Short answer: yes, Uber works in Colombia, every day, in every major city. The longer answer involves the phrase "technically illegal but practically universal," and that's what this post is for.
The legal situation
Uber operates in a regulatory grey zone in Colombia. A 2020 court ruling effectively shut it down, and then Uber came back under a different legal structure that classifies rides as "rentals" rather than taxis. The government tolerates it. Taxi drivers do not love it. Nothing has shut it down in years.
What this means for you: the app works normally. You book a ride, a driver comes, you pay through the app. Same as anywhere. The only visible quirk is that, when you get in, the driver will sometimes ask you to sit in the front seat so that it looks less like a ride-share and more like a friend giving you a lift. Do it. It's fine.
This is a Colombian thing. It's not sketchy, it's paperwork theater. The driver has insurance, is tracked, and wants to avoid taxi-driver confrontations at airports.
Uber vs InDriver vs Cabify
You want all three apps installed. Seriously.
Uber
Most familiar to foreigners. Widest coverage. Generally more expensive than InDriver. Your default if you don't want to think.
InDriver
The Colombian favorite. You propose a fare and drivers accept or counter. In practice you'll offer roughly the suggested price and get picked up fast. Often 20 to 30 percent cheaper than Uber on the same route. Cars are older but fine. This is what most locals use.
Cabify
Fully legal in Colombia. Higher-end cars, slightly more expensive than Uber. Best for airport pickups because they have actual permits. Use it when you want a clean, professional-feeling ride.
The move
Install all three. Use InDriver for daily rides. Use Cabify for airports and nights out. Keep Uber as backup for when neither has drivers nearby.
Street taxis: don't
Every major Colombian city has yellow street taxis. Most drivers are honest. Some are not. The ones that aren't can run the meter hot, take longer routes, or occasionally do worse. This is particularly true in Cartagena, Bogotá at night, and around airports.
There is no situation where hailing a street taxi is worth it over opening an app. The apps are cheaper, tracked, and have recourse if anything goes wrong. A street taxi has none of that.
The one exception: if you're in a small pueblo with no apps operating and no other option, street taxis are fine. Ask a shopkeeper for a fair price to your destination before you get in. Set the price, don't use the meter.
Airport rides specifically
This is the single most important paragraph of this post.
In Bogotá (BOG), Uber and Cabify can pick up at the airport. There's a designated ride-share zone on Level 1 (arrivals). Walk past the taxi line, turn right, follow the signs. Do not get in a taxi that's been flagged by someone outside the taxi line, those are not official.
In Medellín (MDE/JMC), the airport is 45 minutes outside the city in Rionegro. Uber works there but is sometimes slow. Pre-arranged private transfer is about $30 USD, Uber is $25, and the time difference on a bad night can be 40 minutes of waiting. For a first trip, pre-arrange. You'll thank yourself.
In Cartagena (CTG), use the official airport taxi cooperative inside the terminal. There's a booth where you pay a fixed rate to your destination (roughly 18,000 to 25,000 COP to the Walled City). Do not get in a car that someone approaches you with in the parking lot.
In Cali (CLO), the airport is 45 minutes outside the city. Uber/InDriver work. Allow extra time.
Payment in the apps
Uber accepts cards and cash. InDriver is usually cash only (set cash in the app when booking). Cabify accepts cards and cash. Tip is not expected but appreciated; round up or add 2,000-5,000 COP.
If you're using a foreign card, Uber occasionally blocks it for fraud. Have a backup card loaded, or use cash.
A few rules that matter
- Check the car model and plate before getting in. The app shows both. Match them. This is basic but easy to skip when you're tired.
- Share your trip. All three apps have a "share trip status" button. Use it with someone at your accommodation or back home.
- Sit where the driver asks. Front seat is common for Uber. Back seat is fine for Cabify. Don't overthink it.
- Don't show a big phone openly. Hold it in your lap or keep it in your hand, don't wave it around. Snatch theft at red lights is the one real urban risk.
- Always use an app at night. No exceptions. No "I'm just going five blocks." No.
What you'll pay, roughly
In Medellín, a ride from El Poblado to Laureles runs 15,000 to 22,000 COP (about $4-6 USD) in Uber, often less in InDriver. A full crossing of the city, say Envigado to the airport area, is 35,000 to 55,000 COP.
In Bogotá, distances are longer. Chapinero to La Candelaria is 20,000-30,000 COP. Downtown to the airport is 25,000-40,000 COP depending on traffic (which is sometimes brutal).
In Cartagena, everything is close. Walled City to Bocagrande is 12,000-18,000 COP. Walled City to the airport is 18,000-28,000 COP.
Tip: the first ride you take, screenshot the fare. Over the course of your trip, you'll develop a sense of what each route should cost and you'll notice immediately if a driver is trying something weird.
Built into every trip I plan
Your trip page includes which app to use in each city, pre-saved airport pickup instructions, and the WhatsApp of a private driver in every city you visit for the one night you don't feel like waiting. That's the kind of detail that makes a trip feel handled instead of improvised.