By air -- Simon Bolivar International Airport (SMR) serves Santa Marta with direct flights from Bogota and Medellin on airlines including Avianca. During high season (December to April) flights fill up fast, so book at least two months ahead.
By bus -- Long-distance buses connect Santa Marta to most major Colombian cities. From Barranquilla it is about 4 hours; from Medellin roughly 12 hours. Bus travel is affordable and frequent but slow over long distances.