Bogotá to Melgar and Girardot by car: route, tolls and the holiday return

Short answer: you reach Melgar and Girardot on the Autopista Sur, through Soacha, Silvania and Fusagasugá. There are two tolls, Chusacá and Chinauta, at 16,100 COP each (about US$5) for a passenger car, so the way down adds up to 32,200 COP (about US$10).

It is Bogotá’s weekend route to warm weather. This guide covers the route, the tolls, who to call on the road and how to avoid the traffic on the way back.

The route: Autopista Sur and the Bogotá–Girardot road

• Leave on the Autopista Sur and go past Soacha to the Chusacá toll.
• Continue through Silvania and Fusagasugá; past Fusagasugá is the Chinauta toll.
• Go through the Sumapaz tunnel and down to Melgar. Girardot is further along the same road.

The corridor is run by the Vía Sumapaz concession and is about 145 kilometers long between Girardot and Bogotá, according to the concession. It has 69 km widened to a third lane, which helps with overtaking, but on weekends and holidays travel time depends mostly on traffic.

How much the tolls cost

To budget, count both tolls on the way back too: about 64,400 COP (about US$20) for the round trip. Carry cash in Colombian pesos for the booth. Tolls on the other ways out of the city are in the tolls guide.

Who to call on the road

The concession provides ambulance, tow truck and mechanic service 24 hours a day, free of charge, on these lines: 018000 180305, 310 422 4687 and 311 787 2339 (source).

If you rent with full-coverage insurance, you also have the 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance that comes with it. Save both numbers in your phone before you leave.

Getting back to Bogotá on a holiday

On the last day of a long weekend, the Autopista Sur is one of the nine corridors with regional pico y placa for entering Bogotá: from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. even plates enter, and from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. odd plates. It applies to every car, rentals included.

• Ask for the last digit of the plate at pickup and plan the return around it.
• Coming back early or after 8:00 p.m. keeps you out of the restriction and the worst traffic.
• The details are in the holiday return traffic guide.

Which car to choose

For a couple or a group of four, a small car or a sedan is enough, from US$43 per day plus insurance (10 % of the rate). For a family trip with more luggage, the 7-seat Jetour X70 Plus from US$115 per day. The child seat and the additional driver come at no extra cost.

Mileage is unlimited in Bogotá and the surrounding area, and for long trips a daily limit is agreed when you book: tell us the route when you ask for a quote.