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Catagena taxis - cruise ship to old town


Potomacman

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I've seen a range of prices on the internet from about US$4 to US$40 for a taxi from the port to the old town.

As best as I can figure from the published official government taxi rates, the official rate is $8.800 (which is about US$4), i.e. centro to terminal de transportes.

Apparently a board at the entrance to the port shows a price of either pesos $15.00 (which is US$7.50) or pesos $20.00 (which is US$10) depending on whom you believe.

I am not surprised that some people would see a sign with $20 on it and wrongly assume that it is us dollars when in fact it is pesos.

I even read that some taxi "supervisor" at the port entrance is urging people to accept a price of $40 per person!

As far as time and distance are concerned, I've also seen widely different numbers but a simple look at google maps will show that the cruise pier is no more than two miles from Plaza Bolivar.

So would I be correct to assume that a reasonable price to pay for the taxi from the cruise port to Plaza Bolivar is about US$10?

Thanks to all for helping me figure this out.

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I've seen a range of prices on the internet from about US$4 to US$40 for a taxi from the port to the old town.

As best as I can figure from the published official government taxi rates, the official rate is $8.800 (which is about US$4), i.e. centro to terminal de transportes.

Apparently a board at the entrance to the port shows a price of either pesos $15.00 (which is US$7.50) or pesos $20.00 (which is US$10) depending on whom you believe.

I am not surprised that some people would see a sign with $20 on it and wrongly assume that it is us dollars when in fact it is pesos.

I even read that some taxi "supervisor" at the port entrance is urging people to accept a price of $40 per person!

As far as time and distance are concerned, I've also seen widely different numbers but a simple look at google maps will show that the cruise pier is no more than two miles from Plaza Bolivar.

So would I be correct to assume that a reasonable price to pay for the taxi from the cruise port to Plaza Bolivar is about US$10?

Thanks to all for helping me figure this out.

 

 

I have been researching this too. Frustrates me how this can be so difficult. Anyways I think the taxis outside the port gate would be around 8 dollars to the Old City or the Fort. Its negoticable apparently, the minimum fare is about 2.50 usd. So whatever deal above that is negoticable. Apparently the taxi drivers within the port gates will quote you 20 dollars usd.

 

I hope someone can reply to our questions who have actually been to Cartenaga. I am just trying to decipher web info like you.

 

Another question that needs to be answered... Do the cab drives accept USD currency. I read one web site that says most of them do NOT.

 

HELP PLEASE... ANYONE !! :-)

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I am also planning a cruise and have not been to Cartagena myself. Here is what I have found so far.

 

It's under 2 miles from the Cartagena cruise ship pier to the fort or the clock tower in the city center. The "official" taxi rate from the pier to the old town "Centro", is $COP 15000 = $USD 8.00. See this for a picture of the taxi rate sign in the cruise terminal:

 

http://mercruiser.wordpress.com/itinerary/cartagena/

 

To properly interpret this sign, it is helpful to note that "$ 15.000" in the sign mean fifteen-thousand Colombian pesos. In many parts of the world, the meaning of periods and commas in numbers is the opposite of the usage in the U.S.A. See this Wikipedia article on decimal marks for more explanation.

The "$" symbol means Colombian pesos. Not USD.

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Yes, it says 15,000 pesos!!! That period is a comma in English, like already explained. The "terminal de transporte" is the bus station and it is way far away so don't confuse that with the port. Here's the deal from someone living here in Colombia (me)! They charge a high fee when leaving from the port because those taxi drivers wait a while to get you into their cab before you get in. That is why the 15,000 peso is acceptable to charge but is still too much and anything more than that is ripping you off! The rates are for the ride for everyone in it not per person. If you want it cheaper, walk about a block to the exit of the port and there will be taxis waiting there that will take you to centro for about 7,000 pesos (maybe less). Any cab can take you back to the port for about the same and will even enter that time but make sure to negotiate the price before you get it. Oh and when I went for this price back in Feb we had all our luggage because our cruise started and ended in Cartagena. Also, it is not normal practice in Colombia to tip taxi drivers here but i guess you can if you want.

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Yes, it says 15,000 pesos!!! That period is a comma in English, like already explained. The "terminal de transporte" is the bus station and it is way far away so don't confuse that with the port. Here's the deal from someone living here in Colombia (me)! They charge a high fee when leaving from the port because those taxi drivers wait a while to get you into their cab before you get in. That is why the 15,000 peso is acceptable to charge but is still too much and anything more than that is ripping you off! The rates are for the ride for everyone in it not per person. If you want it cheaper, walk about a block to the exit of the port and there will be taxis waiting there that will take you to centro for about 7,000 pesos (maybe less). Any cab can take you back to the port for about the same and will even enter that time but make sure to negotiate the price before you get it. Oh and when I went for this price back in Feb we had all our luggage because our cruise started and ended in Cartagena. Also, it is not normal practice in Colombia to tip taxi drivers here but i guess you can if you want.

 

Thanks for the info, one more question...do the cabs either inside or outside the port, take USD dollars, or will they only accept Colombian Pesos?

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