How far is it, actually
About 3 km. Rafael Núñez International (CTG) is one of the closest city airports you'll ever land at, and the drive into the Walled Old Town takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes when the road is behaving. People arrive braced for an hour on a highway and are genuinely thrown when the taxi stops before they've finished their podcast.
We're at Carrera 7 #36-88, in San Diego, the northern corner of the walled city. Same drive.
Taking a taxi from the airport
Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals and check the posted fare board before you get in. Cartagena sets taxi rates by zone each year and the airport publishes them, so the number on the board is your reference point, not whatever gets said through the window. Fares quoted for the airport to the walled city commonly land somewhere around 20,000 to 30,000 COP.
Two things worth knowing. Meters are not the norm here, so agree the fare before the car moves. And carry small notes, because handing over a 50,000 for a 25,000 ride is the fastest way to a long conversation about change.
Or let us send someone
If it's a late arrival, you've got a kid asleep on your shoulder, or you just don't want to negotiate in Spanish at 11pm, we'll arrange the transfer. Our rate is 120,000 COP for up to four passengers and 200,000 COP for five or more. Yes, that's more than a taxi. What you're buying is a person holding a sign, a car that's definitely coming, and a fixed number you already agreed to.
Tell us your flight number when you book and we'll match it to the arrival time. Email us at hola@townhousecartagena.com.
| Option | Typical cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|
| Official airport taxi | around 20,000-30,000 COP, agree the fare first | No |
| Our transfer, up to 4 people | 120,000 COP | Yes |
| Our transfer, 5+ people | 200,000 COP | Yes |
When your flight lands before your room is ready
Morning arrivals into Cartagena are common and check-in isn't instant. Early check-in is free with us, but it depends on what went out that morning, so we can't promise it. If you absolutely have to walk into a room at 8am, the only guaranteed way is to book the room for the night before. Otherwise, drop the bags, get breakfast into you, and start walking. Breakfast is included for everyone who books direct through our website.
Getting around once you're here
Walk. The Walled Old Town is small and mostly flat, and from San Diego you can cross the whole of it on foot in about fifteen minutes. Cars in the old town are a hindrance more than a help, and half the streets are more pleasant without one anyway.
Going back to the airport
Same drive, same short distance, but build in a buffer. CTG is a compact airport and the queues for security and check-in can be slow out of all proportion to the size of the building, particularly in the morning bank of flights. If you want us to arrange the car for the way out, tell us the day before and we'll sort it. Late checkout, if you need the room longer, is 100,000 pesos.
And if your flight isn't until the evening, leave the bags with us and go get one last plate of something fried. Live Cartagena the way we do.