Car hire and driving in Santa Marta
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 BAQ means 75 km (47 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648825.
Drives from Santa Marta
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Marta to Barranquilla | Colombia | 71 km (44 mi) | about 1 h 5 min |
| Santa Marta to Soledad | Colombia | 72 km (45 mi) | about 1 h 6 min |
| Santa Marta to Malambo | Colombia | 76 km (47 mi) | about 1 h 10 min |
| Santa Marta to Sabanalarga | Colombia | 104 km (65 mi) | about 1 h 35 min |
| Santa Marta to Valledupar | Colombia | 134 km (83 mi) | about 2 h 3 min |
| Santa Marta to Riohacha | Colombia | 144 km (90 mi) | about 2 h 12 min |
| Santa Marta to Cartagena | Colombia | 170 km (106 mi) | about 2 h 35 min |
| Santa Marta to Maicao | Colombia | 214 km (133 mi) | about 3 h 16 min |
| Santa Marta to Machiques | Venezuela | 222 km (138 mi) | about 3 h 23 min |
| Santa Marta to Magangué | Colombia | 230 km (143 mi) | about 3 h 31 min |
| Santa Marta to Sincelejo | Colombia | 252 km (156 mi) | about 3 h 50 min |
| Santa Marta to La Concepción | Venezuela | 266 km (165 mi) | about 4 h 4 min |
| Santa Marta to Bogotá | Colombia | 737 km (458 mi) | about 11 h 15 min |
| Santa Marta to Caracas | Venezuela | 803 km (499 mi) | about 12 h 15 min |
| Santa Marta to Quito | Ecuador | 1,362 km (846 mi) | about 20 h 46 min |
| Santa Marta to Guayaquil | Ecuador | 1,621 km (1,007 mi) | about 24 h 43 min |
| Santa Marta to Cali | Colombia | 905 km (562 mi) | about 13 h 48 min |
| Santa Marta to Medellín | Colombia | 576 km (358 mi) | about 8 h 47 min |
| Santa Marta to Maracaibo | Venezuela | 290 km (180 mi) | about 4 h 25 min |
| Santa Marta to Valencia | Venezuela | 687 km (427 mi) | about 10 h 29 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 Santa Marta?
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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.