Chile Info
Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 17
Home Country: chile
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 Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:55 pm Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN CHILE / CHILE TRANSPORTATION GUIDE |
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GETTING AROUND IN CHILE
Note: Prices quoted are in Chilean Pesos ($), eg 100 pesos = $100, unless stated.
AIR
There are frequent services to main towns. The southern part of the country relies heavily on air links. Reservations are essential. Internal passenger air services are operated by the domestic subsidary of LAN-Chile, Lanexpress (LU) and Sky Airline (website: www.skyairline.cl), as well as by a number of air taxi companies. Services connecting the main towns are frequent during weekdays, and are fairly regular. There are one-month ‘Visit Chile’ tickets available from Lanexpress and LAN-Chile covering the north and the south of the country. Air passes sold in conjunction with LAN transatlantic flights cost US$250 for the first three coupons and US$60 per additional coupon (up to a maximum of six). A coupon is worth one sector of a flight. When traveling long haul with another airline, the costs are US$350 and US$80 per additional coupon. Passes must be obtained abroad and it is advisable to make reservations well in advance. Once purchased, reservations can be changed at no additional cost; but for re-routing, a charge of US$30 is made for each change. There are regular flights by Lanexpress from Santiago to Easter Island, which stop at the island en route to Tahiti. The flights are twice-weekly from November to February, once-weekly at other times; it is essential to book in advance throughout the year. The flight takes 5 hours. Discounted flights to Easter Island can only be purchased in conjunction with LAN long-haul flights. An air taxi runs a daily service during the summer months to the Juan Fernández Islands from Valparaíso and Santiago.
Departure tax: $4,521 or $3,444. For distances under 270km, the departure tax is $1,781.
SEA
Coastal passenger shipping lines are unreliable and infrequent. Boat services run from Valparaíso to Easter Island and Robinson Crusoe Island (part of the Juan Fernández Islands) once a month. Contact local travel agents on arrival for details.
RAIL
The state railway (run by the State Railway Company, website: www.efe.cl) runs between Santiago and Temuco. Services are limited by the geography of the country, but there is one daily train each way, with sleeping and restaurant cars, and some air conditioned accommodation. Principal trains also carry vehicles. Children under 1.20m in height travel free.
ROAD
Chile has about 80,000km (49,460 miles) of good roads. The Pan American Highway crosses the country from north to south (a total of 3455km or 2147 miles) from the Peruvian border to Puerto Montt. It is advisable in remoter areas to carry spare petrol and an additional spare tyre. Tyres should be hard-wearing. Traffic drives on the right. You may consider a four wheel drive for driving in the countryside.
Bus
Intercity buses are cheap and reliable. There is a luxury north–south service running most of the length of the country. Most long-distance coaches have toilets and serve food and drink. Sometimes a lower fare can be negotiated. For details, contact SERNATUR.
Taxi
Most have meters, but for long journeys fares should be agreed beforehand. A surcharge of 50 per cent applies on Sundays after 21:00. Taxis in Santiago are black and yellow. Tipping is not expected.
Car Rental
Self-drive cars are available at the airport and in major city centres. They are hired on a daily basis, plus a mileage charge and 20 per cent tax. A large guarantee deposit is often required. The Automóvil Club de Chile, Andrés Bello 1863, Santiago can supply road maps (tel: (2) 431 1000; website: www.cmet.net/acchi).
Documentation: An international, inter-American driving permit or a new European format driving license bearing a photograph is necessary .
URBAN TRANSPORTATION (SANTIAGO)
METRO
The metro (underground railway) is a very important form of transport in Santiago, being quick, easy and reliable. There are three lines:
Red Line, East-West, passing through the Centre
Follows the line of Avenida Bernardo O’Higgins, Avenida Providencia and Avenida Apoquindo.
Yellow Line from the Centre to the South West
Follows the line of Gran Avenida.
Green Line from the Centre to the South East
Follows the line of Avenida Vicuña Mackenna.
The Metro functions from 06:30 to 22:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 08:30 to 22:30 on Sundays and Holidays.
Metro tickets vary in price according to the time of day: 06:30 - 07:15 hrs. 09:00 - 18:00 hrs. and 19:30 - 22:30 hrs. are treated as off-peak hours and tickets are cheaper. Peak hours, when tickets are more expensive, are from 07:15 - 09:00 hrs. and 18:00 - 19:30 hrs.
