Connectivity
Connectivity
- The Ruta del Sol is one of the most important road corridors in Colombia, connecting several departments that host major population centers and agricultural, industrial, and mining activities.
- These departments include Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Cesar, Bolívar, Magdalena, Sucre, Córdoba, Antioquia, and Santander.
- The Magdalena department also benefits from the Troncal del Caribe, a key highway that connects Santa Marta with Barranquilla (97 km), Cartagena (225 km), and Riohacha (172 km), facilitating the transportation of goods and people to major economic and port hubs.
The port of Santa Marta is the only one with the greatest natural draft in the continent and one of the safest in the world.
The only one in the country with a railway connected to more than 412 kilometers of tracks in the region.
- Its geographical location is an important connection point from the country to the rest of the world.
- The average transit days to Central America are 2 days, North America 4 days, Europe 13 days and Asia 18 days.
Shipping firms
- We have an operational railway line running from the Port of Santa Marta to La Dorada – Caldas (647 km).
- This mode of transport reduces CO₂ emissions by 23% and achieves up to 30% savings in transportation costs compared to traditional methods. (Portafolio 2024)
- The commercial train on the La Dorada – Santa Marta route transports cargo for companies such as: Cerámica San Lorenzo, Euro Cerámica, Nitrofert, Grupo Familia, Corona, the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC), Arcos Dorados (McDonald’s), D1, and Kimberly, among others.
- The National Federation of Coffee Growers has used this railway three times to transport high-quality coffee (excelso) from La Dorada to the Port of Santa Marta; sourced from Alma Café warehouses in Manizales.
- The first shipment took place in March 2019, the second in March 2023, and the third in September 2023.
- Direct flights from Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Pereira.
- International direct flights to Panama, connecting the city to over 36 countries and 85 destinations worldwide.
- In 2024, the Santa Marta airport handled 3,262,026 passengers, reflecting a 15% increase compared to 2023.
- It is the fifth most important airport in the country.Main airlines: Avianca, Latam, Clic, Wingo, Easy Fly, and Copa Airlines.
Non-stop flights
| RUTA | AEROLINEAS | VUELOS DIRECTOS | AEROPUERTO | FRECUENCIAS SEMANALES | ESTADO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internacional | Copa Airlines | Panama (PTY) | Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen | 3 | Activo |
| Nacional | Avianca | Bogotá D.C. (BOG) | Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado | 66 | Activo |
| Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 17 | Activo | ||
| Cali (CLO) | Aeropuerto Internacional Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | 4 | Activo | ||
| Pereira | Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña | 4 | Activo | ||
| LATAM | Bogotá D.C. (BOG) | Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado | 45 | Activo | |
| Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 12 | Inactivo | ||
| Cali (CLO) | Aeropuerto Internacional Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | 8 | Inactivo | ||
| WINGO | Bogotá D.C. (BOG) | Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado | 14 | Activo | |
| Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 7 | Activo | ||
| Bucaramanga (BUC) | Aeropuerto Internacional Palonegro | 2 | Activo | ||
| JetSMART | Bogotá D.C. (BOG) | Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado | 25 | Activo | |
| Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 26 | Activo | ||
| Cali (CLO) | Aeropuerto Internacional Alfonso Bonilla Aragón | 7 | Activo | ||
| Pereira | Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña | 4 | Inactivo | ||
| EASYFLY | Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 5 | Inactivo | |
| Clic Air | Medellín (MED) | Aeropuerto Internacional Jose Maria Córdova | 4 | Inactivo |
Source: Own elaboration based on information from Avianca, LATAM, Wingo, JetSMART, COPA, EASYFLY, and Clic Air (2025). NOTE: Frequencies established by each airline refer to April 2025.
