Santiago to San Antonio

We will be flying into Santiago and then after a few days heading for San Antonio which seems to have replaced Valparaiso as the departure port.

I am losing sleep over which option to take in relation to getting from Santiago to San Antonio.

One option is to get a taxi from the hotel to the bus station in Santiago, then the bus to San Antonio, then a taxi the the port.

The other option is to take a private transfer direct from the hotel in Santiago straight to the port in San Antonio.

The second option is of course much more expensive, but it also seems to be the much safer option. Reading various threads in various forums the first option would seem to have its safety/security issues.

Any help will be appreciated. Particularly the experiences of those who have done this. What would you do? Many thanks.

I'm not aware of any security issues any more than other major city. There are many detailed posts in this forum, even on the first page from people who have already done this, myself included. The Pullman bus service is regular, safe and cheap, and I believe Turbus have recently added a service too.

We are doing the transfer, door to door. With our luggage, we don't want the hassle of shlepping it from one transport to another, to another. We have a group of 8 that brings down the cost to $60 per person. Yes, I have seen the posts from those that have done the bus and the cost is significantly lower. I suppose connivence is a big value with a transfer, as well as not worrying about how reliable public transportation will be.

We have been to Chile twice (both times our cruises ended in Valparaiso). We did a transfer with tours as well as a wine tour on our way to Santiago. We enjoyed that quite a bit. This time, we are skipping the wine tour.

Chile is a very stable country for South America and probably the safest to travel on your own, however, in planning our trips on both occasions, we were warned not to go into some areas of Valpo and Santiago on our own. Do you know where the bus stations are located and how safe those areas are? For example, have you ever been to the Greyhound Bus station in Washington, DC. I was there once to pickup up someone and could not wait to get the heck out of there without getting mugged.

We are doing the transfer, door to door. With our luggage, we don't want the hassle of shlepping it from one transport to another, to another. We have a group of 8 that brings down the cost to $60 per person. Yes, I have seen the posts from those that have done the bus and the cost is significantly lower. I suppose connivence is a big value with a transfer, as well as not worrying about how reliable public transportation will be.

 

We have been to Chile twice (both times our cruises ended in Valparaiso). We did a transfer with tours as well as a wine tour on our way to Santiago. We enjoyed that quite a bit. This time, we are skipping the wine tour.

 

Chile is a very stable country for South America and probably the safest to travel on your own, however, in planning our trips on both occasions, we were warned not to go into some areas of Valpo and Santiago on our own. Do you know where the bus stations are located and how safe those areas are? For example, have you ever been to the Greyhound Bus station in Washington, DC. I was there once to pickup up someone and could not wait to get the heck out of there without getting mugged.

Can you share the company you are using for the transfer?

We will be flying into Santiago and then after a few days heading for San Antonio which seems to have replaced Valparaiso as the departure port.

 

I am losing sleep over which option to take in relation to getting from Santiago to San Antonio.

 

One option is to get a taxi from the hotel to the bus station in Santiago, then the bus to San Antonio, then a taxi the the port.

The other option is to take a private transfer direct from the hotel in Santiago straight to the port in San Antonio.

 

The second option is of course much more expensive, but it also seems to be the much safer option. Reading various threads in various forums the first option would seem to have its safety/security issues.

 

Any help will be appreciated. Particularly the experiences of those who have done this. What would you do? Many thanks.

Join your Roll all on this site and try to share a ride with others. I've arranged 2 vans for people on my roll call feb 14/19 who are staying pre cruise at the same hotel as I am.

I'm using the Grman Prirate who is highly recommended on this site for our tour/transfer Santiago to San Antonio.

Can you share the company you are using for the transfer?

SouthExcursions

Thanks for your responses. Wasn't sure that this far out there would have been a Roll Call started but I have found one so I have posted there also. Thanks again.:)

We used South Excursions from Port to Santiago (they do both ways and different tour options). My review is here:

https://baskeytravels.com/disembarkation-san-antonio-chile/

Heather

I always, simply take the cheap bus. I've been on 11 horn cruises. Excellent service and less than $10. From the San Antonio bus station with is only about a mile from the port, there was a free shuttle bus, this past season. I took it in both directions.

I always, simply take the cheap bus. I've been on 11 horn cruises. Excellent service and less than $10. From the San Antonio bus station with is only about a mile from the port, there was a free shuttle bus, this past season. I took it in both directions.

BudgetQueen, Can you give me more info on taking the public bus from San Antonio to Santiago? Do you pay on the bus or need to buy a ticket(office or Ticket machine?) Local currency or Credit Card? Asking for directions @ station, Spanish only or some English? Thanks in advancs.

