Riohacha: 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.
Riohacha is a city of 188,014 people in Colombia (La Guajira Department), 7 m (23 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH), 3 km (2 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Riohacha runs from about 11 h 29 min a day in late December to 12 h 50 min in late June (computed for 11.54° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Riohacha is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH), 3 km (2 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 5,413 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Riohacha: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Riohacha · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Maracaibo, 173 km (Venezuela) — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Barranquilla, 214 km — flights · buses · car rental · tours
- Cartagena, 310 km — flights · buses · car rental
- Santa Marta, 144 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Valledupar, 126 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Cabimas, 204 km (Venezuela) — buses · car rental · tours
- Soledad, 214 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mérida, 381 km (Venezuela)
- Sincelejo, 368 km
- Coro, 352 km (Venezuela)
Common questions
Which airport serves Riohacha?
Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH), 3 km (2 mi) from the centre.
How big is Riohacha?
About 188,014 people live in Riohacha (GeoNames).
What time zone is Riohacha in?
America/Bogota, currently UTC-5.
What currency is used in Riohacha?
The Peso (COP). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Riohacha?
Maracaibo (173 km), Barranquilla (214 km), Cartagena (310 km), Santa Marta (144 km), Valledupar (126 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.