Chile

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Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

Taking the bus in Santiago is an adventure in itself. More restful, the colectivo is a car like a taxi but with a sign on the roof indicating its number and destination. The route is fixed in advance and it drops people off all along its itinerary. It is a little more expensive than the bus. Taxi fares are reasonable and most of them have a meter.

Maps of urban networks

Maporama
UT Library on line
Mapblast

Transportation from Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car rental
Santiago - Benitez Intl (SCL)	18 km / 12 miles	USD 23-28 / 30 min	USD 3 / 30-40 min.		Available
Concepción - Carriel Sur Intl (CCP)	6 km / 4 miles	Available			Available

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

There are only a few train lines in operation. In the North: the line Calama Uyuni, Arica Tacna and in the South the lines Santiago-Temuco and Santiago-Concepción are the ones most used. Buses are efficient, fast, popular and mostly cheap. All the cities are served daily by many companies, the two main ones being: Tur Bus and Pullman Bus. The airplane is a practical means of transport but more expensive than the bus and the train. It is best to reserve 7 days ahead of time to get an economical rate.

Rail companies

Empresa de los ferrocarriles del Estado

Airlines

You can consult the list of airlines banned within the EU. Look also the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

The road network is in good condition. However you should avoid leaving the main roads with a regular vehicle and take gas reserves if you plan to go for long journeys. There is a very dense and effective network of buses throughout Chile.
Public transport: is dangerous because of the fierce competition between the companies which pushes the drivers, who are under pressure, to drive dangerously.
The Metropolitan network is  little developed but reliable and clean.

Road maps

Maps of Chile

Find an itinerary

tus buscadores

Different forms of tourism

Historical

Lost in the middle of the Pacific, 3 800 km from the coast of Chile, Easter Island attracts visitors from all over the world, intrigued by the mysterious megalithic statues left by a fascinating people.

 

Valparaiso, 120 km north-west of the capital, Santiago, is one of Chile's main cities; its elegance and charm as a colonial city of the XIXth century have made it eligible to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Cultural

Religious traditions, carnivals, oral traditions, folklore, crafts, visual arts, audiovisual arts, choreographic arts, scenic arts, literature, music

Nature

"Salto del Laja", the famous waterfall.

Puerto Montt, in Patagonia, where land and sea merge in a maze of islands, fjords, rivers, lakes and mountains covered in ancient trees.

The Atacama Desert.

Religious

These festivals or celebrations help maintain local traditions linked to religious beliefs:

 

Easter of los negros, Assumption, Corpus Christi, the May Cross, feast of St Peter, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of the Transito, Candlemas, Epiphany, Saint Rose of Pelequén, Saint Sebastian of Yumbel

Thermal

Another tourist attraction is Puyehne, in Orsano province, hot springs, hot water swimming pools, a lake strewn with beautiful islands.

Beach

Vina del Mar is a glamorous seaside resort, with a long, wide sandy beach and many restaurants and bars along its lively shopping streets.

Winter sports

The skiing season runs from mid-June to mid-September. The ski resorts with the finest ski slopes are located near Santiago.

Outdoor activities

Rafting, trekking, horseback riding, sandboarding

Shopping

The pedestrian streets in the center of Santiago are overflowing with boutiques for tourists. Santiago hosts many Chilean craft fairs.

Tourism organizations

National Chilean Tourism Board
Chilean Tourism Promotion Corporation
Turismo Chile (Tourism Guide)

Health and safety

Health precautions

No vaccination is recommended.

For further information on sanitary conditions

World Health Organization's recommendations about Chile.

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference

It is %T:%M %A in Santiago (GMT-4 in winter, GMT-3 in summer)

Summer time period

Summer time from October to March.