Tips for Traveling to Medellín

Safety: The Most Important Travel Tips for Medellín

The first tip for traveling to Medellín you'll hear from any local: “don't give papaya”, meaning don't make it easy for a thief. In practice:

• Don't take out your phone on the street unless necessary, especially near roads where motorcycles pass.
• Carry little cash and leave expensive jewelry and watches at your accommodation.
• Never leave your drink or food unattended and don't accept anything from strangers. The British government warns about the use of scopolamine to drug and rob travelers.
• Be cautious with app-based meetings: don't invite strangers to your accommodation or go to theirs; meeting in a public place is safer.
• Use ATMs during the day and inside banks, supermarkets, or shopping centers.

For any emergency, dial line 123: the Medellín Mayor's Office asks to dial only this number, as calls are redirected to police, ambulance, or firefighters from there.

Money, Payments, and Tips

The currency is the Colombian peso (COP). Cards are accepted in most restaurants, supermarkets, and shopping centers, but you will need cash for neighborhood stores, buses, street stalls, and to recharge the metro's Cívica card, which only accepts cash at the ticket office.

• Withdraw from bank ATMs or shopping centers during daytime hours, and check the ATM fee before confirming.
• Have small bills: sometimes there is no change for large bills in taxis or stores.
• Tip: in restaurants, it is common for the bill to include a suggested tip. By law (Law 1935 of 2018), it is voluntary and cannot exceed 10% of the service when suggested by the establishment. You can accept it, change the amount, or not pay it, and the establishment must inform you that it is voluntary.

If you pay by card, don't lose sight of it and ask for the card reader to be brought to the table.

Bus to the Airport with COMBUSES

Start your trip hassle-free: from José María Córdova Airport, the COMBUSES bus takes you to downtown Medellín 24 hours a day, with a digital ticket and 23 kg luggage included.

Buy your ticket →

Cell Phone, SIM, and Internet

Having data from the moment you land helps you order a taxi, use maps, and show your digital bus ticket to the airport. You have three options:

• Your operator's roaming: the easiest, but check the cost before traveling.
• Travel eSIM: buy it online before leaving, and it works upon landing if your phone is compatible.
• Local SIM: the main operators are Claro, Movistar, and Tigo. Buy it at an official store with your passport. With a Colombian SIM, the operator may ask you to register your phone's IMEI; do it in the store to avoid blocks.

Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafes, and shopping centers, but avoid making payments or accessing your bank from open networks.

Save on your phone, just in case, the address of your accommodation, a copy of your passport, and the customer service numbers of your airline and COMBUSES: (+57) 316 023 5197.

Getting Around Medellín: Metro, Taxis, and Apps

• Metro: the fastest way to cross the city. It operates Monday to Saturday from 4:30 to 23:00 and Sundays and holidays from 5:00 to 22:00 on the main lines. Pay with the Cívica card.
• Metrocable and tram: connect with the metro and take you to hillside neighborhoods and Parque Arví.
• Taxis: order them via app or phone, or at the official airport queue. Avoid taking taxis on the street at night. Before getting in, confirm the license plate and the driver's name.
• On foot: El Poblado, Laureles, and the city center during the day are good for walking. At night, move in a group or by taxi.

Medellín is in a narrow valley, and during peak hours, early in the morning and late in the afternoon, traffic gets heavy. If you need to reach the airport at a fixed time, leave with a margin.

Before Landing: Immigration and Airport

Medellín's airport, José María Córdova, is not in the city but in Rionegro, about 20 km southeast of Medellín and over 2,100 m high, so when you get off the plane, you'll feel cooler than in Medellín.

• Check-MIG: Migración Colombia offers this free online form, which is filled out between 72 hours and 1 hour before the flight. Their 2026 documents describe it as non-mandatory, but some airlines require it at check-in. Use it only on the official .gov.co portal.
• From the airport to the city: the COMBUSES bus departs to Paradero San Diego and Hotel Nutibara every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, and to Metro Exposiciones every 20 minutes between 4:00 and 18:00.
• Luggage: the ticket includes a carry-on and a checked bag up to 23 kg. Children under 2 years travel free on an adult's lap.

Buy the ticket online and show it on your phone: no reservation or fixed time is needed.

Places on the Map

Frequently Asked Questions

More Guides to Medellín

Photo: I.D. R.J. (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)