Travel to Chile

Chile: Various travel information

Arrival and travel in the country

Flying

From Europe, you will usually arrive by plane.

The largest airport in the country and the most modern in South America is Arturo Merino Benítez Airport in the Pudahuel district of Santiago de Chile, which is why it is also known as the Aeroporto de Pudahuel. The airport got its name in 1980 after the Chilean commodore Arturo Merino Benítez, who founded several airlines as early as 1929, which merged into today’s airline LAN as early as 1932 and became state-owned. The former company LanChile has been privatized since 1989 and has been known as Lan Airlines since 2004. Lan Airlines mainly flies to destinations in its own country – also destinations in South America and the USA. The company also flies once a day from Frankfurt with a stopover in Madrid to Santiago de Chile and of course back. Besides Santiago de Chile there are in Puerto Montt, Talcahuano, Temuco, Iquique, Antofagasta and Punta Arenas are other major airports.

Due to the huge length of over 4,000 km, inner-Chilean air traffic plays an important role. There are therefore many small regional airports all over the country. Incidentally, the first powered flight in Chile took place on August 21, 1910, the pilot’s name was César Copetta Brosio. But especially Dagoberto Godoy, who was the first to fly over the Andes in 1918, became famous.

Roads

Chile has a road network that covers around 81,000 km. Of these, around 17,000 have been expanded and tarred. The most famous road in Chile is without a doubt the “Panamericana”, which leads from Alaska to Puerto Montt in southern Chile. From there, the currently existing and partly unpaved road will continue to Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego. With a length of around 25,750 km, the Panamericana is the longest road network in the world.

Buses

In order to get from one place to another in the country, the intercity bus is usually chosen. There are a number of providers with different levels of comfort for intercity buses. The most comfortable and expensive buses have, among other things, comfort seats that correspond to those of business or even first class in aircraft. The city buses often cause huge problems for the inexperienced, as there is no information about the bus routes, further stops or departure times at most of the stops. Except in Santiago, the buses stop at a sign from the passenger to let him get on or off.

Railroad

The Chilean railway network is operated by the state railway company EFE (). The railway network has two different gauges. The network with a track width of 1,676 mm exists south of Santiago and can also be used by passengers as far as Temuco. This network covers around 3,750 km, of which around 1,650 km are electrified. However, the condition of the Chilean railways is not the best. In addition, the much more flexible and often faster buses are used much more frequently. The network north of Santiago, with a track width of 1,000 mm and a length of around 2,900 km, only takes place in freight traffic. There is a subway in Santiago, the network of which is to cover around 80 km in the final expansion phase.

Ship connections

Much of the trade with Chile is carried out through its seaports. The main ports are in Antofagasta, Arica, Chañaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano and Valparaíso. But cruise ships and passenger ships also dock and depart here. Since there are many fjords and islands, especially in the south of Chile, ferries play a special role in the transport of people and goods.

Traffic rules

In Chilean cities the maximum speed is 50 km/h. The maximum permitted blood alcohol level for drivers of motor vehicles is 0.8 per mille.

International license plate

According to Abbreviationfinder, The license plate number of Chile is:

RCH

Tourist office

Tourismo Chile in Germany

c/o Mangum Hills Balfour GmbH

Maximilianstrasse 54

80538 Munich

Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 232326 – 50

Turismo Chile

Eliodoro Yañez 2473 – Providencia – Santiago

Tel: 0056 – (0) 2 – 785 66 09

Web: www.visit-chile.org

Visa, foreign exchange and customs regulations

Visa

There is no requirement for a visa for citizens of the EU, Swiss citizens and citizens of numerous other countries.

National currency

The national currency of Chile is:

C hilenian peso = 100 centavos.

Import and export of foreign currencies

The import and export of the national currency and all foreign currencies are not subject to any restrictions.

Importing and exporting goods

The import of weapons, explosives, fireworks, etc. is strictly forbidden. In addition, the import of all kinds of drugs is of course strictly forbidden and subject to high penalties. The export and import of plants and animals that are protected under the Washington Convention on Endangered Species is also prohibited.

