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Getting around Santiago

Public transport: 

Santiago's transport system has been plagued by problems recently. Transantiago (tel: 600 730 0073, in Chile only; www.transantiagoinforma.cl), an ambitious plan to overhaul the city's public transport infrastructure, has proved woefully inadequate and officials are desperately trying to repair the damage done to commuter relations. Strikes and complaints have been commonplace since Transantiago began in 2005.

Tarjeta Bip! travel cards (tel: 800 730 073; www.tarjetabip.cl) are valid for travel on Santiago's Metro system and buses; you can buy these at Metro ticket offices. Each single fare on a Bip! card covers up to three interconnected metro/bus journeys over a period of two hours.

The modern Metro system, Metro de Santiago (tel: 600 730 0073, in Chile only; www.metrosantiago.cl), is still the easiest way to travel around Santiago, and is for the most part clean, efficient and reliable. Nevertheless it can get extremely crowded at peak hours (partly the result of poor bus route planning), and avoiding travel during rush hour is recommended. The Metro system has five lines which operate daily, closing overnight.

Santiago's city buses are run by private companies. The system has changed under the new Transantiago transport scheme. The old yellow fume-belchers no longer rule the streets; those on the major 'trunk' routes have now been painted white with green stripes, while other buses have different colours according to the zones they serve (there are nine outside the city centre). Gradually authorities have tried to instil more order, clamping down on the blatant competition. However, work still needs to be done to fine-tune the bus routes and ensure an adequate level of service.

Taxis: 

There is no shortage of taxis, which are black with yellow roofs. Taxi drivers are generally honest but occasionally take foreigners to their destinations via very indirect routes, as a means of bumping up the fare. Taxis should have meters, although the occasional dodgy, fast-moving meter is not unheard of either. Find out what your fare should be before you travel. Women travelling alone at night should exercise caution. Radio Taxi Andes-Pacífico (tel: (02) 204 0530; www.andespacifico.cl) and Radio Taxi Centro (tel: (02) 697 0106; www.rtcentro.cl) are reliable, well-established minicab firms.

Driving: 

Driving in Santiago is a headache, with congestion to rival any European or North American metropolis - although most Chilean drivers are reasonably courteous. Attempts to combat pollution have included imposing limits on the use of cars that run on leaded petrol. Some areas impose traffic restrictions by barring entry to cars with certain registration numbers on certain days.

Many of the more upmarket hotels have a guest car park. Parking in the downtown area is difficult but there are two car parks close to Avenida Bernardo O'Higgins (Alameda). These are at Calle San Francisco 75 (tel: (02) 632 4024) and outside Calle Santa Rosa 76 (tel: (02) 460 8555). There are also underground estacionamientos along Avenida Providencia, situated beside Metro stations. Many of Santiago's car parks are owned by Saba (www.saba.es). Alternatively, many urban streets offer metered parking.

Car hire: 

Most car hire companies require the driver to be 22 years or over. Drivers must hold a current driving licence from their country of origin (an International Driving Permit is not usually essential but can be helpful), and must show a passport and leave an imprint of a credit card as a deposit. Insurance is usually additional to the car rate and is recommended.

Providers include Chilean Rent A Car (tel: (02) 737 9650; www.chileanrentacar.cl), Avis (tel: 600 368 2000, in Chile only; www.avischile.cl) and Rosselot (tel: (02) 690 1374; www.rosselot.cl).

Bicycle hire: 

Cycling is becoming a lot easier in central Santiago. With the pollution and transport problems of recent years, using two wheels is a more attractive option than it used to be. That said, you do need to be careful about the route you take - dodging buses on the Alameda is not an experience many will enjoy. Nowadays, many of the city's parks have cycle lanes, there is a lovely riverside route and there is good mountain biking along the winding lanes of Cerro San Cristobál. You can hire mountain bikes from LYS Rent-a-Car, Calle Miraflores 537 (tel: (02) 633 7600; www.lys.cl).

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