Updated: October 2, 2026 · By the Exotic Rent a Car Medellín team, a local car rental company in Antioquia.
Short answer: driving a private car (Category I) out of Medellín in 2026, you pay 27,300 COP at the Túnel de Occidente (towards Santa Fe de Antioquia), 26,300 COP at the Túnel de Oriente, 13,600 COP on Las Palmas (El Retiro), 18,600 COP at Copacabana–Guarne (towards Guatapé) and 20,600 COP at Amagá (towards Jardín and the Suroeste), always per direction. Rates are adjusted every January in line with inflation.
Tolls are the expense most often forgotten when budgeting a trip through Antioquia, and the one that surprises people most: a weekend with two trips out of the city can easily run past 100,000 COP in booths alone.
Tolls by route from Medellín: 2026 rates
All figures are for Category I (cars, jeeps and private SUVs) and apply per direction: double them for a round trip. The sources are the resolutions of Colombia's National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), Invías and the Antioquia Governor's Office.
Túnel de Occidente toll (towards Santa Fe de Antioquia): 27,300 COP
The 2026 rate at the Aburrá toll, the one for the Túnel de Occidente, is 27,300 COP each way (ANI, in force since 16 January 2026). It's the most expensive toll on the list, but it pays for the tunnel that turned the drive to Santa Fe de Antioquia into 1 hour 20 minutes. Round trip: 54,600 COP. It sits on the Conexión Mar 1, shortly after San Cristóbal.
Las Palmas toll: 13,600 COP
The toll on the Las Palmas road (Palmas station, in El Retiro) costs 13,600 COP each way since 1 January 2026. It's the traditional, scenic route to Rionegro, Llanogrande and the airport. Watch the name: the Variante Palmas, which connects to the Túnel de Oriente, is a different booth run by the tunnel concession, and it costs 20,200 COP. Since 1 August 2026 the Palmas station has been run by Invías and only takes cash.
Túnel de Oriente toll and the road to JMC airport (Rionegro): 26,300 COP
The Túnel de Oriente costs 26,300 COP each way in 2026 (Antioquia Governor's Office decree, in force since 17 January). It's the fast road to José María Córdova airport: under 25 minutes from El Poblado. If you join it via the Variante Palmas you pay that booth (20,200 COP) instead of the Santa Elena one (15,100 COP); either way, the tunnel is a single charge per direction, 52,600 COP round trip.
Copacabana–Guarne toll (towards Guatapé): 18,600 COP
The Copacabana toll, in the Guarne sector of the Medellín–Bogotá highway, costs 18,600 COP each way since 1 January 2026 (up 1,000 COP on 2025). It's the only toll between Medellín and Guatapé, Marinilla, El Peñol or San Rafael: 37,200 COP round trip. In August 2026 it passed from Devimed to Invías and, while the handover lasts, electronic payment is out of service: bring cash.
Suroeste tolls (Jardín and Jericó): 20,600 COP
The Amagá toll, on the Conexión Pacífico 1, costs 20,600 COP each way (ANI, in force since 16 January 2026) and is the booth you pass on the way to Jardín, Jericó, Andes and the whole coffee-growing Suroeste. If you carry on south along Pacífico 2 towards La Pintada, that toll costs 23,900 COP. The regional roads into the towns have no booths.
| Toll | Route | 2026 rate (Cat. I, each way) |
|---|---|---|
| Túnel de Occidente (Aburrá) | Medellín → Santa Fe de Antioquia | 27,300 COP |
| Túnel de Oriente | Medellín → JMC airport / Rionegro (fast) | 26,300 COP |
| Amagá | Medellín → Jardín, Jericó, Suroeste | 20,600 COP |
| Variante Palmas | Access to the Túnel de Oriente | 20,200 COP |
| Copacabana (Guarne) | Medellín → Guatapé, Marinilla, El Peñol | 18,600 COP |
| Santa Elena | Access to the Túnel de Oriente via Santa Elena | 15,100 COP |
| Las Palmas (El Retiro) | Medellín → Rionegro / JMC airport (scenic) | 13,600 COP |
Tolls to José María Córdova airport
The Medellín–Rionegro drive is the one rental customers make most often: heading to or from the airport, going up to Llanogrande or spending the weekend in the Oriente. There are two toll roads, and it's worth knowing how much each costs and how long it takes before you decide.
