airport parking area. Services operate regularly between 5:00 am and approximately 10:00 pm.
- Route 03 / SM103: Connects through the Bello Horizonte hotel corridor, La Paz neighborhood, Bomba Zuca, Gaira, El Rodadero, downtown Santa Marta, and terminates in Bonda. Travel time to downtown is around 45 to 60 minutes, with fares between $2,500 and $3,000 COP (cash payment).
- Route SM101: Runs between the airport, Gaira Transfer Terminal, Ziruma, and Ferrocarril Avenue into the city center.
Rates and schedules updated as of November 6, 2026.
Ride-Hailing Apps
Apps such as Uber and inDrive operate in the Santa Marta area. Due to local regulations, passenger pick-up is usually coordinated within the public parking lot or along the terminal exit roadway.
Private Transfers
Several tour operators and private transfer companies provide pre-booked door-to-door transport to hotels in Santa Marta, Taganga, Minca, and Tayrona National Natural Park.
Official Taxis
Official yellow taxi service is managed by the Asocontax cooperative. They maintain a customer service desk on Level 1 inside the public arrivals hall (Unit LO-14-078), operating from 7:00 am to 9:30 pm daily.
Fares are regulated by official district decree and include a standard airport departure surcharge of approximately $5,200 to $5,590 COP:
- To El Rodadero: approx. $26,500 to $32,500 COP (15 to 20 minutes travel time).
- To Downtown Santa Marta: approx. $35,000 to $40,000 COP (30 to 40 minutes travel time).
- To Taganga or Bonda: approx. $46,000 to $53,000 COP (45 to 60 minutes travel time).
Rates updated as of November 6, 2026.