Although it is possible to fly from Cali to Medellin, and this is the fastest way to get there, you’ll know if you read this blog regularly that I’m not a fan of flying short distances. For one thing, it’s bad for the environment. For another, taking long bus journeys when you’re travelling somewhere like Colombia (or other places in South America), is almost always going to be a better adventure than taking the plane.
I took the overnight bus from Cali to Medellin when I was travelling in Colombia in February this year (2024). Speaking of adventures, I did make a couple of mistakes on this journey, so let me walk you through it and you can avoid making the same ones!
Cali is a beautiful city, but it is quite dangerous so you need to have your wits about you heading to the bus station after dark (that is, if you take the overnight bus). Take an Uber or official taxi (ask your accommodation to book one for you) to the bus station in Cali; don’t walk at night, even if you’re not alone.
Medellin is an equally beautiful city and generally much safer, but this is still Colombia. Make sure you have a plan of what to do when you get off the bus. (Yes, you can think of that as foreshadowing.)
More about Colombia: Why Not to Take the Overnight Bus from Medellin to Salento
Important Things to Know for the Bus from Cali to Medellin
It’s a good idea to keep your passport to hand, because it’s common to be asked for it before you board the bus, even though it isn’t an international trip.
The trip from Cali to Medellin takes around eight hours (bear this in mind, even if the timings on your ticket are different). The bus during the day will generally make a stop half way, but the overnight bus does not. There is usually a bathroom on board, but that depends on which bus company you travel with.
I found that there were USB sockets for charging devices on almost every bus I took in Colombia and South America, but there generally isn’t wifi or full-sized plug sockets.
How to Buy Your Ticket from Cali to Medellin
As usual, there are two main ways to buy your bus ticket from Cali to Medellin. You can buy one online through Busbud or redBus, or you can buy it at the station. Because I was travelling during high season, I generally booked my buses in advance because they often sold out, and I was a fan of Busbud. Although they do charge extra, it’s usually only $1-2 more and I found that Busbud is the most reliable for letting you know about cancellations, and getting a refund when a bus is cancelled.
However, there are more options if you buy your ticket at the bus station in Cali, and you can ask for more detailed information about the amenities on board. You will also get the cheapest price and the biggest range of bus departures.
More about Colombia: Where to Stay in Salento
What Kind of Bus Ticket to Buy?
If you want to get the best deals, you can find tickets for as low as $10 if you go to Cali’s bus terminal in person, or $12 if you buy your bus ticket online.
The booking process is super easy, whether you book online or whether you book in person. All you need is your personal details, information about when you want to travel, and a form of ID (for foreigners, this usually has to be your passport). In Colombia I often found that they didn’t check your ID when you boarded the bus, but in other countries in South America they were very diligent about it, even when not travelling internationally.
I am a big fan of night buses, and I usually find it quite easy to sleep in a regular seat. However, at this particular time I was completely exhausted, and decided to splash out on an upgraded seat (the downstairs seats on most Colombian buses). It’s like sleeping in an armchair. When it only costs $5 more, it is well worth the upgrade. You walk off of the bus feeling like you’ve had a full night’s sleep, which is often not the case otherwise.
I especially recommend upgrading your seat if you don’t have much time to spend in Medellin, because you won’t risk wasting a day being tired in your hostel. After experiencing the difference that a better seat made to my sleep, I made this upgrade on quite a few of the night buses I took during the rest of my trip.
That being said, the buses in South America are more comfortable than the ones in Europe, and you may sleep just fine in a regular seat, too.
To upgrade your seat on Busbud, you have to choose the bus you want, fill out your information, then go to “outbound seat”. Usually the 1st floor seats are the upgraded seats, and the 2nd floor seats are normal ones. To know for sure, make sure there are 3 seats to a row, not 4, and you’ll notice that the price increases when you choose an upgraded seat, too.
Only some departures have the upgraded seats, so if you don’t see that option, it’s probably not available.
More about Colombia: A Guide to Neighbourhoods in Medellin
Bus Companies With Services Cali to Medellin
Expreso Bolivariano – this is the company I travelled with, and in terms of comfort I really recommend it!
Empresa Arauca – I don’t have experience with this company
Expreso Palmira – I used this bus company for several other journeys and found them to be comfortable, too.
Flota Magdalena – this company is a bit more expensive, but I’ve heard that the seats are more comfortable.
These are the travel options available to book online through Busbud and redBus, and there are lots of different departure times. If you want to take one of the night buses, I do recommend booking online to make sure you get a seat, and make sure you get a good one. However I do always like to mention that it is a couple of dollars more expensive to book online.
The Bus Ride from Cali to Medellin
It’s always a good idea to arrive at the bus terminal in plenty of time, because sometimes they ask you to physically print your ticket. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t about to wander the streets of Cali looking for a printer, so I arrived at the bus terminal early. I went up to the Expreso Bolivariano desk, expecting them to print my ticket, but they just pointed me in the direction of the right departure gate and I was able to board with the bus ticket on my phone.
I had taken the bus at 8pm, which I knew was a bit early, but it had been the only night bus left that had upgraded seats available and I wanted a comfortable ride. And, a comfortable ride it was. I’m not kidding you when I say the upgrade makes SO much difference, the chairs are huge, comfortable, and almost fully recline. I imagine it’s like the equivalent of flying first class (not that I’ve ever actually flown first class). I was so, so comfortable and slipped into a deep sleep after a couple of hours of reading.
My ticket said that the ride would be 10 hours 30 minutes, and we’d arrive at 6.30am. That was a little early, but I didn’t mind in exchange for a full night’s sleep. Or, so I thought, until I was rudely awoken from my very deep sleep at 3.30am and kicked off the bus.
If you read my post about this exact same thing happening to me on the bus from Medellin to Salento, then you’re probably thinking “Isa, do you ever learn?” and the truth is no, because this was not the last time this happened to me on this trip…
Luckily I already knew the woman that owned the hostel I was staying in. After half an hour of trying not to fall asleep and get robbed in the bus station, she let me in and I was able to catch up on sleep in a hammock on the roof.
But, here, I’ll tell you for the second time: you always need a backup plan on the night bus!
More about Colombia: Everything To Know & Why You Should Visit Capurgana