Medellín Metro Guide: Lines, Hours & Cívica
The Medellín Metro is the quickest way across the city, and it links up with cable cars, a tram and the Metroplús buses. Here's how to use it as a visitor and how to connect to the airport bus.
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Medellín ↔ Medellín Airport (MDE)
From
Medellin Sandiego Bus Stop
To
Medellín Airport (MDE)
Departure date
Today
Passengers
1 Adult
Two train lines
Line A runs north–south from Niquía to La Estrella; Line B heads west to San Javier.
4:30 am to 11 pm
Monday to Saturday; Sundays and holidays 5:00 to 22:00 on the main lines.
Pay with Cívica
A personalised card is free the first time with your passport; top-ups are cash only.
Metro to the airport bus
COMBUSES leaves from the north exit of Exposiciones station every 20 minutes.
Medellín Metro lines at a glance
The Medellín Metro opened on 30 November 1995 and is the backbone of the city's integrated transport system. There are two train lines:
- Line A runs the length of the valley, from Niquía (Bello) in the north to La Estrella in the south: 21 stations over about 25.8 km. It passes through the centre (Parque Berrío, San Antonio, Exposiciones) and El Poblado.
- Line B runs west from San Antonio to San Javier, with 7 stations. San Javier is the stop for Comuna 13.
On top of that there are the Metrocable cable cars (lines H, J, K, L, M and P), the Ayacucho tram (line T-A, San Antonio to Oriente) and the Metroplús bus lines (1, 2 and O). The same card works across all of them, with integrated fares. San Antonio is the main hub, where lines A and B cross and the tram starts.
Opening hours in 2026
According to the Metro's published timetable:
- Monday to Saturday: 4:30 to 23:00 on most lines. The last trains from Niquía and La Estrella leave at 22:40.
- Sundays and public holidays: lines A, B, T-A, O, 1 and 2 run 5:00 to 22:00. Cable line K opens at 8:30, and lines H, J, M and P at 9:00.
- Cable line L (Santo Domingo–Arví): 9:00 to 18:00 on Monday and Wednesday to Saturday, 8:30 to 18:00 on Sundays and holidays. No service on Tuesdays.
Weekday rush hours, early morning and late afternoon, are very crowded. If you're heading to the airport with a big suitcase, try to travel outside those times. Colombia has many public holidays, often on Mondays, so check whether your travel day counts as a festivo. For first and last train times at each station, see the users section of metrodemedellin.gov.co.
Airport bus with COMBUSES
The metro and COMBUSES work together: ride Line A to Exposiciones or Parque Berrío and hop on a direct bus to José María Córdova Airport. Buy your ticket online and travel any time within 30 days.
The Cívica card and fares
You enter the metro with a Cívica smart card; paper tickets were phased out years ago. There are two types:
- Personalised Cívica: free on first issue. Get it at the customer service points in Niquía, Acevedo, San Javier, Itagüí or San Antonio stations, Monday to Friday 9:30 to 18:30. Foreign visitors can apply with a passport, and if you lose the card the balance can be transferred.
- Eventual Cívica: an anonymous card from authorised sale points, with a fee set by the transport authority. A lost card means a lost balance.
On the Metro's 2026 fare table, a trip costs 3,820 COP on a personalised card (frequent profile) and 4,400 COP on an eventual card. Ticket windows, top-up machines and customer service points accept cash only. Locals also top up through apps such as Nequi, DaviPlata or Mi Bancolombia. Check the current fare at the station before topping up.
How to ride the metro, step by step
- Get and top up your Cívica at a ticket window or machine. Small bills make life easier.
- Tap in at the turnstile. Transfers between modes (say, metro to cable car) are charged according to your journey.
- Check the direction: on Line A, platforms are signed towards Niquía (north) or towards La Estrella (south).
- To change lines, use San Antonio for Line B and the tram, Acevedo for cable lines K and P, and San Javier for cable line J.
Locals take cultura metro seriously: no eating inside the system, queue on the platform, let people off before you board and leave priority seats for those who need them. Stations and trains are clean, and you'll notice people keep it that way. On busy trains, keep your phone in a front pocket and wear your backpack on your chest.
From the metro to José María Córdova Airport
The metro doesn't go to the airport, which sits in Rionegro on the other side of the mountains. It does connect with the COMBUSES airport bus:
- Metro Exposiciones (Line A, between Alpujarra and Industriales): buses leave from the north exit every 20 minutes from 4:00 to 18:00, about 1 hour to the airport.
- Hotel Nutibara (Cra. 50A #53-1, next to Plaza Botero): a couple of blocks from Parque Berrío station. Buses every 15 minutes, 24 hours, about 40 minutes.
- Paradero San Diego, La Candelaria: every 15 minutes, 24 hours, about 35 minutes.
For early-morning flights or after 18:00, use San Diego or Hotel Nutibara, which run all night. Fares start at 20,000 COP, a carry-on and a 23 kg checked bag are included, and the digital ticket is valid for 30 days on the same route with no fixed time.
Places on the map
Exposiciones station – COMBUSES
Exposiciones station (north exit), Line A, La Candelaria, Medellín
Airport bus every 20 minutes from 4:00 to 18:00, about 1 hour.
Get directionsParque Berrío station
Line A, Parque de Berrío, La Candelaria, Medellín
Two blocks from Hotel Nutibara, the 24-hour COMBUSES stop.
Get directionsSan Antonio station
Lines A, B and tram T-A, Carrera 51, La Candelaria, Medellín
Main interchange for Line A, Line B and the tram; Cívica service point.
Get directionsFrequently asked questions
More Medellín guides
Photo: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)