Practical information

Money

The currency is the Colombian peso (COP). Cards are accepted in hotels, most restaurants, shops and ride-hailing apps. Carry some cash for taxis, small shops, markets and street food.

• Cash machines are easy to find. The ones inside shopping centres and bank branches are the best choice.
• Prices are written with a dot for thousands, so $25.000 means twenty-five thousand pesos.
• In restaurants, the bill usually comes with a suggested service charge of 10% (propina voluntaria). The waiter will ask whether you want to include it. Saying yes is customary, and it is your choice.
• Tipping taxi drivers is not expected.

Electricity

Colombia uses 110 V at 60 Hz, with the flat two-pin and three-pin plugs (types A and B) used in North America. Visitors from Europe, the United Kingdom and most of South America need an adapter. Check that your chargers accept 110 V, as most laptop and phone chargers do.

Water and food

Tap water in Bogotá is safe to drink. Outside the city, including on the Caribbean coast, bottled or filtered water is the safer choice.

Vegetarian and vegan options are easy to find in the congress area, and restaurants are used to requests about allergies. The word for “without” is sin: sin carne, sin gluten, sin lácteos.

Language

Spanish is the language of everyday life. English is spoken in hotels and in many restaurants around the venue, and less often by taxi drivers and in small shops. A translation app, and the address of your destination written down, solve most situations.

Phones and internet

Hotels, cafés and shopping centres have free Wi-Fi. For mobile data, an eSIM bought before you travel is the simplest option. Prepaid SIM cards from Claro, Movistar or Tigo are sold at the airport and in shopping centres, and you need your passport to register one.

Getting around

• On foot. The congress area is flat and walkable. Watch for uneven pavements, and note that drivers do not always give way at crossings.
• Ride-hailing apps and taxis. For longer trips, apps such as Uber, DiDi and Cabify are the easiest choice. At night, order a ride through an app or ask your hotel or restaurant to call a taxi (see staying safe).
• Public transport. TransMilenio and the blue SITP buses reach most of the city with a TuLlave card. They are crowded at rush hour. The official TransMiApp plans routes and shows timetables.
• By bike. Bogotá has one of the largest networks of cycle lanes in Latin America. On Sundays and public holidays, from 7 am to 2 pm, the Ciclovía closes more than 100 km (62 mi) of main roads to cars, including Carrera Séptima, a few blocks from the congress area.

Traffic is heavy on weekdays from about 6 to 9 am and 4 to 8 pm. A trip that takes twenty minutes at midday can take an hour at those times.

Public holidays

Monday 5 July 2027, the first day of the congress, is a public holiday in Colombia. Traffic is light, the Ciclovía is open, and some shops and offices close or keep shorter hours. Restaurants and shopping centres open as usual. Museum opening days change around holidays, so check before you go.

If you extend your stay, Tuesday 20 July is Independence Day.

Health and insurance

We recommend travel insurance that covers medical care for the whole trip. Bogotá has excellent private hospitals, several of them a short drive from the congress area, and pharmacies (droguerías) on almost every block. Bring any regular medication in its original packaging.

Time

Colombia is on UTC−5 all year, with no daylight saving time. Near the equator the days hardly change in length: the sun rises shortly before 6 am and sets shortly after 6 pm.