Car hire and driving in Chile

My wife and I will be visiting Chile from 26 December for about 10 days. We
would like to hire a car and drive out to Valparaiso and then down the coast
to Isla de Chiloe and Puerto Montt and then back to Santiago. I have several
questions about this:

1. Since we are from Australia where we drive on the left hand side of the
road we would prefer not to drive in areas where traffic is very heavy or
overly reckless. We have driven in Europe and North America and have made
the transition reasonably well to the right (wrong?) side of the road but,
for example, Rome was a nightmare. How might we cope in Chile?

2. Any tips on a good car hire company? We would rather hire in Chile than
from overseas as we have found that this normally results in cheaper prices.
Will we have any trouble getting a car in late December?

3. Should we hire in Santiago or go by bus to a quieter town out of the city
and start from there?

4. Does our itinerary (mentioned above) sound OK? Where else should we go if
we have 7 to 10 days?

5. How busy will places be over the Christmas/New Year period? Is this a bit
quieter than later in January?

And one final question ... we will be arriving in Santiago at about midday
on 26 December after a very long flight. Can anyone recommend a well located
and comfortable hotel which would also do airport transfers and could be
booked on line? Cost isn't too much of an issue after such a flight, maybe 4
star is about the level we are after.

Many thanks in advance for all advice and tips.

Regards

Ted

Greetings,
I suggest Chilhotel in Providencia, e-mail www.chilhotel.cl . If you book
beforehand you can get free transport from airport to hotel.
Peocedure is as follows :
After you have completed all airport formalities, (including paying your
US$30 reciprocal fee just before immigration) you will see a kiosk to your
left just before the public area. It is the kiosk of TRANSVIP, a bus
company who takes you you your hotel. If you have a booking it is free, if
not it will cost you US$6.
TAKE IT !

The hotel has its own taxi to take you back to airport at whatever time you
wish, US$15 or diez mil pesos.

As for driving in Chile, why bother when there is such an excellent bus
service to wherever you wish to go. Methinks the train also still goes to
Temuco.
Very much like the Orient Express coaches as they were built in same era..

Chiloe is great. We stayed in Castro at the Don Camillo. What a pity you
have only a short time. It would be easy to spend 30 days in Chiloe alone.
There is a wonderful Artisans market at the wharf and the woolen goods there
are the colurs and hues you will not see elsewhere.
Chiloe is the only place in South America that we know of where the
accordian is a dominant instrument in a band. They also speak español with
a Welsh lilt.

We were in Chiloe only 3 yrs ago for 9 daysand will probably go again. I
have other info if you want it. Contact either direct or thro' NG.

Cheerds, philip, Tasmania, Oz.

"Teddy" wrote in message
...
My wife and I will be visiting Chile from 26 December for about 10 days.
We
would like to hire a car and drive out to Valparaiso and then down the
coast
to Isla de Chiloe and Puerto Montt and then back to Santiago. I have
several
questions about this:

1. Since we are from Australia where we drive on the left hand side of the
road we would prefer not to drive in areas where traffic is very heavy or
overly reckless. We have driven in Europe and North America and have made
the transition reasonably well to the right (wrong?) side of the road but,
for example, Rome was a nightmare. How might we cope in Chile?

2. Any tips on a good car hire company? We would rather hire in Chile than
from overseas as we have found that this normally results in cheaper
prices.
Will we have any trouble getting a car in late December?

3. Should we hire in Santiago or go by bus to a quieter town out of the
city
and start from there?

4. Does our itinerary (mentioned above) sound OK? Where else should we go
if
we have 7 to 10 days?

5. How busy will places be over the Christmas/New Year period? Is this a
bit
quieter than later in January?

And one final question ... we will be arriving in Santiago at about midday
on 26 December after a very long flight. Can anyone recommend a well
located
and comfortable hotel which would also do airport transfers and could be
booked on line? Cost isn't too much of an issue after such a flight, maybe
4
star is about the level we are after.

Many thanks in advance for all advice and tips.

Regards

Ted

Hi Teddy,
You shouldn't hire a car to go to Valparaíso or Viña del Mar, the traffic is
terrible and the "colectivos" drivers are more dangerous than any roman
driver. If you want to go to Southern Chile, take a bus to Puerto Montt and
rent a car there. Don't forget to visit Castro (in Chiloe island), Puyehue
springs, Lake Todos los Santos, Ralun and Lake Llanquihue.
Christmas/New Year is the busiest time of the year !!
Christian.


