Santiago's transportation system is extensive, inexpensive and fairly modern. There are four public transportation options: the metro (subway), micros (buses), colectivos and taxis.
Santiago recently went through a major change in public transportation called Transantiago, which got rid of the privatized micro system and added the Bip! Card (Tarjeta Bip!). The Bip! Card can be bought at any metro station and is the only way to board a micro.
Metro
The Metro is Santiago’s subway system. It is inexpensive, efficient, spotlessly clean but often overcrowded. The subway has five lines that reach key areas in and around Santiago but not all. The Metro costs 380 or 420 pesos per trip. You can buy one ticket at a time or put it on a TranSantiago card called a Tarjeta Bip. On weekdays, the Metro runs between 6:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. On Sundays and holidays service begins at 8:00 a.m.
Click Here for a map of the metro!
Micros (Buses)
Santiago’s streets are less crowded since the Transantiago change. You must have a Tarjeta Bip to board a micro! Santiago's buses can take you within a short walk of anywhere you want to go. They run between the two boroughs displayed above bus’s windshield, always passing through downtown. Look for a bus stop that serves buses to the borough you want to reach. There is a sign on the bottom left hand corner of every micro's windshield with the bus’s destination and a list of the streets on its route. Check to find the routes that best serve you. Micros cost 380 pesos. The Metro system has blue buses called Metrobuses. The buses run from Metro stations to boroughs that do not have Metro service. They are usually cheaper than micros, but run with less frequency. Click here for the Transantiago web site!
Colectivos
Colectivos are taxis that work like buses. They follow a regular route and will fill the car with passengers. Colectivos are more comfortable than buses, but cost more. The price varies depending on how far you travel. Colectivos also tend to run late at night when there are fewer buses. You can catch a colectivo anywhere along the Alameda, but it is easiest at Plaza Italia (Metro Station Baquedano) and in front of La Moneda (Metro Station La Moneda).
Taxis
There are two main types of taxis: normal taxis and radio taxis. The normal taxis are black and yellow cars that circulate throughout the city. They are inexpensive for short rides, but are expensive for longer trips. If you are downtown, it is best to walk to the Alameda or to Parque Forestal to hail a taxi. Taxis cannot legally enter the downtown area unless they are dropping off passengers, though many drivers ignore this law. If you take a taxi, it is best to give the driver (taxista) directions than to simply tell him your destination. Some taxi drivers take advantage of foreigners by taking roundabout trips to increase fares.
It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers, but it is common to round up the taxi fare.
More expensive blue taxis wait outside of major hotels.
Radio taxis have fast service and are more inexpensive than normal taxis for longer trips. Since thay take your from door to door, it is also safer to take radio taxis at night. Radio taxis are also a good choice for trips to the airport.
Addresses
Transportes Lautaro
(2) 204-7467
Jorge Valenzuela Andrade
English speaking taxi driver
(2) 683-2741
Lobster Travel
(2) 522-8001
Radio Taxi Arauco
(2) 246-1114
Radio Taxi Providencia
(2) 209-0445
Radio Taxi El Golf
(2) 212-8744
Radio Taxi Apoquindo
(2) 211-6073