Rionegro–Medellín toll price in 2026
Between Rionegro (or JMC airport) and Medellín you pay a single toll per direction, depending on the road you choose: 26,300 COP through the Túnel de Oriente or 13,600 COP on the Las Palmas road. If you join the tunnel via the Variante Palmas, the charge at that booth is 20,200 COP; via Santa Elena, 15,100 COP. The rate is the same in both directions, so the round trip costs 52,600 COP through the tunnel and 27,200 COP on Las Palmas.
Estimated time on each road
- Túnel de Oriente: 25 to 35 minutes from El Poblado to the airport in normal traffic. The time is very consistent because the tunnel has no curves or fog.
- Las Palmas road: 50 to 60 minutes from El Poblado, and longer with fog (common at dawn and dusk) or weekend traffic on the climb.
Rule of thumb: with a flight to catch, plan on the tunnel and leave with a margin; if you're sightseeing by day, Las Palmas saves you 12,700 COP each way in exchange for an extra half hour on the road.
Túnel de Oriente or Las Palmas: which is better
It's the decision you'll make every time you head up to the Oriente, and the same one doesn't always win.
Túnel de Oriente (26,300 COP)
- Faster: cuts the airport journey to less than half.
- Safer at night: no fog, no tight curves, well lit.
- More comfortable with children or with anyone who gets carsick on winding roads.
- It's the obvious choice if you're racing to catch a flight.
Las Palmas road (13,600 COP)
- Cheaper and considerably prettier: viewpoints over the valley and wide curves.
- Slower, with frequent fog at dawn and dusk.
- Ideal by day, unhurried, and for anyone who enjoys driving.
The 12,700 COP difference isn't what decides it: what decides it is the time of day and whether you're in a hurry. At night or with a flight to catch, take the tunnel. By day and relaxed, Las Palmas.
The real cost of getting to JMC airport
It's worth adding up the whole journey, because the toll is only part of it:
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Túnel de Oriente toll (outbound) | 26,300 COP |
| Túnel de Oriente toll (return) | 26,300 COP |
| Fuel, round trip (~70 km) | Varies by vehicle |
| Car delivery or return at JMC, daytime | 130,000 COP per trip |
| Delivery or return at JMC, night-time | 160,000 COP per trip |
| Both trips at JMC | 250,000 COP |
That last block covers the logistics of taking or collecting the vehicle in Rionegro, which is outside the Aburrá Valley. Inside the valley — and at Olaya Herrera airport — delivery is free. Full terms are on the car rental with delivery at Medellín airport page, and the arrival-day logistics are in the guide to picking up your car when you land at JMC.
Budget tip: if both your arrival and departure flights are during the day, booking the two trips together (250,000 COP) works out cheaper than two separate ones.
Guatapé, Santa Fe and the Suroeste
The three classic weekend routes have one toll each, and on all of them it pays to carry cash:
- Guatapé: you leave on the Medellín–Bogotá highway, through Marinilla or El Santuario. One toll, Copacabana (18,600 COP), on a drive of about two hours.
- Santa Fe de Antioquia: through the Túnel de Occidente (27,300 COP), the fastest road west.
- Suroeste (Jardín, Jericó, Amagá): the coffee route along Pacífico 1, with the Amagá booth (20,600 COP).
Since rates change every January, check the current value on the ANI, Invías or concession website before setting out, and budget with a margin. Distances and times for each destination are in the day trips from Medellín, the step-by-step Guatapé route is in the drive to Guatapé and the Santa Fe route in Medellín to Santa Fe de Antioquia by car.
How many tolls are there from Medellín to Jardín?
