Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 383

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Aeropuerto Arturo Merino Benítez ( T 2
26901752, W aeropuertosantiago.cl), 30min from the city
centre, has useful facilities including ATMs, currency
exchange, tourist information kiosk and mobile phone
rentals. The blue Centropuerto bus (Mon-Fri every 10min,
weekends every 15min: daily 6am-11.30pm; CH$1600
one-way), just outside the terminal doors, is the cheapest
way to get to the city centre and stops at the Los Héroes
metro station. Tur Bus has transfers to the Terminal
Alameda (every 20min; daily 6am-10.30pm; CH$1900;
T 2 28227448), while TransVip ( T 2 26773000) and
Transfer Delfos ( T 2 29138800) charge from CH$5500 to
drop you off at your destination.
Destinations LAN, Aerolíneas del Sur and Sky Airline have
multiple daily flights to all major Chilean destinations:
Arica (hourly; 2hr 45min); Calama (every 30min; 2hr
5min); Iquique (hourly; 2hr 25min); La Serena (hourly; 1hr
5min); Puerto Montt (every 30min; 1hr 40min); Punta
Arenas (every 30min; 3hr 25min).
By train Estación Central, at Alameda 3322 (ticket sales
T 2 25855000, W efe.cl), is served by TerraSur trains from
various destinations in Middle Chile. Trains leave five times
a day for Chillán, stopping at Rancagua, San Fernando,
Curico and Talca among other Central Valley towns.
Destinations Trains head south from Estacion Central as
far as Chillán: Chillán (4 daily; 4hr 30min); Curicó (4 daily;
2hr); Rancagua (4 daily; 1hr); Talca (6 daily; 2hr 50min); all
are served by TerraSur ( W terrasur.cl). A slower Metrotrén
has hourly departures to Rancagua (6.55am-10pm; 1hr
20min).
By bus The main bus station is the Terminal Buses
Estación Central - also known as Terminal Santiago - ( T 2
23761755), at Alameda 3850, near the Universidad de
Santiago metro station, which handles international
routes, and journeys to the west and south. The Terminal
Alameda, next door at Alameda 3750 ( T 2 28227400), is
served by Pullman and Tur Bus, who also have some
international departures. The two terminals have ATMs,
snack shops and luggage storage, as well as easy access to
public transport along Alameda. Buses from northern and
central Chile use Terminal San Borja ( T 2 27760645), at
San Borja 184, near the Estación Central metro station,
while the smaller Terminal Los Héroes, at Tucapel Jiménez
21 ( T 2 24200099), near the Los Heroés metro station,
serves a range of destinations in both northern and
southern Chile.
Destinations Arica (8 daily; 28hr); Chillán (8 daily; 6hr);
Copiapó (5 daily; 10hr); Iquique (10 daily; 24hr); La Serena
(15 daily; 7hr); Pucón (every 30min; 12hr); Puerto Montt
(8 daily; 13hr); Rancagua (every 15min; 1hr); Valparaíso
and Viña del Mar (every 10min; 1hr 45min). Terminal
Buses Estación Central has international departures to
various South American countries including Argentina

(Buenos Aires, Mendoza), Brazil (Saõ Paulo, Río de Janeiro)
and Peru (Lima, Cusco, Tacna, Arequipa).

INFORMATION
Listings For entertainment listings, check Friday's
“Recitales” page in El Mercurio or in La Tercera , Santiago's
main newspapers.
Tourist information An excellent source of tourist
information (with bilingual staff ) is the municipal
tourism of ce found on the north side of the Plaza de
Armas (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm,
T 2 27136745). There is also a small municipal o ce at
the foot of Santa Lucia on Terraza Neptuno. The main
Sernatur o ce is at Av Providencia 1550, near the Manuel
Montt metro station, east of the city centre (Mon-Fri
9am-6pm, Sat 9am-2pm; T 2 27318300). It provides
maps of the city and is well stocked with brochures
on the surrounding area. Conaf has an o ce at Av
Bulnes 265 (Mon-Thurs 9am-5.30pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm;
T 2 26630125, W conaf.cl), which provides information on
national parks and reserves, as well as some pamphlets
and inexpensive maps.
Tours Free walking tours of the city start in front of the
cathedral, and are a good way to take in the city's main
sights (Mon-Sat 10am; 4hr; free, though tips appreciated).
Bike tours are also a good option (see box, p.391).

4

GETTING AROUND
By bus Fleets of white-and-green “TranSantiago”
( W transantiago.cl) buses run around the city. To use them,
you need to purchase a “BIP” transit card (CH$1350), sold
in most metro ticket booths, which you can then add credit
to (at the same booths, and at BIP centres across the city).
Bus destinations are posted on window signs and at
marked stops; a standard fare is CH$590.
By colectivo Slightly pricier than buses, colectivos have
their destinations displayed on their roofs and carry
passengers on fixed itineraries, reaching their destination
slightly quicker than regular transport, though you need to
know where you are going; useful for destinations outside
the city centre.
By metro Metro (Mon-Fri 6am-11pm, Sat 6.30am-11pm,
Sun 9am-10.30pm; W metrosantiago.cl) is the quickest way
to get around the city, with just five lines that are easy to
navigate, though it gets rather cramped during rush hour. BIP
cards (see above) are the easiest way to use the metro, with
each journey costing CH$560-670 depending on the time of
day. Single-use tickets are also available at metro stations.

ACCOMMODATION
There are a number of accommodation options in Santiago
to suit budget travellers although really cheap places are
scarce. Good inexpensive lodgings are mostly to be found
in the city centre and Barrio Brasil.