BudgetQueen, Can you give me more info on taking the public bus from San Antonio to Santiago? Do you pay on the bus or need to buy a ticket(office or Ticket machine?) Local currency or Credit Card? Asking for directions @ station, Spanish only or some English? Thanks in advancs.

From the cruise ship. Walk all the way through , including parking lot to just before the gate. On the left will be a shelter, This is where the bus station, shuttle bus leaves from. At the station, pick either Tur or Pullman bus and buy a ticket to Santiago. Note on your ticket will be a seat assignment. Don't sit anywhere else.

In Santiago, you can transfer to hotels, or get on another bus to the airport- again, buy ticket from either Pullman or Tur .

The bus station does take credit cards but you may have pesos anyway since you are in multiple locations in Chile prior. I take the local bus in Puerto Mott as example and end up right along side everyone else going to Frutillar for a fraction. Same with Coyhaique and the Simpson Valley. I end up seeing countless, shirt tagged ship tourists.

Huge differences in prices. The latter I paid less than $10 and the ship tour was $75 and I did more. :)

I always, simply take the cheap bus. I've been on 11 horn cruises. Excellent service and less than $10. From the San Antonio bus station with is only about a mile from the port, there was a free shuttle bus, this past season. I took it in both directions.

Each to their own. However, I am always amazed when I read here on cc boards about people taking the same cruise many times. Yes, I do go back to some places where I have been, but 11 times!

If we did this, we would have missed many more wonderful places that we have visited. Of course, it is whatever makes you happy.

Each to their own. However, I am always amazed when I read here on cc boards about people taking the same cruise many times. Yes, I do go back to some places where I have been, but 11 times!

 

If we did this, we would have missed many more wonderful places that we have visited. Of course, it is whatever makes you happy.

Your assumptions are wrong. You seem to think, I haven't been elsewhere and "missed wonderful places". I travel every month. I was on 16 cruises last year. traveled more that half the year. 2 Bermuda, 5 Caribbean, 3 Alaska, 2 South America, 3 Europe, 1 TA. Plus, land time in Hawaii, Alaska and Europe,

What have I missed? :)

Your assumptions are wrong. You seem to think, I haven't been elsewhere and "missed wonderful places". I travel every month. I was on 16 cruises last year. traveled more that half the year. 2 Bermuda, 5 Caribbean, 3 Alaska, 2 South America, 3 Europe, 1 TA. Plus, land time in Hawaii, Alaska and Europe,

 

What have I missed? :)

Wow, that's great that you can travel so many times a year. Most people cannot do that.

It does appear that you have missed some great places:

Australia

New Zealand

Japan

China

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Singapore

Thailand

India

Dubai

Oman

Egypt

Israel

S. Africa, Kenya and Tanzania

Wow, that's great that you can travel so many times a year. Most people cannot do that.

It does appear that you have missed some great places:

 

Australia

New Zealand

Japan

China

India

Indonesia

Malaysia

Singapore

Thailand

India

Dubai

Oman

Egypt

Israel

S. Africa, Kenya and Tanzania

I have been to Australia, and New Zealand several times, and Japan.. Plan on a return to Japan in Sept. I'm in the process of getting an open Chinese Visa now. Booked to go to Dubai and Oman next year Some of your list, I have no interest in. :)

Thanks to everyone who gave us the info to do the bus from San Antonio(Barrancas bus station) to Santiago (Alameda bus station) and then TurBus to SCL Aeropuerto. I wrote info as we went to share the tiniest details with those of us who want to know all we can in advance. I will try to put our times so you can get an idea of the possible schedule. I hope this helps the next traveler:

Buses from San Antonio port & main bus station (Barrancas- address is: Angamos 1464, San Antonio, Región de Valparaíso, Chile)

to Santiago main bus station (Alameda- address is: Av Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 3750, Santiago, Estación Central, Región Metropolitana, Chile)

to Santiago Aeropuerto:  (SCL address:  Aviador David Fuentes, Pudahuel, Región Metropolitana, Chile)

Direcitons

Exit ramp of cruise ship to awaiting bus (Port Bus at 7:03am) that takes you 1/2 mile to port building

Walk around San Antonio port building to the right to enter

Give aduana (customs) form to worker

Load bags onto security belt

Collect your big bags that are stacked to the right

Go through passport control

Exit building straight out (you can only go 1 direction)

There’s a container-like building that contains Visitor’s Info - lots of helpers (they speak English) but they are not bus experts

Keep walking straight to see cruise ship's buses (lined up on the left side) and taxis on the right

If it is dark, take a taxi to the bus station. I would simply use a calculator to negotiate a price (show the numbers on the screen). Small bills and Chilean money will get you a more fair rate. It is only about 1/4 mile to the bus station.

