Travel in Chile

Picture the stereotypical study abroad experience. Probably what comes to mind is a semester in Europe with frequent weekend trips enabled by rail and ample discount airlines. Yet there are five other continents outside of Europe that you can study abroad in. While extensive rail networks may not appear to exist in other parts of the world. For example, here, in Chile passenger rail is extremely limited. Also, in contrast to many European countries Chile is quite large. It is a relatively thin country but from north to south its length is comparable to the width of the United States!

            Santiago has its perks for travelers, however. There are three major modes of intercity travel available from Santiago. First, there is the bus system. Santiago’s Central Station is half mall half bus terminal. From here it is possible to get to almost any Chilean city of size as well as several major South American cities outside of Chile. The bus network in Chile is highly developed, it is possible to get between many cities only using bus systems. In Santiago it is to find information online about bus route options, however, outside of Santiago information about bus routes may be incomplete. If you are brave though you will often find that upon arriving at a bus station in a smaller town the availability of bus routes is more robust than reported online. Personally, my favorite bus operator, for price and comfort, is Turbus but there are many competing brands that essentially offer the same service.

            At Central Station some of the countries limited train services can also be accessed. Chile is not specifically cursed by inadequate rail infrastructure; in fact, it is ahead of the curve for the region. Chile recently unveiled South America’s first high speed rail service. Currently travel is possible between Santiago and Curicó in Maule region, with plans to expand the line the Chillan in Ñuble Region. Curicó lies in the Curicó Valley which is a center for wine based agrotourism. Historically, Chile had a robust and developed rail network, however, the system was largely dismantled under the military dictatorship’s program of privatization.

            The third, and most convenient travel method in South America is by air. Those of us in Santiago are lucky because we have three airlines headquartered here: LATAM, JetSmart, and Sky Airline. JetSmart and Sky are both low-cost carriers with business models and passenger experience akin to Frontier or Spirit airlines in the United States. LATAM is the largest airline in Latin America and maintains hubs in several countries beyond its primary hub in Santiago. It is worth knowing that recently Delta acquired a stake of LATAM and there are now some areas of cooperation. 

            Airfare is already lower in South America than domestic fares in the United States but that does not mean there are not opportunities for deals. Chile has an event called Cyber Day. Cyber Day in Chile is similar but distinct from Cyber Monday in the United States. This event is marked by many companies offering huge sales online, but none more so than the airlines. During Cyber Monday it is possible to get domesticate flights for under $15,000 CLP (or just about 15 bucks) if you are savvy! 

            I have been sure to make the most of my presence in South America and have been able to travel quite extensively despite the differences in the region’s infrastructure layout. While this massive continent may seem intimidating to travel around, if you know where you want to go or are willing to just explore, you can make the most of your study abroad here.