Transport in Bogotá - Lonely Planet Travel Information

Getting there & away

Air

Bogotá's airport, Aeropuerto El Dorado, which handles all domestic and international flights, is 13km northwest of the city center and has two terminals. The principal one, El Dorado (413 9053; Av El Dorado), offers plenty of facilities, including snack bars and restaurants, Internet access and money exchange.

In theory, there are two tourist information stands, in the international and domestic arrival areas, where you pick up your luggage. In reality, you can consider yourself lucky if someone is actually staffing one of these desks - both appear on permanent holiday.

Internet access (7am to 7pm daily) is provided by Telecom in its office on the upper floor.

Three casas de cambio (Aerocambios, City Exchange and Cambios Country), next to each other on the ground floor (open 24 hours), change cash. The Banco Popular (24hr), next to the casas, changes both cash and traveler's checks, but rates for checks are a bit lower than those at banks in the city center. There are a dozen ATMs on the upper level.

The other terminal, Puente Aéreo (413 9511; Av El Dorado), is 1km before El Dorado. It handles some of Avianca's international and domestic flights. Make sure to check which terminal your flight departs from.

Airline offices in Bogotá:

Air Canada (618 1606; World Trade Center, Calle 100 No 8A-49)

Air France (650 6000, 326 6030, 800 956 11 11; Carrera 9A No 99-07, torre 1 piso 5)

Aires (336 6039; www.aires.com.co in Spanish; Carrera 7 No 16-36)

Aero Lineas Argentinas (313 2853; Calle 76 No 11-17, piso 5)

Aeropostal (317 2850; Calle 73 No 9-42, piso 1)

AeroRepública (342 7221; Centro Internacional, Carrera 10 No 27-51, local 165)

American Airlines (343 2424, 439 8006, 800 522 55; Carrera 7 No 26-20, local 101)

Avianca (342 6077; Carrera 10 No 26-53)

Avianca/SAM (404 7862; Carrera 7 No 16-36)

British Airways (800 934 57 00; Calle 98 No 9-03, oficina 904)

Continental (800 944 02 19; Carrera 10A No 26-25)