Comuna 13 cable car: start at San Javier
The Comuna 13 cable car visit centres on Metrocable line J, which runs from San Javier to La Aurora. The line has four stations and covers 2.7 kilometres; Metro publishes a line journey time of 12 minutes. That figure describes the cable line itself. It leaves out your journey to San Javier, any waiting and the onward connection to the walking area.
The practical sequence is to ride the cable before or after exploring the neighbourhood, returning to San Javier for the route towards the murals and outdoor escalators. The escalators require an onward ground connection from San Javier. Treat the aerial view and the street-level walk as connected parts of a day with separate journeys between them. Our arrival guide explains the metro approach and the local connection.
Visits with a cable car ride
The private city tour combines a Metrocable ticket with Pueblito Paisa and Botero Square. Another private visit pairs a cable car ride with a local guide and hotel pickup.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private Medellín and Comuna 13 tour
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Metrocable ticket
- Guide and transportation
The visit includes Pueblito Paisa and Botero Square.
Check availability →
Private Comuna 13 visit with cable car
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bilingual local guide
- Cable car ride
A traditional mango ice pop accompanies the visit.
Check availability →
Visit from Poblado by public transport
- Metro and cable car
- Bus transport
Meet before passing through the turnstiles.
Check availability →Cable car rides with a Comuna visit
Choose a hotel-pickup outing or a Poblado station start, keeping the cable ride and the onward walk through Comuna 13 in the same plan.
Compare hotel pickup with a public transport start
A five-hour private city combination includes pickup and drop-off at hotels in Medellín, transportation, a guide who can be bilingual if required, and a Metrocable ticket. It visits Pueblito Paisa, Plaza Botero and Comuna 13. Lunch and drinks are extra. This suits visitors who want the neighbourhood as one part of a broader city outing, with the hotel connection included.
Another five-hour private option includes Medellín hotel pickup and return, a bilingual local guide, a cable car ride and a traditional mango ice pop. The practical attraction is the included hotel connection together with the aerial ride. Lunch is extra. For a closer comparison of private transport formats, use our private tours page rather than treating every cable car outing as the same itinerary.
The option starting at Poblado metro station includes metro, cable car and bus travel. Its meeting point is at the north entrance, before the turnstiles. Compare this transport combination with the hotel-pickup formats according to where you want your day to begin. The included transport is the useful distinction here; keep your food plans separate from that package.
Metro connections, fares and operating hours
If travelling independently from the line A corridor, change at San Antonio to line B towards San Javier. The local bus or taxi connection towards the visitor corridor comes after reaching San Javier. Adding a cable ride does not remove that final part. Leave room in the plan for returning to the station and continuing on the ground, especially if you have a timed walking-tour meeting.
The published 2026 Metro tariff for the Eventual/Al portador profile is 4,400 COP, with a Cívica Eventual card costing another 12,100 COP. Other profiles have their own conditions. Keep these local transport amounts separate from the USD prices of guided offers and assess your actual connections before buying your fare.
Metro lists line J’s operating framework as 04:30 to 23:00 from Monday to Saturday and 09:00 to 22:00 on Sundays and other officially designated days off. These are network hours, rather than exact last departures from each station. Check the day’s service information when arranging a connection. A historical maintenance notice scheduled a line J closure for 16 to 22 July 2026 and reopening for 23 July; use that as dated background, rather than a current travel alert.
The wider Medellín cable network
Arví belongs to a different route: via Acevedo and line K to Santo Domingo, then line L, which carries an additional fare. Keep that destination separate from the San Javier to La Aurora ride. General city connections and other neighbourhoods belong in the wider guide to Medellín.
Back in Comuna 13, the aerial view is only one perspective on a lived-in hillside. On the walk, ask before photographing residents and follow instructions at the outdoor escalators. Carry water and comfortable clothing. For city travel, FCDO recommends keeping valuables discreet, carrying little cash and taking greater care after dark or alone. If using a taxi connection, arrange a licensed taxi by telephone, online or through your accommodation.
Questions about your visit
Does line J take me straight to the escalators?
Return to San Javier after the cable ride and continue towards the visitor corridor by the appropriate local connection. The outdoor escalators are a separate part of the visit.
How long is the cable car journey?
Metro gives 12 minutes for the 2.7-kilometre line with four stations. Add your approach, waiting and onward travel separately when planning the day.
Is this the cable to Arví?
The San Javier route is line J towards La Aurora. Arví uses the separate K and L connection, with an additional fare for line L.