Getting Around Chile
Chile stretches over 2,650 miles north to south, so domestic flights are the only realistic way to connect its extremes — the Atacama Desert, Santiago, and Patagonia are each a separate flight apart, not a scenic drive. LATAM and Sky Airline cover these routes for roughly $80-250 one-way. Inside Santiago, the metro plus Uber or Cabify covers everything you need.
Getting to Chile
Santiago's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport is the main gateway and, notably, one of the few South American hubs with direct flights from Australia (around 12h45m from Sydney). From the US, expect 9-11 hours with round-trip fares typically $600-1,200; from Europe, expect 12-13 hours. Santiago is also the only entry point for flights onward to Easter Island.
Getting around: the real options
Chile's extreme north-south length, roughly the distance from Miami to Vancouver packed into one country, means the destinations in this guide are genuinely far apart — plan around flying between regions, not driving or busing.
- Trains — limited and regional; EFE runs a handful of passenger routes south of Santiago (toward Chillan and Concepcion), but none of them reach the Atacama Desert or Patagonia, so don't factor rail into a typical first-time itinerary.
- Buses — good for shorter regional hops (Santiago to the Casablanca or Colchagua wine valleys, or around a single region), with comfortable long-distance 'cama' coaches (Tur Bus, Pullman) for budget travelers on longer routes — just expect Santiago-Puerto Natales to take 30+ hours by bus.
- Domestic flights — the backbone of a multi-region Chile trip; LATAM and Sky Airline connect Santiago to Calama (gateway to Atacama, ~2h) and Punta Arenas (gateway to Patagonia, ~3.5h) daily, typically $80-250 one-way depending on how far ahead you book.
- Car rental / driving — worth it for a Casablanca/Colchagua wine-valley day trip or exploring around Puerto Natales, not for connecting Chile's major regions. Chile drives on the right; roads in the Atacama and Patagonia are well-maintained but remote, so fill up on fuel whenever you can.
Getting around inside cities
Santiago has an excellent metro system — clean, fast, and cheap at about $1 a ride — that covers most neighborhoods visitors actually go to (Providencia, Lastarria, Bellavista). Uber and Cabify both operate widely in Santiago and are the recommended way to get around rather than hailing a taxi off the street, where overcharging is a known minor hassle. Outside Santiago — San Pedro de Atacama, Puerto Natales — towns are small enough to walk, with tour vans and shared shuttles covering everything else.
| Route/option | Typical cost | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago airport to city center | $15-25 (Uber/Cabify) or metro connection ~$2 | 25-35 min by car |
| Santiago to Calama (flight, for Atacama) | $80-180 | ~2 hours |
| Santiago metro single ride | ~$1 | — |
Book Santiago-Calama and Santiago-Punta Arenas flights as early as you can, especially for the November-March high season — Chile's extreme geography means there's no realistic backup plan if you miss a flight to Atacama or Patagonia, since the overland alternative eats a full day or more.
Common transport mistakes
- Underestimating how far apart Chile's regions actually are — the Atacama Desert and Torres del Paine are roughly the distance from New York to London apart, inside the same country; always fly between them, don't drive.
- Hailing a taxi off the street in Santiago instead of using Uber or Cabify — both apps give you an upfront price and avoid the occasional overcharging that street taxis are known for.
- Not budgeting extra time for Patagonian and Atacama flight delays — both regions see genuine weather disruptions (wind in the south, occasional fog in the north), so build in a buffer day if a connecting flight or activity depends on arriving on time.