Complete Guide to Using Uber in Colombia
There is Uber in Colombia, but only in larger cities like Bogota and Cartagena. You cannot take Uber from any of the airports in Colombia. There is Uber in Colombia. It’s generally safe to use, available in most major cities, and inexpensive compared to other transit options.
✔️ Uber in Colombia Quick Guide
- 📲 Is Uber Legal in Colombia? Uber operates in a legal gray area in Colombia and much of Latin America. It’s a commonly used service but not completely legal.
- ✈️ From the Airports: You can take Uber directly from most international airport terminals in Italy. The service might not be as readily available at smaller domestic airports.
- 🗺️ Where is it Available? You can use Uber in Colombia in most major cities like Cartagena and Bogota, but not directly from the airport terminal. It’s also not available in rural areas, and on the islands.
- 🚕 Taxis Vs. Uber: I would not recommend taking traditional taxis in Colombia unless you do not have any other option, because they do not have a good reputation with tourists and are less safe than using a tracked transportation service, like Uber, Cabify, or Didi.
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My Top Tips for Taking Uber in Colombia
✔️ Your Uber driver might ask you to sit in the front seat, to fend off unwanted attention from law enforcement in case there’s another crackdown on Uber drivers.
✔️ I wouldn’t recommend trying to take an Uber from the airport. Taxi laws are the most strictly observed at airports in Colombia.
✔️ Don’t slam your car doors! Making even a little bit of noise when you shut a car door in Colombia is considered very rude.

Is Uber Legal in Colombia?
After Uber was briefly banned in 2020 in Colombia it has come back, and is now stronger than ever! Millions of people use Uber and other ride-hailing apps in Colombia every year.
Uber has operated in a legal gray area in Colombia for many years. In 2020 there was a lawsuit against Uber operating in Colombia, mainly propositioned by traditional taxi companies who felt cheated that they had to comply with licensing rules and Uber drivers didn’t. In 2020 Uber lost the lawsuit in Colombia and was ordered to cease all operations. This was no small task because at the time Uber had almost 100,000 drivers in Colombia!
Now, even though Uber is technically “illegal” in Colombia it’s still available in all major cities – this is because Uber is using a loophole in the ruling.
Uber in Colombia operates exactly like Uber everywhere else, but you’re technically not calling taxis when you use Uber in Colombia. Instead, you’re renting a car and a private driver for the duration of your trip. This skirts the legality of the issue because using ride-hailing apps in Colombia is illegal, but using apps to rent a car – regardless of whether that car comes with a driver – is not.

Is Uber Safe in Colombia?
Using Uber in Colombia is a safe transportation option. At least, safer than taking traditional taxis off the street, because Uber has GPS tracking. I used Uber in Colombia extensively, and I believe it to be a safe option. I would say using Uber or another taxi-hailing app is actually safer than calling traditional taxis in Colombia. As a female traveler, I always use Uber or other ride-hailing apps instead of traditional taxis when I can. This is because Uber has safety features built in, which in my opinion, makes them a lot safer to use than hailing a random car off the street.
Another added safety bonus for Uber is that there’s a record of your ride, and who your driver was. Colombia has a bad reputation for small-scale robberies and pickpockets. Using Uber or a pre-arranged car service and having a paper trail for your ride drastically cuts down on the risk that you will be scammed or robbed by your taxi driver.
Other Ride-Hailing Apps in Colombia: Cabify, Didi, EasyTaxi

Cabify/EasyTaxi
The app EasyTaxi has recently been bought by Cabify, so now they’re one and the same. Cabify is great for foreigners in Colombia who want to take traditional taxis because it helps bypass the language barrier if you don’t know any Spanish. The app calculates the estimated metered fare for a trip and then calls an official taxi to your location.

Didi
Didi is essentially the Chinese version of Uber. Didi has expanded to a few different countries over the last few years, and they were able to get a foothold in Colombia while Uber was going through legal troubles with the government in 2020. I have used Didi in Latin America a few times, and I found it to be reliable just like Uber is.
Is There Uber In Cartagena, Colombia?
The good news is there is Uber in Cartagena, Colombia. You’ll want to use Uber whenever possible in Cartagena because unlike in Bogota and Medellin, traditional taxis in Cartagena don’t have to use meters – and they have a reputation for ripping off tourists!

Is There Uber In Medellin, Colombia?
Uber in Medellin is fast and reliable – it’s also similarly priced to the standard taxis because all taxis in Medellin have to use meters. Medellin is another huge city in Colombia with an extensive transportation network. In Medellin, you have the option to use Uber, other ride-hailing apps, metered taxis, and a metro system to get around the city.
That being said, I would still recommend using Ubers over metered taxis in Medellin as a tourist, because Ubers have additional safety measures like ride-tracking features that make it a little bit safer.

Is There Uber In Bogota, Colombia?
Bogota is both the capital city in Colombia and the largest, and it has Uber available as well as a bunch of other transit options. Uber is easy to use in Bogota, and safer than traditional taxis. Just like with Medellin, the only place I wouldn’t recommend trying to take Uber in Bogota is to or from the airport.
Hello,
Thank you for this information. I do have a question:
If I plan to use my U.S. Android phone in Colombia only to call for Uber rides from the hotel and back from museums, bars, or restaurants back to the hotel, do I need to purchase a Colombian sim card? Will be regular sim card do this job fine without purchasing a new card? Thank you.
Hello Neil! It will work better with a Colombian SIM, only because you will have cellular data everywhere, but you should be able to use Uber in Colombia with a foreign SIM as well, as long as you have an active number to receive calls on and cellular data.
I know some people tried to use Uber strictly off of Wifi, with their phones on airplane mode, and that did not work because they needed to be able to receive a call from their driver.
Hope this helps
– Katie