Bogotá Airport El Dorado: How to Get from the Airport to the City

Overview: El Dorado Airport in Bogotá

Like Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo, Bogotá’s airport is an important hub in South America.

Many connections from Europe route through El Dorado Airport. If you’re flying to Ecuador or Peru, for example, there’s a good chance you’ll have a layover here. And even if you’re heading for a vacation in Colombia, you’ll almost certainly land in Bogotá first.

Good to know: If you ever experience a flight delay, our article on compensation for flight delays gives you tips on how to get your money back.

Entry at El Dorado Airport Bogotá

If you’re only making a short layover at El Dorado Airport to connect to another country or to cities like Cartagena, Medellín, or Santa Marta, you won’t need to go through customs in Bogotá.

In all other cases, you’ll need to clear customs — including if you’re just checking into a hotel for one night or if you have a domestic connection afterward.

Wait times at customs depend on passenger volume. When we arrived, we waited about 30 minutes, and everything went smoothly. Your passport is generally all you need, though a return ticket or proof of accommodation is occasionally requested.

Without a visa, you’re allowed to stay in Colombia for 90 days — and you can extend it once by another 90 days.

Internet and ATMs

Terminal 1 has Wi-Fi, so you don’t need to scramble for a SIM card the moment you land.

If you’re starting your Colombia trip in Bogotá, it makes sense to withdraw cash right away. Your best bet is a Davivienda ATM — they charge no fees. You can find them at El Dorado Airport by searching “Cajero Davivienda” in Google Maps.

How to Get from Bogotá Airport to the City Center

Once you’ve cleared customs, your next step is getting from El Dorado Airport to your accommodation. Here are your options.

Taxi, Uber, Didi

Rideshare apps like Uber and Didi are generally safer and a bit cheaper than taxis in Colombia. For your arrival, we’d recommend going with Uber.

Uber doesn’t require cash and saves you the hassle of dealing with the many taxi drivers who’ll try to push their rides on you. The app will show you exactly which terminal and floor your driver will pick you up from.

The Didi app works similarly to Uber and is actually more widely used in Colombia. One thing to note: you can’t download Didi outside of Colombia, so you’ll need to set it up once you arrive. With Didi, you can pay by cash or card.

Note: As in almost all countries in South America, Uber, Didi, and similar apps are technically illegal — but practically everyone uses them anyway. It’s best to sit in the front seat so that if you’re stopped at a checkpoint, you can say you and the driver are friends.

If you’d rather skip the apps, a regular taxi works fine — just make sure you don’t overpay. An Uber from El Dorado Airport to downtown Bogotá costs around 30,000 COP. For a taxi, you shouldn’t need to pay more than 40,000 COP.

Private Transfer

Another solid option is a private airport transfer. You can book it online in advance, it’s stress-free, and it’s almost as affordable as a taxi.

Book a private transfer from Bogotá Airport to your accommodation

Public Transportation

It’s technically possible to get from the airport to the city center by public transit — but honestly, we don’t recommend it. The journey is complicated and not worth the hassle.

Bogotá has no metro, so you’ll need to take the bus. Start by taking the free shuttle Alimentadora 16-14 Aeropuerto from any terminal to the El Dorado stop.

There, you can pick up the Tarjeta Tullave card, which you’ll need for Bogotá’s bus network. It costs 8,000 COP, and you load money onto it as needed. To reach the city center, board a red TransMilenio bus on Line 1, which runs all the way to the historic center.

Stopover at Bogotá Airport

How you spend your layover in Bogotá really depends on how much time you have. If you’ve got at least nine hours during the day, it’s worth heading into the city. Any less than that, and we think it’ll feel too rushed — traffic in Bogotá is seriously no joke.

The ideal scenario is that your luggage is automatically transferred from plane to plane. If that’s not the case, you’ll need to collect it at baggage claim and either re-check it immediately or store it on the first floor of Terminal 1.

From there, grab a taxi into the city (Plaza de Bolívar is a great starting point). Without traffic, that’s just under 30 minutes — during rush hour, budget significantly more. We cover all the top highlights in Bogotá in a separate article.

If you have a shorter layover, your best bet is to kick back in an airport lounge.

Get entry to the Avianca Lounge at Bogotá Airport

Airport Hotels in Bogotá

If you’re doing an overnight stopover in Bogotá, it’s worth booking an airport hotel. There’s a solid range of places to stay near El Dorado Airport to suit every budget.

Hotels right at El Dorado Airport

Budget accommodations near Bogotá Airport