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Travel and transport

International flights

The majority of international visitors arriving by air into Chile fly into the Santiago International Airport, located to the north-west of the capital city. Chile’s other major airports include Arica (Chacalluta), Antofagasta (Cerro Moreno), Iquique (Cavancha), Puerto Montt (Tepual), Punta Arenas (Pdte. Ibañez) and Temuco (Manquehue). In total, there are 73 airports with paved runways in the country. Airlines flying from UK airports to Chile include British Airways, Iberia, Swiss International Airlines, Lan Chile, Air France and KLM.

Santiago airport

Travelling from the UK to Santiago means a lengthy 12-hour flight. However, on arrival, travellers will find the airport to be clean and efficient. The airport’s capacity has trebled since 2000 thanks to government-funded work carried out by an international consortium. It is understandable that the government wished to invest in its airports, as throughout the 1990s it saw air traffic in the country increase fourfold.

Regional airports

The government has also directed investment towards Chile’s regional airports in recent years. This makes the different regions of the country more accessible to visitors and investors, since a large proportion of visitors need to take a domestic flight to their destination once they have arrived in the country. Most domestic passengers fly with LanChile – part of the LAN Airlines group which is a major player in the air transport industry in many South American countries.

Driving in Chile

Travelling around Chile by car is relatively straightforward, even for foreigners. The streets around the capital of Santiago are well-signposted, and Chilean drivers tend to respect the rules of the road. Drivers must ensure they are carrying their driver’s license and vehicle registration.

Road network

Chile’s road network has improved considerably in recent years since the construction and maintenance of the roads was handed over to private companies. There is now a motorway between La Serena and Puerto Montt, and urban toll roads are in construction around a number of the more populated cities and areas of Chile. This serves to open up many areas – both to tourists and property buyers – that would otherwise be relatively inaccessible.

Railway system

The state-owned railway system in Chile is limited, and only covers one route from the capital of Santiago down to the south. Technical problems with the trains or the tracks are frequent, making delays a common occurrence. There is, however, a metro system, which travels as far as Rancagua in the south, and is fast and efficient.

Related items

Documents and Reports

	Chile property investment report (339Kb)
Documents and Reports

Other related pages

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