How to Get Around Chile

Fly the long legs. Chile's shape makes internal flights a practical necessity rather than a luxury — Santiago to Punta Arenas is three and a half hours in the air and several days by road. LATAM, SKY and JetSMART all compete, and fares booked ahead are reasonable.

Long-distance buses are excellent, and better than in most of the world: salón cama seats recline nearly flat, overnight services are comfortable, and the network reaches everywhere. This is how most Chileans travel and it is good value.

There is no continuous road down Chile's Patagonian south. The Carretera Austral involves several ferry crossings, and it does not connect through to Punta Arenas at all — the land route south requires crossing into Argentina and back. Plan for that rather than discovering it. Carry your passport on any southern road trip, and check whether your rental company permits border crossings; most require notice and paperwork.

Santiago's metro is fast, clean and extensive; buy a Bip! card and use it on buses too. Ride-hailing apps work in the cities.

Renting a car makes sense for the Lake District, the wine valleys and the Atacama, and much less so in Santiago. Many roads are toll roads, and rural routes turn to gravel without warning.