Valparaiso (ValparaÃso) is a city of around 300,000 on the Pacific coast of the central region of Chile. It is located approximately 120km west of the capital, Santiago de Chile. The city is widely known for its bohemian culture, brightly colored houses, and beautiful seaside views.
Understand
Get in
By plane
Valparaiso does not have its own airport. The closest airport with commercial service is Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL) in Santiago, some 2 hours away, which offers extensive domestic and international service.
To to get to ValparaÃso from Santiago's airport, you will catch a Tur-bus airport shuttle outside of the airport terminal. This will drop you off at "Pajaritos," a bus/subway station on the outskirts of Santiago. From here, buses leave frequently for Valparaiso and other destinations; you may also take the subway into downtown Santiago. It is generally not necessary to have a bus ticket before arriving at Pajaritos.
By train
There is a metro/train that runs between Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, as well as other surrounding communities. It is new, clean, fast, and relatively inexpensive.
By car
While Valparaiso itself can be a bit of a difficult city in which to drive, the area's highway system is generally of good quality. Note that there are often tolls on highways.
By bus
You can easily get to Valparaiso by bus from Santiago. The trip takes around two hours and you have a wide choice of bus companies and departure times. Buses from a wide variety of other destinations within Chile also have scheduled service to Valparaiso, in addition to service to the Argentine city of Mendoza. The bus terminal is located close to the National Congress building.
Approximate bus travel times to/from Valparaiso:
By boat
Many cruise ships dock in Valparaiso, which is home to a very active port.
Get around
From Valparaiso, you can reach downtown Viña del Mar in about thirty minutes with the local buses, which are numerous and inexpensive. Note that buses that service the city and surrounding areas (such as Viña del Mar) are referred to as micros, while long-distance buses are called buses.
Taxis (called "colectivos") run on fixed routes, and are a very common mode of transport between (and inside of) Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, and other surrounding areas. The cost of the trip, while more expensive than the bus or metro, depends upon the distance being travelled.
There is also a recently-completed subway/train system that runs along the coast, starting along Valparaiso's coast and heading to Viña del Mar and other, more rural locales. It provides fast access to major places of interest, and is only slightly more expensive than taking public buses.
Taxis which run on fixed routes (called "colectivos") are common; less common and more expensive are...
