Passage Notes
Passage Notes
Santiago

Santiago

Airports
Santiago (SCL) 30-45min west of centre
Stations
Estacion Central (long-distance buses), Terminal Alameda
Best months
Oct-May (spring through autumn). Dec-Feb warmest.
Base neighbourhoods
Providencia (local feel), Centro/Lastarria (cultural)

Santiago caught me off guard. I had expected a sprawling South American capital that you endure rather than enjoy. What I found was a city with genuinely distinct neighbourhoods, an excellent metro, a food and wine scene that rivals Buenos Aires, and day trips that range from UNESCO coastal towns to Andes mountain lakes. Where you stay shapes the experience in a way that matters - Providencia feels like living in Santiago, Lastarria feels like visiting it, and Bellavista feels like a party. Seven neighbourhoods, each with a clear personality.

Getting there

International flights arrive at Santiago (SCL), 30-45 minutes west of the city centre. Most flights from Europe connect via Madrid or Sao Paulo. Direct service from Miami and seasonal from LA. For full routing options, see the Chile country guide.

From Buenos Aires: LATAM operates multiple daily flights, about 2 hours 20 minutes. One of South America’s busiest routes. Book a window seat for the Andes crossing. See my LATAM Buenos Aires to Santiago review and my Buenos Aires to Santiago guide.

From Australasia: LATAM operates the direct trans-Pacific link to Auckland and Sydney. See my LATAM Santiago to Auckland review.

Getting around

Santiago’s metro is excellent, cheap, and clean. Six lines covering most visitor areas with trains every few minutes. You need a Bip! card - a rechargeable transit card (CLP 1,550, about $1.70 USD) that works on metro and buses. Fares range from CLP 710-870 depending on time of day. No unlimited day pass exists, but individual rides are cheap enough that it does not matter.

Uber, DiDi, and Cabify all work well. Short trips between central neighbourhoods cost CLP 2,500-7,000 ($2.80-$7.80 USD). Same legal grey area as Buenos Aires - drivers may ask you to sit in the front seat.

Walking is excellent within neighbourhoods. Providencia, Lastarria, and Barrio Italia are particularly walkable. The city is too spread out to walk between neighbourhoods, but the metro handles that.

Car rental is only worth considering for day trips to the wine valleys or coast. Not needed within Santiago itself.

For getting from the airport, see my SCL transfer guide.

From within Chile

From Method Journey time Notes
Valparaiso Bus / car ~1.5h Public buses run frequently. Easy day trip or short stay. UNESCO World Heritage port city.
Buenos Aires (Argentina) Flight from SCL ~2h 20m LATAM operates multiple daily. Arrives at Aeroparque (AEP), not Ezeiza. Andes crossing views.
Atacama Desert Domestic flight to CJC ~2h LATAM, Sky, and JetSmart to Calama. The only practical option - overland is 20+ hours.
Patagonia (Punta Arenas) Domestic flight to PUQ ~3h 30m Gateway to Torres del Paine. LATAM and Sky operate daily. Fly, do not bus.
Lima (Peru) Flight ~3h 30m LATAM direct. Useful for combining Chile with Peru. Multiple daily frequencies.
Where to stay

Neighbourhoods & hotels

Where you stay in Santiago matters more than most cities. The rail network means everywhere is accessible, but your neighbourhood sets the tone for the trip. Select a neighbourhood below for detail and hotel recommendations.

Day trips & experiences

Worth the trip

Valparaiso and Vina del Mar
Day trip

UNESCO street art, rainbow-painted houses climbing hillsides, century-old funiculars, and coastal charm. 1.5 hours from Santiago. I spent most of my time in the Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepcion street art districts and it completely changed my expectations of Chilean coastal towns. Combine with Vina del Mar for beach and lunch.

Check availability →
Cajon del Maipo
Day trip

Andes mountain scenery, turquoise lakes, and natural hot springs. One hour southeast of Santiago. El Yeso Reservoir is surrounded by snow-capped peaks reaching over 5,000 metres. Natural hot springs at Termas Valle de Colina. The drive alone is spectacular, winding through mountain villages.

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Concha y Toro wine tour
Half-day experience

World-class tastings just 30 minutes from central Santiago. The Casillero del Diablo (Devil's Cellar) tour includes underground storage, gardens, and premium carmenere tastings with cheese pairings. Chilean reds are genuinely excellent and more accessible than you might expect.

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Casablanca Valley wine tour
Day trip

Chile's best white wines come from Casablanca Valley. Multiple vineyard visits including organic producers like Emiliana. Often combined with a coastal tour to Valparaiso. A full day out.

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Valle Nevado skiing
Seasonal (Jun-Sep)

Skiing and snowboarding at over 3,000 metres in the Andes. 90 minutes from Santiago. Even if you do not ski, the mountain scenery and resort restaurants with panoramic views are worth the drive. The winding road up is spectacular.

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Related guides

More on Santiago

SCL Airport to Santiago: Every Transfer Option Compared
Transport guide →
Santiago Airport Guide: Terminals, Lounges, and Tips
Practical note →
Buenos Aires to Santiago: How to Cross the Andes
Practical note →
Tested routes

Reviews

2024 LATAM Economy: Santiago to Auckland
Adequate →
Practical notes

Good to know

Safety
Santiago is generally safe with standard urban awareness. Providencia, Las Condes, and Vitacura are the safest neighbourhoods with low crime and strong evening activity. Lastarria is very safe during the day and evening. Centro outside Lastarria can feel deserted after business hours - use Uber or taxis late at night. Bellavista is generally safe but watch belongings around nightlife crowds.
Metro and Bip! card
The metro is excellent, cheap, and clean. Buy a Bip! card (CLP 1,550, about $1.70 USD) for metro and buses. Fares range from CLP 710-870 depending on peak/off-peak. No unlimited day pass exists. Transfer discounts may reduce fares when switching between metro and bus within 2 hours.
Currency
Chilean Peso (CLP). Cards are widely accepted in Santiago. ATMs are accessible throughout the city. Less card acceptance outside Santiago in smaller towns. Unlike Argentina, Chile does not have a parallel exchange rate - the official rate is the rate you get.
Language
Spanish. Less English spoken than in Buenos Aires. Google Translate is useful for menus and signs. Even basic Spanish goes a long way. Restaurant staff in Providencia and Lastarria areas are more likely to speak some English.
Food
Chilean cuisine is underrated. Seafood is exceptional, empanadas are everywhere, and the wine is world-class and affordable. Santiago takes its food seriously - Bocanáriz in Lastarria and Liguria in Providencia are worth seeking out. This is not just a steak country like Argentina.
Connectivity
Buy a local SIM or use an eSIM for reliable data. Coverage can be patchy in mountain areas outside the city. Essential for rideshare apps (Uber, DiDi, Cabify) and Google Maps. Free WiFi available in most hotels and many cafes.
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Chile destination guide
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