The quick version: The Medellín Metro is Colombia’s only metro, and it is clean, cheap, safe, and the fastest way across the city. A single ride is a flat 3,430 pesos with a Cívica card, just under a dollar, no matter how far you go. The system is two rail lines plus the famous Metrocable gondolas, a tram, and integrated buses, and one card covers all of it with free transfers. It runs from about 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. It does not go to the international airport. And the cable car to Parque Arví is a separate, scenic ride on its own ticket.
If you are getting around Medellín, start with the metro. I have lived here since 2019 and I still take it by choice over a taxi for most trips across the city, because it is faster than sitting in traffic, it costs almost nothing, and it is genuinely pleasant to ride. It is also one of the few pieces of infrastructure that locals are openly proud of, and once you have ridden it, you understand why.
A Bit of History, and Why Locals Are So Proud of It
The metro opened in 1995, the only one in the country, and it arrived at a moment when the city badly needed something to be proud of. It became exactly that. There is an unwritten code here called Cultura Metro: the stations and trains are spotless, nobody eats or drinks or sells anything on board, people queue and let others off first, and the whole thing runs with a calm order that can be surprising if you have ridden transit elsewhere in Latin America. The trains run entirely on electricity, which helps with the valley’s air.
In 2004 the city added the first Metrocable, a gondola line built specifically for public transit, to connect a steep hillside neighborhood that buses could barely reach. More cable lines followed. They turned a daily commute that used to take over an hour into about fifteen minutes for those residents, and the idea has since been copied around the world.
The Lines
The backbone is two rail lines. Line A runs north to south along the floor of the valley, from Niquía in the north to La Estrella in the south, and it is the one you will use most. Line B branches west from the San Antonio interchange out to San Javier, which is the jumping-off point for the Comuna 13 area.
From there the system climbs the hills on the Metrocable gondolas. These are real transit lines for the hillside comunas, not a tourist gimmick, but they also happen to give you some of the best views in the city. Line K up to Santo Domingo and Line J toward San Javier are the two most useful for visitors. There is also a street tram, the Tranvía de Ayacucho, running east from San Antonio, and a network of integrated buses, all on the same card. The city even runs a free public bike-share system, EnCicla, that ties into it.
One line stands apart. Line L to Parque Arví is the cable car that carries on past Santo Domingo and floats over a stretch of forest to a large nature reserve on the edge of the city. It is a beautiful ride and a popular half-day trip, but it is not part of the normal fare, and it keeps shorter hours (more on both below). It is worth planning around if Arví is on your list, and it pairs well with a wider day trip out of the city.
Fares and the Cívica Card
The fare is flat. It does not matter how many stations you ride or what time of day it is. With a Cívica card a single trip is 3,430 pesos, just under a dollar, and a little more if you pay without one. There are reduced fares for students, seniors, and people with reduced mobility.
The card is worth getting on arrival. The personalized Cívica is free but has to be registered with your ID, which is more of a resident thing. For a short visit, just ask for a rechargeable Cívica Eventual card at any station ticket booth, load it with cash, and you are set. One card can be shared by a whole group, so a family or a couple of friends only need one.
The best part is the transfers. Moving between the metro, the cable cars, the tram, and the integrated buses is free within about 90 minutes, so a trip that combines a train and a gondola counts as a single fare. The exception is Line L to Parque Arví, which costs about 13,700 pesos and is not included in any transfer. Ticket booths mostly take cash, so carry some pesos.
Hours
The metro runs Monday to Saturday from about 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sundays and most holidays from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The last trains leave the end stations, Niquía and La Estrella, around 10:40 p.m. Some of the cable lines start a little later in the morning than the trains do.
Line L to Parque Arví is the one to watch. It runs roughly 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and it does not run on the first working day of the week, which usually means Mondays, or the day after a holiday. During the Christmas season the metro often extends its hours so people can get out to see the city’s light displays.
Is It Safe, and How to Behave on It
Yes. The metro is one of the safest ways to move around Medellín. It is well staffed, well policed, and orderly. The only time to pay attention is the rush-hour crush, roughly 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., when a packed train is exactly the kind of situation a pickpocket likes, so keep your phone in your pocket and your bag in front of you. That is just standard no dar papaya, the same as you would do in any city. There is more on the wider safety picture in the Medellín safety guide.
As for etiquette, follow Cultura Metro and you will fit right in. Do not eat or drink on board, let people off before you get on, give up the priority seats, and keep your music to yourself. Locals take it seriously, and it is an easy way to be a good guest.
Using It as a Visitor
Beyond getting from A to B, the metro reaches most of what you came to see. It runs straight through El Poblado, stops at Parque Berrío in the center near Plaza Botero, and serves the Estadio and Laureles area. The cable cars are an attraction in their own right: Line K up to Santo Domingo passes the España Library Park and opens up across the whole valley, and the San Javier end of Line B is where most people start a Comuna 13 visit. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to see the city, and it slots neatly into a day of things to do. When you are deciding where to stay, a spot near a Line A station makes the rest of your trip much simpler.
The one thing the metro does not do is reach the international airport, which sits out in Rionegro, well beyond the network. For that trip you will want a bus, a taxi, a colectivo, or a private transfer, all of which are covered in the airport guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Medellín metro cost? A flat 3,430 pesos per ride with a Cívica card, just under a dollar, regardless of distance. It is slightly more without the card, and transfers between the metro, cable cars, tram, and integrated buses are free within about 90 minutes.
Is the Medellín metro safe? Very. It is clean, well policed, and one of the safest ways to travel in the city. The main thing to watch is your phone and bag during the rush-hour crowds.
Does the metro go to the airport? No. José María Córdova International is in Rionegro, outside the metro network. You will need a bus, taxi, colectivo, or transfer to reach it.
What is the Cívica card, and do tourists need one? It is the rechargeable card the system runs on. Visitors should buy a Cívica Eventual card at any station booth, which can be shared by a group. You do not strictly need one, but it gets you the lower fare and free transfers.
What are the metro’s hours? Roughly 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. The Parque Arví cable line (Line L) runs about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on the first working day of the week.
Can I take the cable car to Parque Arví with a normal ticket? No. Line L to Arví has a separate fare of about 13,700 pesos and is not included in the standard fare or transfers.
