Day trip from Santa Marta to Cartagena
Cartagena lies 170 km (106 mi) south-west of Santa Marta, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 170 km (106 mi) apart, Cartagena is a realistic day trip from Santa Marta: about 2 h 46 min each way by road.
| Santa Marta | Cartagena | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Colombia | Colombia |
| Population | 499,192 | 914,552 |
| Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-5 (America/Bogota) | UTC-5 (America/Bogota) |
| Postal codes | 470001–470017 | 130001–130027 |
Where to book tours and tickets in Cartagena
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.
Staying in Cartagena
Our booking partner lists 1,125+ places to stay in Cartagena (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 987 with a star rating, the largest group is 2-star (476), and 7 are five-star. Across 38 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10. Guests have left 6,651 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Cartagena
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Cartagena from Santa Marta?
170 km (106 mi) in a straight line, south-west of Santa Marta; by road roughly 207 km (129 mi).
How long does it take to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena by road?
About 2 h 46 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Santa Marta and Cartagena?
No, both are on America/Bogota at the moment.
Where can I stay in Cartagena?
Our booking partner lists 1,125+ places to stay in Cartagena, bookable on this site.
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.