If you want to walk, keep walking until you exit the bus/taxi fenced area (about 20 yds past the buses) and turn Right.

Walk over the train tracks and turn right on the road. You are now walking back in the direction of where you just were, but you are now outside the port fence. In fact, if you could have jumped the fence when your port bus first dropped you off at the port building, you would be at the bus station. So, you essentially exit the port and then retrace your steps (this time OUTside the port fence) to get to the bus station.

Walk for 3 blocks, heading south. (Not gonna lie, this is a scary area in the dark -and nobody would call me a sissy. It’s probably perfectly fine to walk this route in the daytime with others around. We encountered fighting stray dogs, boarded up windows, bars on windows, deserted buildings, graffiti, trash, and a tunnel-like feeling of being boxed in, with concern about being accosted by people in cars coming from behind. Get a cab if it’s dark. Would seriously not walk it again in the dark)

You will easily see the small bus station on your left.

I’d bought Pullman bus tickets online ($6 ea) here https://www.recorrido.cl/en and printed them (required to be printed)

We arrived the San Antonio Bus Station (Barracas located at Angamos1464, San Antonio, Región de Valparaíso, Chile) at 7:26am for our 8:30am bus and asked inside at the ticket window, (via a Tourist helper who spoke English) if we could get on an earlier bus. The bus ticket guy checked his computer and printed new tickets for us for the 7:30am bus.

We walked outside to the bus (there was only one- and it said “Santiago” on the front, top windshield in orange lights)- and showed our tickets to the bus driver who was standing by the bus door. He directed us to the luggage loading area on the side of the bus so we could hand our bags to the loader.

The Luggage Loader put a sticker on each bag and gave us the receipt (which you will need later to retrieve your bag, so keep up with it.). We tipped (at both ends of the bus trip) the baggage loaders/unloaders US$1 for each bag, which seemed to please them. Singles or Chilean money is helpful so plan ahead if possible.

The bus left San Antonio at 7:35am and it was a smooth ride into the Santiago bus station (Huge but well organized) at 8:55am on this no-traffic Sunday morning.

FYI: In spite of some tourist helpers believing other options to be true:

1. The only bus from San Antonio port or city to the SCL Airport goes ONLY between the main bus terminals, Barrancas in San Antonio and Alameda in Santiago.

2. There is NO direct bus to the SCL Airport from neither the San Antonio port, nor from the San Antonio Barrancas (Main) Bus Station

3. It is better to buy a ticket for a reasonable timeframe, and then if you are early to try to get it reticketed for an earlier time if there is room, than to not get a seat at all on a full bus.

We exited the bus at the Santiago Alameda huge bus station with about 40 bays. We walked to the center of the U-shaped bus bay buildings and went inside to check on a bus to the SCL (Santiago) Aeropuerto.

There is a special place to buy the Aeropuerto tickets.

The company TurBus runs frequently to the Santiago airport and they have 2 special bus bays, #22 and #25. To buy the $3 bus tickets (U.S. credit card ok), go to the special ticket booth for the Aeropuerto Bus at Bay #22. There are several ticket windows there and you cannot miss the signs for Aeropuerto Bus Tickets on the stall windows.

As we bought tickets, the bus at #25 bay rolled away to the airport, so we were directed to load the bus at #22 bay, which left within 5-10 minutes for the airport.  So it should not be a long wait for the aeropuerto bus.

Our blue Turbus from Santiago main bus terminal to SCL Airport was a double-decker. You enter and exit at the middle door. Baggage worked exactly as described for the San Antonio main bus station loading.

The ride from the Santiago Alameda bus station to SCL Santiago airport took approximately 15 minutes.

The international terminal was first at what appeared to be the same building as the domestic terminal, which was a little further down, but we got off at that stop (International). I do not know if that was the only airport stop.

Both buses (Pullman and Turbus) were huge & very comfortable with footrests, curtains, seatbelts, nice recline, and I think bathrooms in the back. There was a lighted board for all to see, near the driver, that showed his speed, which seemed to keep it safe.

I hope this helps! 🙂

Captions for pictures below:

1.  Cruise ship location prior to exciting Celebrity Eclipse on 3/25/19 at San Antonio Port.  You can see the heart is the bus station.

2.  San Antonio Barrancas bus station

3.  Inside the nice Pullman bus from S.A. to Santiago bus station (1.5 hours)

4.  View from the Turbus at the Santiago bus station.  We are in Bay #25

5.  Our Turbus tickets

6.  Closeup view of the ticket windows (green) for buying the Turbus tickets from Santiago bus station to Santiago Airport (SCL)

Thank you 🙂

We're likely be doing this next year so valuable info, good job😊

another option-Princess cruises offered a transfer from SCL to the ship in San Antonio at 9:30 am the day of the cruise. We stayed in Santiago in a hotel for 3 days prior and took a taxi back to the airport for the transfer.