Infectious Diseases

In Chile, the following diseases that are not or less common in Germany and Northern Europe are to be expected:

  • Hepatitis A and B
  • typhus
  • Amoebic dysentery
  • Lambliasis
  • various worm diseases
  • Trichonosis (when eating cooked pork) especially in the south of the country
  • there is an increased risk of infection with AIDS
  • Cholera, a danger only exists for people who come into contact with contaminated drinks or food
  • Menigococcal meningitis, especially in the slums
  • Rabies, especially for risk groups who come into contact with vector animals

Vaccination recommendations

There vaccinations are recommended against the following diseases:

  • diphtheria
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • tetanus
  • Rabies, especially for risk groups who come into contact with vector animals
  • Typhoid, a danger only exists for people who come into contact with contaminated drinks or food

Compulsory vaccination

A yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for travelers who come from the yellow fever risk areas designated by the WHO.

Current warnings

Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany

Citizens’ Service

Telephone: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000

www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de

Chile: Diplomatic missions

Visit Countryaah for a full list of Chile embassies and consulates in each country around the world.

German representations in Chile

German Embassy in Santiago de Chile

Las Hualtatas 5677, Vitacura

(Cailla 220, Correo 30)

Santiago de Chile, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 2 – 463 25 00

Email: info@santiago-de-chile.diplo.de

Web: www.santiago.diplo.de

Honorary Consulate in Antofagasta

Avenida Edmundo Pérez Zujovic 4940

Antofagasta, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 55 – 55 63 87

Honorary Consulate in Arica

Arturo Prat 391, piso 10, oficina 101

Casilla 16

Arica, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 58 – 58 37 40/-41/-42

Honorary Consulate in Concepción

Diagonal Pedro Aguirre Cerda 1151, Piso 2

Concepción, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 41 – 318 95 32

Honorary Consulate in La Serena

Matta 665

La Serena/IV Región, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 51 – 21 10 05

Honorary Consulate in Puerto Montt

Antonio Varas 525, Of. 306

(Casilla 2)

Puerto Montt, Chile

Tel: 0056 65 – 25 28 28, 25 51 62

Other honorary consulates can be found in Temuco, Valdivia and Viña del Mar.

Austrian representations in Chile

Embassy in Santiago de Chile

Barros Errazuriz 1968, 3 piso

Santiago de Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 2 – 22 34 774/281

Email: santiago-de-chile-ob@bmaa.gv.at

www.aussenministerium.at/santiagodechile

Honorary Consulate Arica (without passport authorization)

Sotomayor 169

Arica

Tel: 0056 – (0) 58 – 23 12 74

Email: consulaustriaarica@gmail.com

Honorary Consulate Valdivia (without passport authorization)

Avda. Espana 1000

Valdivia

Tel: 0056 – (0) 63 – 20 40 21

Honorary Consulate Valparaiso (without passport authorization)

Santo Domingo 26

Valparaiso

Tel: 0056 – (0) 32 – 66 33 33

Representations of Chile in Austria

Embassy of the Republic of Chile in Vienna

Lugeck 1/III/10

1010 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 512 92 08

Email: echileat1@chello.at

Honorary Consulate in Linz

Kaplanhofstrasse 3

4020 Linz

Tel: 0043 – (0) 732 – 65 33 32,

Emergency number: 0043 – (0) 664 – 210 20 88

Email: office@alphagold.at

Honorary Consulate in Klagenfurt

Bahnhofstrasse 26/V, Postfach 205

9010 Klagenfurt

Tel: 0043 – (0) 463 – 51 34 23

Honorary Consulate in Vienna

Blaasstrasse 13

1190 Vienna

Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 367 61 67

Honorary Consulate in Salzburg

Bärengasse 11

5020 Salzburg

Tel: 0043 – (0) 662 – 43 09 48

Swiss representations in Chile

Swiss Embassy in Santiago de Chile

Embajada de Suiza

Américo Vespucio Sur 100, piso 14

Santiago (Las Condes)

Tel: 0056 – (0) 2 – 928 01 00

Consulate in Temuco

Panorama 166

Lomas del Carmen

Temuco, Chile

Tel: 0056 – (0) 45 – 92 22 10 (Tel. + Fax)

Representations of Chile in Switzerland

Embassy of the Republic of Chile in Bern

Eigerplatz 5

3007 Bern

Tel: 0041 – (0) 31 – 370 00 58

Consulate in Lausane

World Trade Center Lausanne, Avenue Gratta-Paille 2

1018 Lausanne

Tel: 0041 – (0) 21 – 641 05 20

Consulate of the Republic of Chile in Zurich

Wiesenstrasse 7

PO Box 1828

8032 Zurich

Tel: 0041 – (0) 43 – 499 07 71

Travel to Chile