How do I get a cab (or private driver option too) from San Antonio Port up to Valparaiso?

[goingnorth123]

Hi, our cruise will be in San Antonio port for a day, we've decided we want to go up to Valparaiso rather than Santiago to spend the day, and want to catch a cab there - can we just walk off the ship and get a cab without getting ripped off, or are there any handy hints on where or how to catch a cab without getting ripped off please?   Thanks (PS also open to using one or someone for a whole day as a private driver if price is reasonable). Thanks so much in advance, regards Di from Australia

[Torquer]

San Antonio is a relatively small working-class town with little tourism infrastructure (for example, there is only one hotel in the entire town).  I would definitely not expect to be able to find a cab willing to take you on a one-way trip to Valparaiso, which is 100KM and over a 1 hour drive.  You would also likely to have the same problem in the other direction at the end of the day.  I really think you should look at using a tour company.  I can highly recommend Chile Dream Tours, which we used on a trip this year to that area of Chile.

Edited June 9 by Torquer

[bfgood2]

Hi,

 We're on the Oosterdam, disembarking 12/1/24 in Santiago and will be staying overnight somewhere near the airport on the 1st and then want to take a full day tour in Valpariso on the 2nd. Our flight home leaves from Santiago on the 2nd around 10 PM. Is anyone else planning something similar who would be interested in joining us? It's a long shot and other than the flight, so far, I'm in the early planning stage.

[Torquer]

@bfgood2First of all, you will be disembarking in San Antonio, not Santiago.  Why don't you want to visit Valparaiso on the day you disembark?  San Antonio, Valparaiso and Santiago sort of form a triangle with each being about 100KM away from the other two.  So touring Valparaiso on disembarkation day means you only have to travel about 200KM instead of 100KM the first day to get to Santiago, plus then 200KM round-trip the next day to/from Valparaiso.  This would give you the next day to tour Santiago, which is also well worth seeing.  You could also stay in a hotel in Valparaiso and give you more time to explore there.

[bfgood2]

15 hours ago, Torquer said:

@bfgood2First of all, you will be disembarking in San Antonio, not Santiago.  Why don't you want to visit Valparaiso on the day you disembark?  San Antonio, Valparaiso and Santiago sort of form a triangle with each being about 100KM away from the other two.  So touring Valparaiso on disembarkation day means you only have to travel about 200KM instead of 100KM the first day to get to Santiago, plus then 200KM round-trip the next day to/from Valparaiso.  This would give you the next day to tour Santiago, which is also well worth seeing.  You could also stay in a hotel in Valparaiso and give you more time to explore there.

Thanks for correcting me about the port and the distances between the 3 points. That's a very good Idea to see Valpariso first, then go back to Santiago. I'll have to work on the logistics of that, and I'm like to gather a few more folks, then find a driver who can cart our luggage around with us. I'm thinking of using chileshoretours or puertosanantoniatours to accomplish this. Any thoughts on that plan?