Quick Facts
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Duration
07 hours 0 minutes
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Rating
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Experience
museums, modern art, paisa culture
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Best Price
USD $ 23
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Maximum comfort or class
Good
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Departures
4 Departures Daily
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Recommended by
439
Price may fluctuate due to seasonal demand and other market-driven and regulatory events.
All about the bus from Salento to Medellin
The road on the bus from Salento to Medellin meanders through the rolling and beautiful hillsides of Eje Cafetero (Colombia’s Coffee Zone). It is a wonderful trip long enough to give you a chance to sink back into your seat and get a real sense of the classical Colombian landscape.
What are the buses in Colombia like?
Generally, the buses in Colombia are of good quality with experienced drivers who take particular care in maintaining safety records. In many parts of Colombia, especially between Salento and Medellin, small buses or micros or busetas are common, transporting about a dozen passengers.
How long is the bus ride?
The distance between Medellín and Salento is 247 kilometers. The bus trip takes about 7-8 hours mainly depending on the weather conditions. Choose a reputable, reliable company, and most you can likely avoid other adventures, like the bus breaking down!
What is the cost of traveling by bus from Salento to Medellin?
The fare from Salento to Medellín costs about 90,000 Colombian Pesos (USD $23). The price might be higher or lower based on the fluctuation of the Colombian currency.
What are the bus schedules from Salento to Medellin?
Only a few buses leave from Salento to Medellín each day, two in the morning, one in the late afternoon, and the last at night. You can, of course, take other buses to other cities like Manizales or Pereira, and then transfer from there to Medellin, but these are not direct and may include a long layover.
Where can I book bus tickets from Salento to Medellin?
You can either book at the bus station or online, so let’s look at both in a bit more detail.
In-Person
Risky, but not so much in a dangerous way (although wandering around a bus station hauling your backpack makes you an easy target). The risk is more along the lines of encountering your hoped-for departure canceled or sold out by the time you get there, or spending your vacation time going all the way to the terminal just to find out then the bus company tells you to come back tomorrow. Nonetheless, if you are fine with taking your chances, just arrive at the terminal well in advance so you can survey the choices, stand in line, and be prepared to not take no for an answer as booth vendors are like auctioneers. Know good Spanish, as other vendors will be shouting in your ear from every direction to try and pull you in their direction, only to try and bend you to their parameters instead of yours. If you enjoy a bit of chaos and hustle and have time to spare, then buying in-person will be fine.
Online
The far easier choice, even locals primarily do it this way now. Get your tickets from the comfort of your hostel room or at a café sipping a cup of Colombian coffee. Avoid the screaming and mayhem of the terminal, get clear choices in English or Spanish, get better seats that only sell in advance...it’s all just a better way to go. Enter your origin and destination the boxes above and click Reserve Now to get it done.
What bus should I choose?
Not many bus companies make the direct Salento-Medellín-Salento bus run. Of the few that do, Flota Occidental is definitely your best option because they are accustomed to foreign clientele and making this travel experience through beautiful landscapes worth your time, letting you see how regular Colombians pass their day. This company’s smaller-sized buses give you much more legroom than a conventional bus. This is for sure something you taller travelers will appreciate on a trip of this length!
The seats are ample, and you won’t be squished by your neighbor when they want to recline. The buses also have secure, undercarriage luggage storage bins so your carry-on will be safe. The comfort that Flota Occidental’s buses provide will make the trip slip by without hassle. You will arrive in Medellín refreshed and ready to take on the sights!
