1. Homekeyboard_arrow_right
  2. Studentskeyboard_arrow_right
  3. Orientation for International Studentskeyboard_arrow_right
  4. About Santiago

About Santiago

We invite you to learn more about the attractions that Santiago, the capital city of Chile, has to offer to all our students


Santiago is located in the Metropolitan Region and has a population of 7 million inhabitants. The city offers a variety of historical, tourist and entertainment sites to visit. It is a safe place, but as in any other capital city in the world, precautions must be taken.

Maps

Ver más keyboard_arrow_down

Explore the city using the geolocalization app you prefer. You can also use the following alternatives:

Public Transportation

Ver más keyboard_arrow_down

Metropolitan Mobility Network (former Transantiago)

The Metropolitan Mobility Network – RED (Red Metropolitana de Movilidad), formerly known as Transantiago, is composed of intercity buses and a subway network (Metro) connecting the different areas of the capital city. To use Santiago’s public transportation –both the buses and the Metro– you need a magnetic card called “bip!”, which can be recharged with money at the counters of all Metro stations or “BIP centers” (CLP $ 1,550 reference Tarjetabip.cl).

Plan and schedule your trips ahead of time on www.red.cl. You can also download the app Red Metropolitana de Movilidad on your smartphone for free.

Learn more about the Bip! smartcard at:

Bip! Card: www.tarjetabip.cl

Servipag locations: www.servipag.cl

Santiago Metro

The capital’s subway system has seven operating lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5 and 6) connecting the main areas of the city. It is also complementary with the public transportation bus system.

Tickets go from $640 up to $800 Chilean pesos (Metro.cl), depending on the time of day. Metro trains generally run every 2 or 3 minutes.

Express Route: From 6 to 9 am and from 6 to 8:45 pm, Lines 2, 4 and 5 offer 2 different services (red and green stops). This system, called Ruta Express, prevents trains from stopping at every station and it was created to make trips faster during rush hour. Red and green lights are located above the doors of every cabin to help passengers recognize which route the train belongs to.

Learn more about this system on the official website www.metro.cl. You can also find maps, information on connections, trip planning, operating hours and network status, among others.

We also recommend you to follow their Twitter account @metrodesantiago to get real-time updates on the status of the system.

Useful links:

Buses

Urban buses are called “micros” and they operate within the framework of the RED system.

The most important stops of each route appear on the bus’ windshield. At www.red.cl, you can find the different lines that you can take for a specific route.

The standard rate is $640 – $700 Chilean pesos (www.red.cl) and allows connections with other buses or Metro. You can get on up to three buses in a row (of a different route) without being charged extra, within the first 120 minutes, or get on a subway train and then take two buses without paying extra.

Taxis

Regular taxis are black vehicles with a yellow roof that take passengers anywhere. In Santiago, there is a base fare of $300 Chilean pesos, plus around $130 pesos for every additional 200 mt. (or per minute of waiting). Fares are indicated on the windshield, and it is recommended to keep an eye on the fare screen continuously.

There are also radio-taxi companies, and mobile apps such as Easy Taxi. You can also use apps like Uber, Cabify and Didi – although there is currently no legal regulation about the use of these apps.

Places to visit in Santiago

Ver más keyboard_arrow_down

Santiago has a lot of attractions, such as parks, museums, art galleries, etc…

Downtown Santiago still preserves old buildings with colonial influence like at the Plaza de Armas, where you can find the Cathedral of Santiago, the National Historical Museum, the headquarters of the Chilean Post Office and the City Hall of Santiago.

The museums and other cultural places that you can visit include the National Museum of Fine Arts, the National Library, the Casa Colorada Museum, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, the Municipal Theater and Palacio de la Moneda (Presidential Palace).

To enjoy fish and seafood from the Chilean coast, you can go to the Mercado Central.

If you enjoy outdoor activities, you can visit the different ski centers near Santiago, which have a very good infrastructure and are easily accessible.

Find more activities on www.gochile.cl

Artistic and cultural activities

Ver más keyboard_arrow_down

Santiago offers a wide range of artistic and cultural activities, from free-of-charge events to the most sophisticated national and international shows: concerts of classical music, as well as shows from prominent national and international popular artists, plays, ballet, opera, cinema and much more. 

It is also worth visiting the following cultural centers: Palacio La Moneda Cultural Center (CCLM) and Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM).

Find more activities at:

www.santiagocapital.cl

Entramado