Vina Del Mar Transportation

Getting there:

By Air:

Travelers can access Viña del Mar through Santiago's airports, specifically
Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL)
http://www.aeropuertosantiago.cl
SCL is located 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Viña del Mar.

Airlines serving the airport include:

Air Canada ( +56 2 690 1115/ www.aircanada.com )
Aerolineas Argentinas, ( +56 2 690 1030 / www.aerolinas.com )
AeroMexico ( +56 2 690 1038/ www.aeromexico.com )
Iberia Airlines, ( +56 2 284 0020/ http://www.iberia.com )
American Airlines, ( +56 2 209 8111/ http://www.aa.com )
British Airways, ( http://www.britishairways.com )
Delta Airlines, ( +56 2 690 1555/ http://www.delta.com )
Lufthansa, ( 210 2111/ http://www.lufthansa.com )
Lan Chile, ( +56 2 526 2000/ http://www.lan.cl )
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano, ( +56 2 690 1140/ http://www.labairlines.com )
Pluna ( +56 2 690 1348/ pluna.com.uy )
United, http://www.united.com )
Varig ( +56 2 690 1348, www.varig.cl )
Air France/KLM, ( +56 2 290 9696/ www.airfrance.cl )

Bus & Shuttle

There are daily buses and vans offering service to and from the airport in Santiago to the city of Viña del Mar. Companies with offices in the airport include:

TurBus +56 2 601 9573 ( www.turbus.cl )
Transvip +56 2 677 3000 ( www.transvip.cl )
CentroPuerto +56 2 601 9883, +56 2 601 0549
TurTransfer +56 2 677 3600 ( www.turtransfer.cl )

Rental Cars

Renting a car is a good way to explore Viña del Mar and the surrounding area. Cars can be rented from Viña del Mar or nearby capital city Valpariso. Rental companies in the city include:

Verschae, (Libertad Avenue 1045 Tel: +56 32 267300- +56 32 682372)
Alternatively, Rental cars companies servicing the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago include: Alamo, +56 2 690 1370 ( www.alamochile.com )
Econorent, +56 2 690 1287 ( www.econorent.net )
Rosselot, +56 2 690 1374 ( www.rosselot.cl )
Avis, +56 2 690 1382, +56 2 690 1318 ( www.avischile.cl )

By Bus:

Bus travel in South America is very popular and effective. For international bus service, try:
Tas Choapa ( +56 2 779 4295/ http://www.taschoapa.cl ).
Tas Choapa also runs domestic routes within Chile, as do:
Tur Bus ( +56 2 270 7500/ http://www.turbus.cl )
Pullman Bus ( +56 2 560 3700/ http://www.pullman.cl ).

By Car:

Chile's roads are fast, efficient and well-maintained, especially when compared to other South American countries. Viña del Mar lies along the North-South Ruta (Hwy) 68 and the Hwy 60 from Argentina. Cars brought into Chile need local insurance and a Relaciones de Pasajeros ( Passenger Relations ) document, both of which are available at points of entry and border crossings.

Getting around:

Taxis

Taxi’s are fairly reasonably priced, however beware of taxi drivers who take circuitous routes to get to your destination to bump up the fare. That said, the Taxis in Chile are safe and effective means of getting around. The official taxis are black and yellow and are easily found all over the downtown area of the city.

Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Car -- Viña is 134km (83 miles) from Santiago and is reached by the highway Rte. 68. Driving to Viña from Santiago is quite easy: Simply hop onto the Costanera Norte headed west, and follow it all the way to the coast (the Costanera turns into Rte. 68). There are two tolls along the way that each cost 1,200 pesos ($2.05/£1.35) from Monday to 5pm on Friday, and 1,900 pesos ($3.25/£2.15) from 5pm Friday to Sunday. Note that street parking in Viña is scarce in January and February.

By Bus -- Tur Bus (tel. 600/660-6600; www.turbus.cl) and Pullman (tel. 600/320-3200; www.pullman.cl) leave from the Terminal Alameda in Santiago, located at Av. Alameda 3750 (Metro: Univ. de Santiago), every 15 minutes from 6:30am to 10:30pm (Tur Bus), and 6:10am to 10:10pm (Pullman); the cost is $6.75 (£4.50) one-way. During weekends, especially December through March, it is strongly recommended that you buy your ticket in advance from any Tur Bus or Pullman office in Santiago (your hotel can give you the address of the nearest office). The trip takes around 1 1/2 hours. The bus terminal in Viña is located at Avenida Valparaíso and Quilpué, near the main plaza, and there are taxis available.

By Train -- The Metrotren (also known as the "Merval"; tel. 32/238-1500) connects Viña with Valparaíso, leaving every 5 to 10 minutes from 7:30am to 10pm during weekdays, and every 15 to 20 minutes from 9:30am to 9pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. To ride the train, you must first make a one-time purchase: a rechargeable card for $1 (70p) that you then charge with enough money to cover the cost of your trip. If you're with friends or family, you need only purchase one card for your group.

Getting Around

All attractions in Viña can be reached on foot with streets organized according to a grid layout that is easy to navigate. Taxis are inexpensive and are available either by hailing one in the street or calling Taxi Alfonso (tel. 32/288-1870) or ABA Taxi (tel. 32/297-9399). The town is divided into two sections along the Marga Marga, a former lagoon, swaths of which now form the town's main parking lot. North of Marga Marga, you'll find the casino and access to the 3.5km (2.1 miles) of coastline fronted by monolithic condominiums, rowdy bars, and theme restaurants catering primarily to tourists. South of Marga Marga stretches Avenida Valparaíso, the main shopping avenue punctuated with all the familiar global brand stores and fast-food outlets. Sleek designer stores and shopping malls are concentrated along the 5 blocks west of Plaza Vergarda; just walk west toward the ocean as far as Calle Ecuador. A taxi to Valparaíso costs between $6 and $9 (£4-£6) one-way. A couple of blocks south, the exotic Quinta Vergara Park is ideal for an afternoon stroll.

Visitor Information

The Oficina de Turismo de Viña is on Plaza Vergara, next to the post office near avenidas Libertad and Arlegui (tel. 800/800-830 toll-free in Chile; www.visitevinadelmar.cl). Summer hours are weekdays from 9am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 9pm; off-season hours are weekdays from 10am to 7pm (closed 2-3pm), and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm. The helpful staff speaks English and can provide visitors with maps, events details, and accommodations information, including private cabin rentals. The Sernatur office, located on the third floor (office no. 303), at Av. Valparaíso 507 (tel. 2/268-3355; www.sernatur.cl), is also very helpful and has information and maps on the entire region. It's open Monday through Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm.