The average bus between Santander and Cartagena takes 13h 40m and the fastest bus takes 12h 50m. The bus service runs several times per day from Santander to Cartagena. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays; use the search form on this page to search for a specific travel date.
Buses run 3 times a day between Santander and Cartagena. The earliest departure is at 1:00 AM at night, and the last departure from Santander is at 3:30 PM which arrives into Cartagena at 5:50 AM. All services require a transfer, and take on average 13h 40m. The schedules shown below are for the next available departures.

12h 50m • 1 change

13h 50m • 1 change
Arrives next day

14h 20m • 1 change

12h 50m • 1 change

13h 50m • 1 change
Arrives next day

14h 20m • 1 change

12h 50m • 1 change

13h 50m • 1 change
Arrives next day

14h 20m • 1 change

12h 50m • 1 change

13h 50m • 1 change
Arrives next day

14h 20m • 1 change
Want to know about travelling from Santander to Cartagena? We have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions from our users such as: What is the cheapest mode of transport? What is the quickest option? How much do tickets usually cost? and many more.
No, there is no direct bus from Santander to Cartagena. However, there are services departing from Santander station and arriving at Cartagena station via Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid). The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 40m.
Santander to Cartagena bus services, operated by ALSA, depart from Estación de autobuses de Santander station.
Santander to Cartagena bus services, operated by ALSA, arrive at Cartagena station.
Book your Santander to Cartagena bus tickets online with ALSA.
The distance between Santander and Cartagena is 693.6 km. The road distance is 861 km.
You can take a bus from Estación de autobuses de Santander to Cartagena via Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid) in around 12h 20m.