"Teddy" a écrit dans le message de
...
My wife and I will be visiting Chile from 26 December for about 10 days.
We
would like to hire a car and drive out to Valparaiso and then down the
coast
to Isla de Chiloe and Puerto Montt and then back to Santiago. I have
several
questions about this:

1. Since we are from Australia where we drive on the left hand side of the
road we would prefer not to drive in areas where traffic is very heavy or
overly reckless. We have driven in Europe and North America and have made
the transition reasonably well to the right (wrong?) side of the road but,
for example, Rome was a nightmare. How might we cope in Chile?

2. Any tips on a good car hire company? We would rather hire in Chile than
from overseas as we have found that this normally results in cheaper
prices.
Will we have any trouble getting a car in late December?

3. Should we hire in Santiago or go by bus to a quieter town out of the
city
and start from there?

4. Does our itinerary (mentioned above) sound OK? Where else should we go
if
we have 7 to 10 days?

5. How busy will places be over the Christmas/New Year period? Is this a
bit
quieter than later in January?

And one final question ... we will be arriving in Santiago at about midday
on 26 December after a very long flight. Can anyone recommend a well
located
and comfortable hotel which would also do airport transfers and could be
booked on line? Cost isn't too much of an issue after such a flight, maybe
4
star is about the level we are after.

Many thanks in advance for all advice and tips.

Regards

Ted

In article , philipj
writes
Greetings,
I suggest Chilhotel in Providencia, e-mail www.chilhotel.cl . If you book
beforehand you can get free transport from airport to hotel.
Peocedure is as follows :
After you have completed all airport formalities, (including paying your
US$30 reciprocal fee just before immigration) you will see a kiosk to your
left just before the public area. It is the kiosk of TRANSVIP, a bus
company who takes you you your hotel. If you have a booking it is free, if
not it will cost you US$6.
TAKE IT !


Indeed, there is a minibus that takes you around the hotels. It's wasy
to find. You have to wait until it fills up with about 6 or so
customers.


The hotel has its own taxi to take you back to airport at whatever time you
wish, US$15 or diez mil pesos.

As for driving in Chile, why bother when there is such an excellent bus
service to wherever you wish to go. Methinks the train also still goes to
Temuco.
Very much like the Orient Express coaches as they were built in same era..


I can't see why you have to drive to the Lake District if you are not
going to stop on the way. Public transport is cheap, safe and efficient
is Chile - they even queue to get in. (That was a shock after coming
from Peru.) Rent a car there.

Chiloe is great. We stayed in Castro at the Don Camillo. What a pity you
have only a short time. It would be easy to spend 30 days in Chiloe alone.
There is a wonderful Artisans market at the wharf and the woolen goods there
are the colurs and hues you will not see elsewhere.
Chiloe is the only place in South America that we know of where the
accordian is a dominant instrument in a band. They also speak español with
a Welsh lilt.

We were in Chiloe only 3 yrs ago for 9 daysand will probably go again. I
have other info if you want it. Contact either direct or thro' NG.

I think 10 days is very little time for what you want to see especially
if driving. I wouldn't even go to Valparaiso; go straight to the Lake
District and, as we never tire of saying in this ng, stay in Perto
Varas, not Puerto Montt. You can see some pix of the area - including
those stilted houses on Chiloe - on my site below.

And while you're in Chile, try the congrio frito, fried conger eel with
a bottle of Undurraga Rhin. I still dream about it.

--
JohnM
Author of Brazil: Life, Blood, Soul
http://www.scroll.demon.co.uk/spaver.htm

Hello Teddy,

You wrote on 16/11/03:
1. Since we are from Australia where we drive on the left hand side of the
^^^wrong!
road we would prefer not to drive in areas where traffic is very heavy or
overly reckless. We have driven in Europe and North America and have made
the transition reasonably well to the right (wrong?) side of the road but,
for example, Rome was a nightmare. How might we cope in Chile?

In Santiago partly too. Don't care about the rest. Better then in Italy.

2. Any tips on a good car hire company? We would rather hire in Chile than
from overseas as we have found that this normally results in cheaper prices.
Will we have any trouble getting a car in late December?

http://www.united-chile.com

3. Should we hire in Santiago or go by bus to a quieter town out of the city
and start from there?

Santiago Airport

4. Does our itinerary (mentioned above) sound OK? Where else should we go if
we have 7 to 10 days?

From Santiago to Chiloe are 1100km to drive on the Pan Americana, a
boring, but quiet good paved road. With 60¤ toll. It's quiet far for 10
days.


Have a nice trip,
ciao,
Thomas.

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