Car hire and driving in Cartagena
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Colombia traffic drives on the right. Picking up at CTG means 5 km (3 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648825.
Drives from Cartagena
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartagena to Sabanalarga | Colombia | 68 km (42 mi) | about 1 h 2 min |
| Cartagena to Malambo | Colombia | 94 km (58 mi) | about 1 h 26 min |
| Cartagena to Soledad | Colombia | 98 km (61 mi) | about 1 h 30 min |
| Cartagena to Barranquilla | Colombia | 100 km (62 mi) | about 1 h 32 min |
| Cartagena to Sincelejo | Colombia | 122 km (76 mi) | about 1 h 52 min |
| Cartagena to Magangué | Colombia | 152 km (94 mi) | about 2 h 19 min |
| Cartagena to Santa Marta | Colombia | 170 km (106 mi) | about 2 h 35 min |
| Cartagena to Montería | Colombia | 188 km (117 mi) | about 2 h 52 min |
| Cartagena to Valledupar | Colombia | 245 km (152 mi) | about 3 h 44 min |
| Cartagena to Riohacha | Colombia | 310 km (192 mi) | about 4 h 43 min |
| Cartagena to Machiques | Venezuela | 324 km (201 mi) | about 4 h 56 min |
| Cartagena to Ocaña | Colombia | 336 km (209 mi) | about 5 h 7 min |
| Cartagena to Bogotá | Colombia | 662 km (411 mi) | about 10 h 6 min |
| Cartagena to Caracas | Venezuela | 942 km (585 mi) | about 14 h 22 min |
| Cartagena to Quito | Ecuador | 1,228 km (763 mi) | about 18 h 44 min |
| Cartagena to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 1,482 km (921 mi) | about 22 h 36 min |
| Cartagena to Cali | Colombia | 783 km (487 mi) | about 11 h 56 min |
| Cartagena to Medellín | Colombia | 462 km (287 mi) | about 7 h 3 min |
| Cartagena to Maracaibo | Venezuela | 425 km (264 mi) | about 6 h 29 min |
| Cartagena to Valencia | Venezuela | 820 km (510 mi) | about 12 h 30 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Cartagena?
The right, as everywhere in Colombia.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.