Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in Colombia - cash only, or do cards work too?
I was hoping to use Apple Pay or tap my ANZ Visa on buses or metro - no luck. Colombia isn’t there yet. Even at Bogotá airport, no public transport accepted cards. Got a Tullave card for Bogotá, used Cívica in Medellín, and cash in Cartagena. Plan for cash-based systems, but it’s cheap and reliable once you figure it out.
Rode the orange buses in Cartagena (Transcaribe). No cards, no apps, no machines. Cash only, and exact change is preferred - drivers don’t always have coins. Some routes have reloadable cards (like Tarjeta Transcaribe), but you can’t get one easily as a tourist unless you're staying long. I just kept 2,000-5,000 COP bills handy.
Medellín Metro = Cívica card only, bring cash. You can’t use your credit/debit card directly like tapping to pay at Medellín Metro turnstiles. Locals use a Cívica transit card, which is awesome - cheaper fares and usable across metro, cable cars, and buses. YOu need to buy one for like non-refundable 10,000 pesos and load with cash at a metro station. I brought 50,000 COP in small bills and topped it up for a few days at a time. There were some machines you can use to load via credit card but cash was just easier to do at the counter.
Bogotá TransMilenio is cash to load, not tap-to-pay. Took the TransMilenio every day in Bogotá. You can’t tap your Visa or Mastercard directly at the gates. Instead, you buy a Tullave card, load it with cash at kiosks in stations or big shops, and then tap that at the turnstile. No contactless bank cards accepted. You need local cash for top-ups - my Revolut card didn’t work at the machines.