We also took the bus and wanted to add a little to TDHill’s very helpful post. We did not buy our tickets ahead. Instead, we walked out of the terminal just as explained. There’s a Pullman rep desk just before leaving the terminal. She told us the bus would come right to the terminal, so no need to walk to the bus station. (We left the terminal a little after 7 AM) A Pullman bus came right to the terminal and parked right after the Celebrity buses on the left. It arrived around 7:30 and left at 8:00. We bought a ticket right at the bus, $7/pp. 

After leaving the terminal, the bus did stop at the San Antonio bus station to pick up a few more passengers there. We were at the Santiago bus station by about 9:45. We were staying in Santiago, and it was easy to get a taxi to our hotel from the bus station. We stayed at the Hotel Plaza San Francisco, and the taxi fare was 3000 pesos (about $4.50 US). The driver needed Chilean pesos, which we had. The next morning, we took a taxi to the airport. It’s a set fee and from our hotel it was $32 (paid with US dollars). It was pretty chaotic at the airport and glad we had a good driver. Hotel had reserved the taxi for us. 

Thank you TDHill and mpc128!!  Wonderful detailed information. We are seriously considering taking the bus from the San Antonio port to Santiago at the end of our November cruise. Going to bring this to the attention of our roll call and see if we can find some other adventurous folks to join us!

mpc128, I am assuming you were able to buy the bus ticket with USD. Having the cash on hand won't be a problem, but I am curious if you can use a credit card when buying your ticket right at the bus?

When paying at the bus, they only took US dollars or pesos. As others might have said, when you purchase your bus ticket, you get an assigned seat. The 8:00 AM Pullman bus leaving from the port terminal was nowhere near full.  I don’t think there were more than ten of us. Very easy. 

A few things to add:

That's good info about the seats being assigned on the bus!  I did not realize that but went back to view my receipt/ticket and it says "Asiento 13."  I have no idea if we managed to sit in our correct seats.  🙂 

Also, as we were walking to the bus station, we did pass an idling Pullman bus along the street, empty, as if the driver was taking a break prior to his next trip.  The bus doors were closed, the sign on the front said, "Santiago", and sure enough!  As we were crossing the street to walk into the station, the bus pulled in behind us.  I do not know why he didn't come by the port first, since it was so close by, but he did not and no one seemed to be on the bus at the time that it began loading at the bus station. 

Finally, I wanted to share that the Celebrity transfer price was $62 US per person to go from the cruise port to the Santiago airport.  But it was slow!  We had gotten off the ship in Group 1 with another couple, who later talked with us in the SCL Delta Lounge.  They had to wait at least 20 minutes extra on the Celebrity transfer bus because some people from the ship, who were supposed to be on their bus, were late.  We had been at the airport lounge for quite awhile before they arrived, so while we had to figure things out with the bus as we went, at least we did not sit on a bus waiting for slow people!  We calculated that our total cost was about 1/10 of the cruise ship transfer price and it was very simple (which leaves more funds for the wonderful Chilean and Argentinian wines! )

One correction from my previous post.  It took 25 minutes (not 15) to get from the Santiago main bus station to the SCL airport.

Enjoy the journey!

On 4/4/2019 at 7:53 PM, TDHill said:

A few things to add:

That's good info about the seats being assigned on the bus!  I did not realize that but went back to view my receipt/ticket and it says "Asiento 13."  I have no idea if we managed to sit in our correct seats.  🙂 

Enjoy the journey!

 

We are looking to go from Santiago to San Antonio.... Is anyone who went in this direction? Anything to add about the bus station in Santiago?  Thanks... Jon

I worried (in advance) about taking the bus from Santiago to San Antonio on January 30th but it couldn't have been easier. We got to the station at 10 am and were on the 10:20 bus which wasn't even half full.

Here is a link to a blog post and photos from our experience. https://mysouvenirmemories.blogspot.com/2019/01/santiago-to-san-antoniolets-cruise-1-30.html

On 4/23/2019 at 5:17 PM, AryMay said:

Here is a link to a blog post and photos from our experience. https://mysouvenirmemories.blogspot.com/2019/01/santiago-to-san-antoniolets-cruise-1-30.html

Thank you for the blog, but you never stated how you ended up getting from the bus station to the pier.  Did you end us paying the $5 for the shuttle?  Thanks... Jon