On the usual route from Medellín to Jardín (Ancón Sur, Amagá, Bolombolo and Peñalisa) you pay a single toll: Amagá, 20,600 COP each way for a private car, or 41,200 COP round trip. The regional stretch between Bolombolo and Jardín has no booths, and the Venecia variant pays the same toll. It's about 135 km and close to three hours: the big expense isn't the toll but the fuel, between 60,000 and 90,000 COP round trip depending on the vehicle.
How tolls are paid
- Cash: works at every booth. Carry small notes; many booths won't change large bills.
- Electronic tag: the electronic lanes are quick but require a registered device. If your rental doesn't have one, don't use that lane. Since 1 August 2026, electronic payment is suspended at Copacabana and Las Palmas because of the change of operator: cash only there.
- Card: acceptance varies by booth and isn't reliable as your only method.
Rule of thumb: whenever you head out of town, carry at least 100,000 COP in small notes. It covers tolls, small-town car parks and restaurants where the card terminal is down.
How to calculate the total cost of your trip
- Count the outbound tolls and double them. You almost always come back the same way.
- Estimate fuel: divide the total kilometres by the vehicle's fuel efficiency and multiply by the price per gallon.
- Add parking: in tourist towns it's charged by the hour and goes up in high season.
- Add airport logistics if they apply: 130,000, 160,000 or 250,000 COP depending on the case.
- Add the rental itself (48-hour minimum) and remember that the deposit (2,000,000 or 2,500,000 COP) is held separately and refunded.
The full breakdown of what a rental costs is in how much it costs to rent a car. And if you haven't picked a vehicle yet, you can browse the available fleet.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Túnel de Occidente toll in 2026?
27,300 COP per direction (Aburrá toll, ANI, in force since 16 January 2026). It's the only toll between Medellín and Santa Fe de Antioquia: 54,600 COP round trip.
How much is the Túnel de Oriente toll in 2026?
26,300 COP per direction for a Category I private vehicle, in force since 17 January 2026. It's the fastest route between Medellín and José María Córdova airport.
How much is the toll from Rionegro to Medellín in 2026?
A single toll per direction: 26,300 COP through the Túnel de Oriente or 13,600 COP on the Las Palmas road. The rate is the same both ways, so the round trip costs 52,600 COP through the tunnel and 27,200 COP on Las Palmas.
How much is the toll to José María Córdova airport?
It depends on the road: 26,300 COP each way through the Túnel de Oriente (the fast route) or 13,600 COP each way on the Las Palmas road (the scenic, slower route). Since August 2026 the Palmas station only takes cash.
How much is the Las Palmas road toll?
13,600 COP per direction at the Palmas station (El Retiro). Don't confuse it with the Túnel de Oriente's Variante Palmas booth, which costs 20,200 COP.
How much is the Copacabana toll on the road to Guatapé?
18,600 COP per direction since 1 January 2026, in the Guarne sector of the Medellín–Bogotá highway. It's the only toll on the way to Guatapé: 37,200 COP round trip. Since August 2026 it only takes cash.
How much is the Amagá toll towards the Suroeste?
20,600 COP per direction (ANI, in force since 16 January 2026). Towards La Pintada you also pay the Pacífico 2 toll, 23,900 COP.
Which route to the airport is better?
The Túnel de Oriente if you're short on time, travelling at night or with children. The Las Palmas road if you're going by day, unhurried, and want the scenery.
Can tolls be paid by card?
Not reliably. Cash works at every booth and is the recommended method; electronic payment has been suspended at Copacabana and Las Palmas since August 2026.
Are tolls included in the car rental?
No. Tolls, fuel and parking are the driver's responsibility. What is set in advance is the cost of delivery and return at JMC airport.
How often do toll rates go up in Colombia?
They're adjusted by decree or resolution at the start of each year, in January, in line with the previous year's inflation.
Rent a car and we'll walk you through the tolls on your route
When you book, we tell you which booths you'll pass, how much cash to carry and which way to go depending on the time of day.
