Social ConventionsHandshaking is the customary form of greeting. Most Chileans use a double surname and only the first part should be used in addressing them. Normal courtesies should be observed when visiting local people. It is very common to entertain at home and it is acceptable for invitees to give small presents as a token of thanks.
International Travel:Getting There by AirChile’s main airline is
LAN (LA) (website:
www.lan.com), which deals with international flights.
Air PassesThe Mercosur Airpass: valid within
Argentina, Brazil, Chile (except Easter Island), Paraguay and Uruguay. Participating airlines include
Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR), Aerolíneas Del Sur (AS), Pluna (PU) and
VARIG Airlines (RG). The pass can only be purchased by passengers who live outside South America and must be booked in conjunction with an international ticket. It is valid for a minimum of seven to a maximum of 45 days. At least two countries must be visited; dates can be changed but the flight route cannot. A maximum of three stopovers is allowed per country.
oneworld Visit South America Pass: is valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are
Aer Lingus (
EI),
American Airlines (
AA),
British Airways (
BA),
Cathay Pacific (
CX),
Finnair (
AY),
Iberia (
IB),
LAN (
LA) and
Qantas (
QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to 34 cities. A minimum of three flights must be booked, with a maximum of 20; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsSantiago (SCL) (Arturo Merino Benitez) (website:
www.aeropuertosantiago.cl). The airport is 21km (11 miles) northwest of Santiago (journey time – 30 minutes).
To/from the airport: Bus services to the city center operate from 0530 to 2400 every day. Metro services operate to Los Héroes, Central, Universidad de Santiago, Las Rejas and Pajaritos stations. Taxis to the city are also available; official taxis are blue and have documentation.
Facilities: Bar, ATM, bureaux de change, restaurants, shops, car hire, post office and tourist office.
Getting There by WaterMain port: Empremar (website:
www.portvalparaiso.cl) in Valparaíso to/from where many shipping lines operate such as
Compañía Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica (CCNI) (website:
www.ccni.cl) and
Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) (from New York and European ports) (website:
www.csav.cl).
Getting There by RailSome rail connections with neighboring countries use buses for part of the journey. There are trains running between Arica and Tacna in Peru and La Paz in Bolivia, although this line is unreliable and slow.
Getting There by RoadThe Pan American Highway enters Chile through Arica. There are frequent, reliable and comfortable
buses that can come from as far north as Ecuador. There are also services from Argentina and Brazil to Santiago.
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Chile without incurring customs duty:
Items bought duty-free to the value of US$500:
400 cigarettes and 500g of tobacco and 50 cigars;
2.
5l of alcohol (only for visitors over 18 years of age);
a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use. Fruit, seeds, unprocessed vegetables, and animal products.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirThere are frequent services between main towns. The southern part of the country relies heavily on air links. Reservations are essential. Flights are operated by the domestic subsidary of
LAN – LANexpress (LU) (website:
www.lan.com), and
Sky Airline (H2) (website:
www.skyairline.cl), as well as by a number of air taxi companies.
There are one-month
Visit Chile tickets, sold in conjunction with
LAN transatlantic flights,
covering the north and the south of the country. Passes must be obtained outside South America 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 is made for each change.
There are regular flights with
LAN from Santiago to Easter Island. Flights fill up quickly so 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; some round-the-world tickets include Easter Island. An air taxi runs a daily service during the summer months to the Juan Fernández Islands from Valparaíso and Santiago.
Getting Around by WaterA network of ferries, including
Navimag (tel: (65) 432 300; website:
www.navimag.com), operates through the archipelago of the far south. The most popular routes are from Puerto Montt to Chacabuco and the San Raphael glacier, and between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales. 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.
Getting Around by RailEmpresa de Los Ferrocarriles del Estado (state railway company) (website:
www.efe.cl) runs between Santiago and Temuco in the south. Services are limited by the geography of the country, but there is one daily train each way at 2000, with sleeping and restaurant cars, and some air conditioned accommodation. Principal trains also carry vehicles. Children under 1.2m (4ft) in height travel free.
Getting Around by RoadChile generally has good roads. The Pan American Highway crosses the country from north to south (a total of 3,455km or 2,147 miles) from the Peruvian border to Puerto Montt. Traffic drives on the right. It is advisable in remoter areas to carry plenty of water, spare petrol and an additional spare tyre; tires should be hard-wearing. In some areas with dirt roads it is neccessary to use a jeep or pick-up truck.
Bus: Intercity buses are excellent, comfortable 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. For further details, contact
SERNATUR (see
General Info).
Taxi: Should have meters and the fares displayed, but for long journeys, fares should be agreed beforehand. A surcharge of 50% applies on Sundays after 2100. Taxis are black with a yellow roof. Tipping is not expected.
Car hire: Drivers must be over 21 years old. Self-drive cars are available at the airport and in major city centers. A 20% tax is added and a credit card is required as guarantee. The
Automóvil Club de Chile, Andrés Bello 1863, Providencia, Santiago can supply road maps (tel: (2) 431 1000; website:
www.automovilclub.cl).
Regulations: Seat belts are mandatory for the driver and passenger. Smoking, using a mobile phone or a personal music player with headphones is prohibited for the driver. Driving under the effects of alcohol is a severe offence, leading to a fine or being arrested, depending on the level of alcohol intoxication. The maximum legal speed limit, unless otherwise stated, is 120kph (75mph) on highways and 70kph (45mph) in urban areas.
Documentation: A valid driver’s license.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesSantiago has an excellent
Metro (website:
www.metrosantiago.cl), as well as bus, minibus and shared
taxibus services. Metro fares increase at peak traveling times; 10-journey tickets (
carnets) are available. Taxis are plentiful, and can be flagged down in the streets. The buses and minibuses have flat fares. Shared taxibuses can work out cheaper.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times from
Santiago (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns in Chile.
| Air | Road | Rail |
| Arica | 3.30 | 28.00 | - |
| Concepción | 1.00 | 9.00 | 7.00 |
| Punta Arenas | 4.20 | 120.00 | - |
| Easter Island | 5.00 | - | - |
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.JPG "The Chilean Andes")
