Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [269]
Night city tours in chivas are organized by travel agents in most large cities and have become a popular form of entertainment. There is normally a band on board playing local music, and a large stock of aguardiente (anise-flavored liquor) to create the proper atmosphere. The tour usually includes some popular nightspots and can be great fun.
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There are lots of different types of local buses, ranging from old wrecks to modern air-conditioned vehicles. One common type is the buseta (small bus), a dominant means of urban transport in cities such as Bogotá and Cartagena. The bus fare is somewhere between COP$600 and COP$1500, depending on the city and type of bus.
A bus or buseta trip, particularly in large cities such as Bogotá or Barranquilla, is not a smooth and silent ride but rather a sort of breathtaking adventure with a taste of local folklore thrown in. You’ll have an opportunity to be saturated with loud tropical music, learn about the Colombian meaning of road rules, and observe your driver desperately trying to make his way through an ocean of vehicles.
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Colectivo
Colectivo in Colombia can mean a midsized bus, a shared taxi, an overloaded jeep, and everything in between. They are most popular in short intercity hops of less than four hours. Because they are smaller than regular buses, they can travel quicker, and charge around 30% more as a result. They often depart only when full.
In some cities they depart from and arrive at the bus terminal, but in smaller towns they are usually found in the main square. The frequency of service varies largely from place to place. At some places there may be a colectivo every five minutes, but elsewhere you can wait an hour or longer until the necessary number of passengers has been collected. If you’re in a hurry you can pay for all the seats and the driver will depart immediately.
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Mass Transit
Mass transit is growing increasingly popular in Colombia. Bogotá boasts the TransMilenio, and Cali has just opened a similar project, called the Mio. Medellín has its famous Metro, the only commuter rail line in the country. Pereira, too, has recently built its MegaBús system, another electric bus line. Other cities and even smaller towns are considering following suit.
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Taxi
Taxis are cheap, convenient and ubiquitous in the major cities and most midsized towns. In the interior of the country all taxis have meters; on the Caribbean coast, it’s haggle or pay extra, and many drivers are eager (especially in Cartagena) to see just how much they can take advantage of your naïveté. That said, a surprising proportion of taxi drivers are honest individuals; the better you speak Spanish, the more bargaining power you’ll have, and the less likely you’ll pay hyperinflated prices.
There are occasionally deceptive, untrustworthy individuals masquerading in fake taxis. This is rare, but if you are concerned, it is always safer to call for a taxi, which costs a mere few hundred pesos extra. Major bus terminals also offer predictive fares – indicate your destination at the counter and show the printed slip to the driver, who is obliged to charge you no more than whatever the computer spits out. Taxi fares are always per taxi, never per number of passengers. Many taxis have somewhat flimsy doors – be kind, do not slam doors when getting into or out of the vehicle.
Don’t use taxis with a driver and somebody else inside. Taxi drivers sometimes have a friend along for company or for security reasons, but such a situation may be unsafe for you; some cases of robbery have been reported.
A taxi may also be chartered for longer distances. This is convenient if you want to visit places near major cities that are outside local transport areas but too near to be covered by long-distance bus networks. You can also rent a taxi by the hour in the major cities – a good way to make your own impromptu tour. Expect to pay around COP$20,000 per hour for this service.
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