cost of cab and US dollars

[love2travel2146]

We have booked a free walking tour in Cartagena. We are to meet at plaza Santa Teresa in the Old City. I have a few questions:

 

I need to take a taxi to get to the tour. Can I get a taxi by the port? Is there a set fee to get to the Old City? Do I need to set the price before I get in? And can I use US dollars to pay for the taxi? Or credit card?

 

Also, once the tour is over and we want to tip the tour guide, would US dollars be appropriate? 

 

Thanks so much. 

[Oceans 818]

Great questions and I'm looking for the same answers if anyone should have them. Thanks

[Oceans 818]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:26 PM, love2travel2146 said:

We have booked a free walking tour in Cartagena. We are to meet at plaza Santa Teresa in the Old City. I have a few questions:

 

I need to take a taxi to get to the tour. Can I get a taxi by the port? Is there a set fee to get to the Old City? Do I need to set the price before I get in? And can I use US dollars to pay for the taxi? Or credit card?

 

Also, once the tour is over and we want to tip the tour guide, would US dollars be appropriate? 

 

Thanks so much. 

On trip advisor, I found that it is approx. 15,000 pesos for a taxi to the old city, which is under $4 US. Not sure if that is per person or total. Make sure you agree on a price before getting in the taxi. I plan on changing $40 at a currency exchange before sailing and yesterday it was $140,000 pesos for $40 US. 

Most posts say that if you pay US it will be alot more than the $4. Also, from those that have been they have said that if you exit the port there is a taxi stand with a board and prices posted. Do stop or talk to those offering until you look at the board, then you pick which taxi you want. Make sure to get one with AC as it will be hot & humid.

I suggest you take small US bills if you don't plan on taking any COP as you may not get US back in change and will get a very terrible exchange rate.

To make local conversion easier I check on the exchange rate by putting $10 in a currency converter online and seeing what that is local so as to have a baseline when negotiating the costs. MSN homepage has a currency on the Money part usually US-CAD and you can change the currency by clicking it and enter the amounts to see. IE: today's rate is $10 US= $39,684.40 COP.

There are probably apps you can put on your cell phone, but I hate apps.

It's not as complicated as I make it sound, but over explaining is one of my flaws!

[VintageCheap]

Yellow Cabs to/ from the port to Old Town and or the Fort were $20 USD for two of us we tipped $5USD.  This brought happiness and smiles.  You could certainly pay in Pesos.

[TravelFiend]

We used Uber to to to the Fort and Palace of Inquisition, and each ride was about $5 for the 4 of us. Everywhere we went either took cards or US dollars, so it was super easy!