By: Joseph Le
There are 2 airports in Medellin, the Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, airport code EOH, and the José María Córdova International Airport, airport code MDE.
There are 2 airports in Medellin, the Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, airport code EOH, and the José María Córdova International Airport, airport code MDE.
EOH is mainly used for regional and domestic flights and is really easy to get to. Located right next to the South Terminal bus station, it's about 10 minutes from El Poblado. Just hop in any taxi and it should cost you around $10,000 COP to or from Poblado.
The MDE international airport is a lot further away from the city center and more expensive to get to, so that is the focus of this post. Most travelers arriving or departing on international flights will be utilizing this airport. The MDE airport is also referred to as the Rio Negro airport due to it being in the municipality of Rio Negro.
All methods of getting to the airport listed below can simply be done in reverse if you are arriving and trying to get into Medellin.
Method 1: Taxi - price: most expensive
This is the method most travelers will use. It is the easiest and most convenient way. Just hop into any yellow taxi. There is no need to negotiate as the rates are fixed. The most current rate will be listed on a placard that is attached to the front windshield in the upper right corner. The price should be around $70,000 COP.
If you have an early morning flight or are arriving late, this may be your only option.
Total Cost - $70,000 COP
The MDE international airport is a lot further away from the city center and more expensive to get to, so that is the focus of this post. Most travelers arriving or departing on international flights will be utilizing this airport. The MDE airport is also referred to as the Rio Negro airport due to it being in the municipality of Rio Negro.
All methods of getting to the airport listed below can simply be done in reverse if you are arriving and trying to get into Medellin.
Method 1: Taxi - price: most expensive
This is the method most travelers will use. It is the easiest and most convenient way. Just hop into any yellow taxi. There is no need to negotiate as the rates are fixed. The most current rate will be listed on a placard that is attached to the front windshield in the upper right corner. The price should be around $70,000 COP.
If you have an early morning flight or are arriving late, this may be your only option.
Total Cost - $70,000 COP
Method 2: Shared taxi - price: moderate
Most of the locals get to the airport by colectivo or the shared white taxis. First make your way to the San Diego Mall (Centro Comercial San Diego). If you go by taxi from El Poblado, this should cost under $10,000 COP. Then locate the white taxis which will either be waiting for passengers in the Texaco gas station parking lot or behind the Falabella building along Carrera 42B (Las Palmas).
Most of the locals get to the airport by colectivo or the shared white taxis. First make your way to the San Diego Mall (Centro Comercial San Diego). If you go by taxi from El Poblado, this should cost under $10,000 COP. Then locate the white taxis which will either be waiting for passengers in the Texaco gas station parking lot or behind the Falabella building along Carrera 42B (Las Palmas).
The colectivos will most likely be waiting in this Texaco parking lot right outside of the San Diego mall
If they are not at Texaco, they should be behind this Falabella building along Carrera 42B (Las Palmas)
The white "colectivo" airport taxis
The day I used them, they were all waiting in the Texaco parking lot. As soon as you pull up, there will be guys running alongside your taxi asking if you are headed to the airport. You can't miss them.
They generally leave every 30 minutes or as soon as enough people are ready to go. The cost is $60,000 COP split between however many people are in the taxi, i.e. $15,000 COP each for 4 people, etc. If you are the first to arrive, you can claim the front seat. Otherwise, you'll get crammed into the back with 2 other people.
Total Cost - starts at $15,000 COP for the colectivo if there are 4 people. They usually wait for the taxi to be full before leaving. If you include the taxi to get to the San Diego Mall, then around $25,000 COP total from El Poblado.
Method 3: Shuttle bus - price: cheapest
Make sure you leave early for this method as you'll need to get to a shuttle bus stop and then wait for the next shuttle.
You can catch the shuttle bus next to the San Diego Mall, exactly where you catch the collectivo taxis in method 2. There is a bus stop near the Texaco gas station where the shuttle bus will pull up. Just keep an eye out for it and wave it down when it approaches. The easiest way to get here if you have luggage is to take a taxi. If you're travelling light with just a backpack, then you can take the metro to the Exposiciones stop and walk about 4 blocks to the San Diego mall.
