Santiago - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
We used Uber a lot pre-pandemic. No issues. I have never used a taxi, train, or bus here, but they exist and look safe enough. I imagine one would use them more downtown. In Lo Barnechea cars are king and we drive most places. - Dec 2020
Buses (service seems lousy and dirty). Subways are Tokyo-like jam packed (and don't always cover where you need to go). Uber is illegal but, corporately, they have decided that it is still lucrative to pay legal fees and fines than to pull out of the market. Traffic is a nightmare for me. - Jun 2019
Yes they are all safe and they are affordable. - Feb 2016
YES. The metro system is better and cleaner than any we have used in the U.S. The buses are a little hard to figure out but googlemaps helps and you can always ask the driver if you're unsure (again Spanish necessary). Taxis are fine and also colectivos which are shared rides that follow specific paths. - Nov 2014
Yes, in general. Some pickpocketing on the metro, which can be prohibitively crowded during rush hour. - Oct 2014
Both safe and affordable. - Sep 2011
Chile has a very reliable public transportation system which includes buses, taxis, collectivos, and a subway system. - Jul 2010
Taxis are very affordable and readily available. The metro is great. It's cheap and I haven't had to wait more than a few minutes for the next train. I haven't taken the bus yet. There are a lot of them, but they can get very crowded. Often there are long lines of people at the bus stops. The long distance bus service is good. They run often, tickets are cheap, and they're clean. - Jul 2009
Safe and affordable. - Apr 2009
Taxis: are readily avaliable and cost anywhere from 100-150 pesos per one way trip ($3-$5).They are safe. Just agree on a fare at the beginning of the trip. Motoconchos: public cars. very cheap, but can get very crammed w/ passengers. Just watch your wallet/pocket book. You can rent a whole car by forking over some extra pesos. Guagas: (mini buses) can be crammed w/ up to 20 people-maybe more. Very cheap-but the same rule applies, watch your wallet or pocket book. There are plans in the works to build a high speed rail service fromt he airport to the central business district. The long range plan will be to connect that rail to the rail/subwayservice being built currently in Santo Domingo. However, it would be some time until it gets completed. - Sep 2008
Public Transportation seems to be pretty good here. We've used the bus a couple times. Taxis are easy and safe to use, just be sure you get all your money back when you need change. There are collectivos, which are kind of like group taxis that travel a specific route, they are cheaper, but crowded. Santiago has a pretty good and easy to use metro system. We find it easier and cheaper to use than DC's system. - Jul 2008
