Medellin Taxis
Taxis are relatively inexpensive and can be commonly found in most parts of Medellin. The minimum fare for a taxi is 4,600 COP (about 2.50 USD). The meter should always be on and will start at about 2,700 COP. The only exception to the meter possibly not running is on the fixed cost taxi departing from the airport. Tipping is not required but most people round up the fare to the nearest 1,000 COP.
When you enter or depart from a taxi, please don't slam the door or you risk the taxi driver glaring at you. The doors on the small cars are deceptively light. You can sit in the front seat or the back - there is no difference. If you have large bags, the driver will usually get out and help you with them. Avoid giving the driver 20,000 COP or 50,000 COP notes. Each taxi company has its own number to call, so you may want to ask which local company best serves your area.
If you don’t speak Spanish, there are several taxi apps which work considerably well. The top two apps are Easy Taxi and Tappsi, but more recently Uber has been gaining popularity in Medellin.
Safety Note: Taxis in Medellin are generally safe although there are always exceptions. Where possible, call or use an App to get a taxi. If you hail a random taxi on the street, make sure you check for a legit taxi company logo and the correct licence plate number is listed on the sticker on the front windscreen. Always check that the driver has reset the meter when you get in. Take precaution that the driver does not try to switch your 50,000 bill with a fake one, it is always best to pay with small notes.
There are two types of taxis in Medellin. The small yellow city taxis and the larger white airport taxis (sometimes also yellow). At the Airport you will find both of them waiting to take you to central Medellin. If you have considerable luggage we recommended you take the large airport taxi which is a lot more comfortable. If you're at the front of the taxi queue and the first taxi is not one of the larger ones, simply let the next person in the queue go first until you get the next white one.
If you prefer to return to the airport in the larger white airport taxi you will need to call one of the several airport taxi companies. Remember to grab a business card from the driver when you arrive. One good option with an online reservation system is Aerotaxi.