Visit the website Metro Santiago de Chile.
Types of Tickets
Single ticket: Only used during peak hours.
Off-peak single ticket: Only used during off-peak hours.
Metrobus Ticket: Allows you to purchase an integrated ticket which covers a journey on the Metro plus a journey on the Metrobus. The total cost is cheaper than buying separate tickets for the two parts of the journey. The ticket includes a metal token which is used to pay for the bus journey.
Multiple Journey Card: The cheapest way to travel on the Metro. You enjoy a discount of 20 pesos on the prevailing rate (peak or off-peak), and for every twenty journeys you get one free next time you top up your card. The multiple journey card is on sale at all ticket counters and ticket machines in the Metro system.
Student Rate ticket: This is the reduced tariff available to secondary school and university students. Primary school students travel free of charge without a ticket. Reduced rates are only available to students carrying their student pass, issued by the Ministry of Education and with the Metro stamp. These tickets are only valid between 06:30 and 22:30 hrs. Monday to Friday and 06:30 to 15:00 hrs. on Saturday.
Senior Citizens’ ticket: Can be used for journeys between 9.30 and 17.30 hrs. Monday to Friday, and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Senior citizens can travel at a reduced rate on a maximum of two journeys per day. This special rate is only available to persons carrying their Senior Citizen Card, and is restricted to Chileans.
Price of Tickets for Metro Santiago
-Single Ticket $400
-Off-peak single ticket $310
-Metrobus ticket $590
-Multiple Journey Card $1,000 (for the card) plus however much credit you want to load onto the card.
-Student $100
-Senior Citizen $100
Metro Stations
Line 1
San Pablo, Neptuno, Pajaritos, Las Rejas, Ecuador, Pila del Ganso, Universidad de Santiago, Estación Central, Unión Latino Americana, Republica, Los Héroes, La Moneda, Universidad de Chile, Santa Lucia, Universidad Católica, Baquedano, Salvador, Manuel Montt, Pedro de Valdivia, Los Leones, Tobalaba, El Golf, Alcántara, Escuela Militar.
Line 2
Américo Vespucio, Zapadores, Dorsal, Cardenal Caro, Valdivieso, Cerro Blanco, La Recoleta, Puente Cal y Canto, Santa Ana, Los Héroes, Toesca, Parque O’Higgins, Rondizzoni, Franklin, El Llano, San Miguel, Lo Vial, Departamental, Ciudad del Niño, Lo Ovalle, El Parrón, La Cisterna.
Line 3
Quinta Normal, Ricardo Cuming, Santa Ana, Plaza de Armas, Bellas Artes, Baquedano, Parque Bustamante, Santa Isabel, Irarrazabal, Ñuble, Rodrigo de Araya, Carlos Valdovinos, Camino Agrícola, San Joaquín, Pedrero, Mirador, Bellavista de la Florida, Vicente Valdés.
Line 4
Tobalaba, Colón, Bilbao, Príncipe de Gales, Simón Bolívar, Plaza Egaña, Los Orientales, Rotonda Grecia, Los Presidentes, Rotonda Quilín, Las Torres, Av. La Florida, Vicente Valdés, Rojas Magallanes, Trinidad, Diego Portales, Elisa Correa, Hospital Sótero del Río, Protectora de la Infancia, Las Mercedes, Plaza de Puente Alto.
Line 4A
Vicuña Mackenna, Santa Julia, Avenida Coronel, Santa Rosa, San Ramón, La Cisterna.
CITY BUSES
City buses are painted white and yellow in Santiago, and different colours in other cities. They are the most popular form of transport throughout the country although during peak hours they are quite slow. They are also known as ‘micros’. Try to have change available to pay for your ticket.
Prices for Buses
* $340 for normal fare
* $120 for student fare which runs from Monday to Friday from 6:30 until 22:30 and Saturday from 06:30 to 14:00. On Sundays there are no student fares.
TAXIS
Taxis both in Santiago and the rest of the country function at all hours. They are painted black with a yellow roof. They all have a registered number and a meter to record the distance/time of the journey.
“Colectivos”
These shared taxis run on fixed routes within city limits. They carry fewer passengers than a bus and can stop anywhere. They are more expensive than a bus, but cheaper than travelling by taxi. |
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