By plane
Rafael Nuñez International Airport IATA: CTG ICAO: SKCG receives international flights from Panama City COPA and Aires (http://www.aires.aero/), Lima LAN Peru, Fort Lauderdale Spirit Airlines, Caracas COPA Colombia and Miami Avianca and domestic non-stop flights from Medellín, Cali, San Andrés and Bogotá. AirEuropa has announced a new non-stop flight from Madrid, starting December 2011. (http://www.aireuropa.com)
Cartagena is 1,000 km north of Bogotá about an hour by air, or a 2.5 hour flight from Miami.
To get to the old city, negotiate with the cab driver before getting into cab. The price should be around COP 8,000 or so. As of November 2009, rate from airport to El Laguito is COP 15,800 prepaid outside arrivals hall. This is definitely overpriced and is gouging the newly arrived tourist. To get into town even more cheaply, walk about 150 feet to the street and hail one of yellow cabs. You should be able to get a cab to take you into town for about COP 5,000 - 7,000 but offer the driver 5,000 pesos to start.
By ship
Cartagena is an important port for charter boats between Colombia and Panama. There are several private boats doing that trip. Fare varies between US$375 and US$500 depending on size of the boat and on-board services. The trip usually takes 4 nights and 5 days and includes a 2 or 3 day stopover in San Blas Islands. At the Panama end, the boats either leave from the Portobelo Area or from Carti Islands Kuna Yala rather than Colón. Reliable information about departure dates and captains can be found at the hotel Casa Viena (http://casaviena.com/sail...) Sleep, at Zulys Backpackers Hostel (http://www.zulysbackpacke...), Mamallena Hostel (http://www.mamallena.com) or Luna's Castle Hostel (http://www.lunascastlehos...) in Panama City, at Hostel Wunderbar in Puerto Lindo (http://www.hostelwunderba...), Hostel Portobelo (http://www.hostelportobelo.com), or the Darien Gapster (http://www.thedariengapst...) panama. In San Blas Islands/ Kuna Yala panama (http://www.cartihomestay.info) and trip 4x4 to carti Panama Expect to have to wait several days to find a boat. Or see boat section here []
By bus
The bus terminal is 11 km east of the old city. Frequent White and Green metrocar buses with air conditioner go to the old city and cost COP$ 1,700. Buses leave every hour for Barranquilla, and from there frequent buses connect to Santa Marta (http://www.santamarta-hot...). The asking price for buses to Medellin is $50 USD, but it is normal to barter the price down to $30. All long distance bus tickets are expected to be bartered down.
Connections to other cities can be found on the page (http://www.cartagenacarib...).
If you are coming overland from Panama your first bus will be from Turbo. Turbo to Monteria is COP$ 25,000, 4 hours, Monteria to Cartagena COP$ 35,000, 4 hours. These are express services.