If you're closer to downtown or El Centro, then there's also a stop behind the Nutibara hotel. First, make your way to the nearest metro station. The metro ticket will cost you around $2,000 COP. Then hop on the metro and get off at the Parque Berrio station. As soon as you exit the station, look to your left for Hotel Nutibara, which is a huge building with a Nutibara sign on top. Go behind the building and locate the shuttle buses at Carrera 50A #53-13. They are mini-buses that are white with green trim run by Combuses, SA. The sign on the front of the bus should read "Aeropuerto JMC". The tickets cost $10,000 COP and it takes about an hour to get to the airport. Be careful at night as the area tends to get a little sketchy. During the day you should be fine. As you can see on their business card below, when going to the airport the shuttle runs from 3:30 am - 9:30 pm (SCHEDULE HAS BEEN EXTENDED. THE BUSINESS CARD BELOW LISTS THE OLD SCHEDULE). Coming back from the airport, it runs from 6am - 12am midnight and stops at the San Diego mall.
Total Cost - around $10,000 COP for the shuttle ticket, $2,000 COP for the metro
For more information, call 034-511-4023
They generally leave every 30 minutes or as soon as enough people are ready to go. The cost is $60,000 COP split between however many people are in the taxi, i.e. $15,000 COP each for 4 people, etc. If you are the first to arrive, you can claim the front seat. Otherwise, you'll get crammed into the back with 2 other people.
Total Cost - starts at $15,000 COP for the colectivo if there are 4 people. They usually wait for the taxi to be full before leaving. If you include the taxi to get to the San Diego Mall, then around $25,000 COP total from El Poblado.
Method 3: Shuttle bus - price: cheapest
Make sure you leave early for this method as you'll need to get to a shuttle bus stop and then wait for the next shuttle.
You can catch the shuttle bus next to the San Diego Mall, exactly where you catch the collectivo taxis in method 2. There is a bus stop near the Texaco gas station where the shuttle bus will pull up. Just keep an eye out for it and wave it down when it approaches. The easiest way to get here if you have luggage is to take a taxi. If you're travelling light with just a backpack, then you can take the metro to the Exposiciones stop and walk about 4 blocks to the San Diego mall.
If you're closer to downtown or El Centro, then there's also a stop behind the Nutibara hotel. First, make your way to the nearest metro station. The metro ticket will cost you around $2,000 COP. Then hop on the metro and get off at the Parque Berrio station. As soon as you exit the station, look to your left for Hotel Nutibara, which is a huge building with a Nutibara sign on top. Go behind the building and locate the shuttle buses at Carrera 50A #53-13. They are mini-buses that are white with green trim run by Combuses, SA. The sign on the front of the bus should read "Aeropuerto JMC". The tickets cost $10,000 COP and it takes about an hour to get to the airport. Be careful at night as the area tends to get a little sketchy. During the day you should be fine. As you can see on their business card below, when going to the airport the shuttle runs from 3:30 am - 9:30 pm (SCHEDULE HAS BEEN EXTENDED. THE BUSINESS CARD BELOW LISTS THE OLD SCHEDULE). Coming back from the airport, it runs from 6am - 12am midnight and stops at the San Diego mall.
Total Cost - around $10,000 COP for the shuttle ticket, $2,000 COP for the metro
For more information, call 034-511-4023
The shuttles line up behind Hotel Nutibara (Photo credits: sobrecolombia.com)
Sign on front of the shuttle bus
Shuttle buses (Photo credit: colombiabeat.com)
You may also be interested in these articles about Medellin:
How to get a refund on the Colombian 16% IVA value-added tax
The Best of Medellin Part 1
The Best of Medellin Part 2
The Best of Medellin Part 3
How to get a refund on the Colombian 16% IVA value-added tax
The Best of Medellin Part 1
The Best of Medellin Part 2
The Best of Medellin Part 3
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