How to Get From Bogota to Salento

Buses running from Bogota to Armenia leave from Terminal Salitre. The fastest way to get there from the city centre is a 30-minute ride by taxi or Uber.

Uber is more comfortable and reliable, with prices from 30,000 COP ($8.10). Taxis cost around 15,000 COP ($4.10), but many drivers try to overcharge tourists.

If you're on a tight budget, you can take the TransMilenio bus. From Universidades Station, take Line 1 towards Portal El Dorado and get off at El Tiempo – Cámara de Comercio. It costs just 3,000 COP ($0.90), but the travel time is at least 1 hour.

Kate’s insider tip: You need a Tullave card to pay for your fare on Transmilenio buses. If you don’t already have one, you can buy this card for 8,000 COP ($2.20) at any Transmilenio bus station in Bogota.

Two main companies operate on the Bogota to Salento route: Expreso Bolivariano and Flota Magdalena. Ticket prices start from 50,000 COP ($14), and the journey takes around 7h 30m - 8h.

For convenience, we recommend booking your tickets online beforehand on BookAway. It saves you the hassle of getting to the station early, and you won’t have to stress about seats selling out.

You can also buy your ticket directly at the terminal, but try to get there at least one hour before departure for a better chance of getting a seat on your preferred bus. Terminal de Transporte Salitre is quite big and can be intimidating for first-time visitors. But don’t worry, there are signs everywhere and finding your way around is easy.

At Armenia Bus Station (Terminal de Transportes de Armenia), most of the time someone is walking around to call for and collect passengers to fill up the bus going to Salento.

In case there is none, you can walk towards the parking lot until you find the sign saying “Salento.” Here you can catch your second bus. This is a smaller local bus that takes you to Salento Bus Terminal in 45 minutes. A bus ticket costs around 7,000 COP ($1.90). There’s no timetable. The Armenia-Salento bus runs every 20 minutes or when full, from 05:00 until 20:00. You can pay on the bus, to the driver or the attendant.

Like buses bound for Armenia, Bogota-Pereira buses depart from Terminal de Transporte Salitre. As we mentioned above, you can get from Bogota city centre to Salitre in 2 ways: a 30-minute taxi or Uber for 15,000 COP ($4.10) - 30,000 COP ($8.10), or a 1-hour bus for 3,000 COP ($0.90).

More bus companies run this route compared to Armenia, but the trip takes longer. Buses run throughout the day, with departures from morning to evening.

The main companies are Expreso Bolivariano, Flota Magdalena, Velotax, Expreso Palmira and Flota La Macarena.

Fares start from 67,000 COP ($18), and the journey takes around 8-11h. We recommend taking one of the overnight buses so you can hopefully sleep for the most part of the long journey.

For the last part of the trip (Pereira to Salento), Expreso Alcalá is the only bus operator. Buses depart from Pereira Bus Station, the same terminal you arrive in from Bogota.

There are hourly departures from 06:30 to 18:30. It’s worth noting that these buses depart on “Latino times,” which means that delays are rather the rule than the exception! The bus fare is 13,000 COP ($3.40) for a ride that takes around 45 minutes. TIP: In case you have to wait for a little while, there are cafeterias in the terminal where you can eat, drink and relax safely. If you have enough time, you can also explore the shopping mall named La 14 (La Catorce), across the street. You will find some restaurants, a food court and a supermarket. Perfect for hungry travellers on the go!

Flights from Bogota to Salento via Armenia depart from El Dorado International Airport (BOG), about 30 minutes from the city centre by private transport. If you're flying in the evening, leave early. Rush hour traffic (16:30–19:30) can double travel time.

We recommend taxi-hailing apps like InDrive and Uber. InDrive fares start from 30,000 COP ($8.10), while Uber Taxi costs around 29,000 COP ($7.80) to 38,000 COP ($10).

If you prefer to book ahead, you can do so via BookAway:

• Shared minivan - 37,000 COP ($10) per seat
• Private car - 46,000 COP ($12) for 2 people

On a budget? The TransMilenio bus costs only 3,000 COP ($0.90), but you'll need a TuLlave card — cash isn’t accepted. Also note that buses are often crowded and usually require a transfer.

Check out our page on Bogota Airport for a more detailed guide.

Avianca, Wingo and LATAM all fly from Bogota to Armenia. Flights take about 1 hour, with ticket prices starting from 109,000 COP ($30).

There are five flights a day, with the earliest at 06:14 and the last one at 21:00. On Sundays, the earliest flight can be as early as 05:20. For up-to-date schedules and prices, check Skyscanner.

Flights arrive at Armenia Airport, also known as El Eden International Airport. From here, you have 2 options to get to Salento: by direct taxi/Uber or by a combination of taxi and bus.

If you opt for a taxi or Uber from Armenia Airport directly to Salento, expect to pay about 93,000 COP ($25).

Looking to save some bucks? A combined taxi and bus from Armenia Airport to Salento costs around 32,000 COP ($8.70). First, take a 25-minute taxi to Armenia Bus Terminal for about 25,000 COP ($6.80). Here, you can transfer to a bus going to Salento. A bus ticket costs 7,000 COP ($1.90) and buses are available until 20:00 daily.

As we mentioned above, you can reach Bogota Airport from the city centre in two ways: via a 30-minute private transfer or a 1-hour bus. Fares start from 29,000 COP ($7.80) for an Uber Taxi and 3,000 COP ($0.90) for the bus.

For more convenience, you can book your ride in advance via BookAway. Prices start from 48,000 COP ($13) for a private transfer.

Check out our page on Bogota Airport for more details.

The three carriers flying from Bogota to Pereira Airport, also known as Matecaña International Airport, are Avianca, LATAM and JetSmart.

Flights are available several times a day from 05:14 until 22:25. Prices start from 109,000 COP ($30). The flight takes around 1 hour.

Important: If you're planning to take the bus from Pereira to Salento, note that the last trip departs at 18:30. That means you'll have to take one of the earlier flights to make it to the last bus trip.

The easiest and fastest way to get to Salento from Pereira Airport is by taxi or Uber.

You will find a taxi queue just outside Matecaña International Airport. The ride takes about 45 minutes and fares start from around 150,000 COP ($41). Make sure to agree on a price before getting in the taxi! No driver in Pereira will agree to turn on the meter for this long-distance taxi journey.

If you're not in the mood to haggle, you can also book an Uber for fixed prices. It’s slightly more expensive, though, with rates starting around 174,000 COP ($47).

Prefer to take the bus?

If you want to take the bus, you will first need to take a taxi to Pereira Bus Terminal. This takes about 25 minutes and costs around 25,000 COP ($6.80).

A cheaper, but more complex, way to reach the bus terminal is by using Pereira’s Megabús public transport system. We don't recommend this option, though. The trip takes around 45 minutes and you'll need to take three buses:

• Catch the yellow bus #25 from just outside the airport. Get off at El Viajero Station.
• Transfer to a green Megabús (Line 1, 2 or 3). Ride it to Intercambiador Cuba Station.
• Switch to yellow bus #27 heading to Terminal de Transportes de Pereira.

It's worth noting that the bus fare from Pereira Airport to Pereira Bus Station costs only about 3,000 COP ($0.90), but keep in mind you’ll need a Tarjeta Megabús card — cash isn’t accepted.

From the terminal, you can transfer to a 45-minute bus to Salento. A ticket costs 13,000 COP ($3.40). You can get more details about this in the bus section for Pereira to Salento above.