Cartago: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Cartago is a city of 134,972 people in Colombia (Valle del Cauca Department), 722 m (2,369 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Matecaña International Airport (PEI), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Cartago runs from about 11 h 53 min a day in late December to 12 h 26 min in late June (computed for 4.75° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Cartago is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Matecaña International Airport (PEI), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,627 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are El Eden Airport (AXM, 36 km), La Nubia Airport (MZL, 59 km), Perales Airport (IBE, 94 km).
Flights to Cartago: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Cartago · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Bogotá, 203 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Cali, 161 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Medellín, 171 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Soacha, 189 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Ibagué, 86 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Pereira, 25 km — car rental · tours
- Manizales, 57 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Buenaventura, 177 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Bello, 181 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Neiva, 214 km — buses · car rental
Common questions
Which airport serves Cartago?
Matecaña International Airport (PEI), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre, plus 3 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Cartago?
About 134,972 people live in Cartago (GeoNames).
What time zone is Cartago in?
America/Bogota, currently UTC-5.
What currency is used in Cartago?
The Peso (COP). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Cartago?
Bogotá (203 km), Cali (161 km), Medellín (171 km), Soacha (189 km), Ibagué (86 km).
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.