Transportation in the Colombian coffee triangle

Travel guide Coffee Triangle

Home 9 Travel guide Coffee Triangle 9 Transportation in the Colombian coffee triangle

How to get there

How to get to the Colombian coffee triangle? Transportation to and in the coffee triangle is well organized. The major cities are easily accessible by plane and the smaller cities such as Salento and Filandia and villages such as Pijao and Buenavista are easily accessible by bus. The public transportation network is extensive, with several buses daily. Air travel is the most comfortable way to travel from Bogotá to the Coffee Triangle. Tickets are relatively cheap and you avoid the winding roads through the mountains. Also check here for different modes of transportation once you are in the coffee region.

(updated November 2024)

 

By plane

Airports

  • Pereira (Risaralda) : Matecaña airport (PEI)
  • Armenia (Quindío) : El Eden airport (AXM)
  • Manizales (Caldas): La Nubia airport (MZL).

Flights

  • Bogotá – Pereira (55 min), including Latam, Easyfly and Avianca
  • Bogotá – Armenia (1h), including Latam, Easyfly, Avianca and low cost airline Wingo
  • Bogotá – Manizales (1h), including Easyfly, Avianca.
  • Medellín – Armenia (50 min) o.a. Avianca
  • Cartagena – Pereira (1.25h), including Avianca

#ColombiaMyWay tips

From Armenia, Pereira and Manizales you can travel further to Salento and the other villages in the coffee region. Check the links below for more information:

How to get to Salento?
How to get to Filandia?

    By bus / car

    Bus

    • Shortest route: Cali – Pereira – COP 56,000/€15 (3.30h)
    • Popular route: Medellín – Manizales -COP 70,000/€19 (5-6h)
    • Longer route Bogotá – Armenia COP 75,000/19€ (9h).

    Car
    Driving yourself to the Coffee Triangle is of course also possible, only the road through the mountains from Bogotá is a challenge, especially if you have no experience with traffic in Colombia. In the Coffee Triangle itself, the roads are generally good. Alternative to driving yourself to the Coffee Triangle is to rent a car at your destination.

     

     

    Transportation in the Coffee region

    Once you arrive in the Coffee Triangle, there are several (fun) options for getting around. The Coffee Triangle is not a mega large area, yet you are often on the road longer than you think in advance when you look on Google Maps. Because of the many mountainous roads, you won’t get from A to B very quickly.

    Bus, Willy Jeep, Chiva

    Bus

    Buses run very frequently in the coffee triangle and are an inexpensive way to get to your destination. Depending on traffic, you can get to most places in the coffee triangle in 1-2 hours.
    Average travel time/price:

    • Pereira-Salento 1h. COP 8,800/€2.40
    • Armenia-Salento: 45 min. COP 5,300/€1.45
    • Manizales-Pereira: 1¼ h COP 15000/€4
    • Manizales-Armenia: 2 ¼ h COP25000/€6.75
    • Pereira-Armenia: 1 h COP9000/€2.45
    • Pereira-St.Rosa de Cabal: 45 min.COP3000/€0.85

    Willy Jeep

    You can’t avoid it; the Willy Jeep, the main means of transportation in the coffee triangle. The Willy Jeep is a popular way to get to the Valle de Cocora, among other places. Price Indication

    • Salento-Valle de Cocora: 8000COP return
    • Salento-Filandia: 5500COP, you pay for Filandia 2x one-way ticket
    • The jeeps go about every hour and only leave when they are full!
    • Prices may vary with the season

    Chiva

    Chivas are often used as a means of transportation in the more remote areas. The buses are easy to recognize; colorful and painted in cheerful colors, especially yellow, blue and red. Each Chiva is a work of art in itself.

    Partybus At night, some Chivas are transformed into “Partybus” and you can take a ride on them, with music on board, lots of ambiente and Aguardiente!

    Rental car, Uber, taxi, private transfer

    Uber
    Uber is available in the larger cities like Pereira, Armenia and Manizales. If you want a taxi serice in smaller cities like Salento, you can take a taxi (or the popular Willy jeep) from the central Plaza.

    Taxi’s
    For short trips around town and to and from the airport, taxi’s (or Ubers and other Apps) are a great option. For longer trips, a car with a private driver is more common.

    If you travel off the beaten track in the Coffee Triangle, public transportation is sometimes limited. A rental car, private transport or taxi is then often the only way to get to your destination.

    Car rental
    The roads are generally good. There are special coffee car routes, which you can download into Google maps via the website Rutas del Paisaje.  If you drive a lot on unpaved roads, a higher car is recommended.

    Private transfer
    Don’t feel like driving yourself or taking the bus? Then private transportation is an option for longer trips. This can often be arranged through your hotel. The drivers are usually excellent guides, adding a personal touch to the trip. Also, if you want to take a moment to withdraw money, have a cup of coffee or run an errand, this is usually no problem. If you can share the cost with a travel partner, then private transportation is affordable. If you travel alone, the costs can add up quite a bit. Prices are around 150,000 COP (37.50€) for a 1.5h ride and around 250,000 COP (62.50€) for a 2.5h ride.