Getting There and Away

By Lorraine Caputo

You can arrive to San Gil from Bogotá or Tunja. If in Villa de Leyva, you have to return to Tunja, or take the backroads, which is cheaper: go by way of Arcabuco, which is on the main Bogotá-Bucaramanga road. If arriving from the coast, first go to Bucaramanga, then transfer.

San Gil has a good public transportation system (daily 5 a.m.-9 p.m. $0.40). For the long-distance bus terminal, catch one that says "Terminal" from Calle 10 and Carrera 11. Taxis cost $1.40.

The long-distance bus terminal, handling traffic to Bogotá, Cucutá and the coast, is located on Carrera 12 and Calle 31, about two kilometres from town. Most routes to Santa Marta and other coastal points and to Cucutá transfer in Bucaramanga; it is better to go to Bucaramanga from where cheaper and more frequent transport. Only direct services are listed below.

To Bogotá: Berlinas—every hour, $16, 6 hours. Brasilia—11 p.m., midnight, $16, 6 hours; Copetran—every hour, $16 and $23.65, 6 hours.

Cartagena: Brasilia—7:30 p.m., $47.50, 15 hours. Copetran—5 p.m., $37, 14 hours.

Cotrasangil is the main carrier for Bucaramanga; its office is on the corner of Calle 8 and Carrera 11 (every half-hour, 4:30 a.m.-8 p.m., $7.40, 2.5 hours).

Minivans to villages near San Gil leave from the depot at Carrera 11 and Calle 15. For Guanes, first go to Barichara and transfer there.

To Barichara: every half-hour, 6:10 a.m.-6:30 p.m., $1.60, 0.5 hours; last bus back, 6:30 p.m.

To Cabrera: Monday-Friday 5:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 6 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m., 7 p.m., Sunday and holidays 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 5:45 p.m ., $2.10, 1 hour.

To Charalá: every half-hour, 6 a.m.-6:30 p.m., $2.10, 45 minutes; last back 6 p.m.

To Curití: every 15 minutes, 6 a.m.-7 p.m., $0.80, 20 minutes; last back 6:30 p.m.

To Mogotes: seven buses per day, $3.20, 2 hours; last back 4 p.m.

To Páramo: every hour, 6 a.m.-7:15 p.m., $1.50, 0.5 hours; last back 6:15 p.m.

To Villanueva: every 20 minutes, 6 a.m.-6:50 p.m., $1.30, 0.5 hours; last back 6 p.m.