Currency - Business hours - Transportation - Internet - Basic conversation guide - Langages spoken

The currency is the Colombian peso, divided into 100 centavos (cents). It is issued in bills of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 pesos and in coins of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 pesos.

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM)
To find out the locations of ATMs in Colombia , click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Business hours

Banks in Bogota are open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 15.00 and in other cities, from 8.00 to 11.30 and from 14.00 to 16.30. The last working day of the month, they close at noon.

Transportation

Road
It is advised to drive carefully (or, even better, to hire a chauffeur). The highway code being not fully respected, the rule of the strongest prevails. It is strongly recommanded not to drive at night. An international driving license is required.

Air
The maintenance of the aircrafts ("Avianca" and "Aces" airlines) does not call to any particular remark.

Internet

The Internet suffix is: .co

Basic conversation guide

Yes = Sí
No = No.
Thank you = Gracias
Hello = Hola
Good morning = Buenos días
Good afternoon = Buenas tardes
Goodbye = Adiós
I do not understand = No entiendo
What's the price? How much does it cost? = ¿Cuánto esta? ¿Cuál es el precio?
I would like to buy = Me gustaría comprar...
Do you accept credit cards? = ¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito?
Where is? = ¿Dónde está?
Post office = el correo
The bank = el banco
The police station, the police force = la estación de policía; la comisaría de policía
The pharmacy = la farmacia
An airport = el aeropuerto
The train station = la estación del tren
One ticket to..., please. = un billete para..., por favor.
Would you have any vacancies for tonight? = ¿Tiene habitaciones para esta noche?.

The official language of Columbia is Castilian or Spanish. However, there are still about 70 native languages in Columbia for about 445,000 persons. The majority of these languages are used by only a few thousand or even just a few hundred persons and are gradually disappearing. Indeed, Columbia is far more interested in Spanish than by retaining other native languages. Indeed, the legislation of the country wants to increase the value of Spanish and to limit the use of English.