Transportation from Santiago Chile to Valparaiso

[Archipelago]

Has anyone had the experience of getting transportation from the airport at Santiago to the port at Valparaiso ? I would not want to rent a car. Any suggestions ?

[trixietx]

We used Christian, his email is christianroymx@hotmail.com. We were very satisfied.

[CincyAL]

We used the "Van Man" last month. He is very prompt at answering emails.

 

Very reliable by all accounts.

 

We had a disappointing local meal in Vina del Mar, since our "young & new" guide did not made reservations. If you opt to eat prior to boarding the ship, make sure you eat at "Delicias del Mar Restaurant Basko".

[bobbisailsolo]

Christian seems to have a good reputation both on here and on trip advisor.. I have him booked on Feb 12... though I am traveling alone, he said he tried to fill his van.. which is great for me..

[carlmm]

There is also public transportation available. The long-distance buses / coaches are very comfortable and made for passengers with luggage (and do cost maybe $10). The only less comfortable part is to reach the main bus station. The local bus to take you there (< $1) is a normal city bus, fine for the few minutes ride but without special areas for luggage.

Alternative you could take a taxi to reach the long distance bus.

[portofrome]

There is also public transportation available. The long-distance buses / coaches are very comfortable and made for passengers with luggage (and do cost maybe $10). The only less comfortable part is to reach the main bus station. The local bus to take you there (< $1) is a normal city bus, fine for the few minutes ride but without special areas for luggage.

Alternative you could take a taxi to reach the long distance bus.

 

I'm thinking to try this way for my transfer on March. I found this link with pics and it seams doable:

 

http://www.visitvalparaiso.info/lang/english/airporthotelenglish.html

[Bobocasey]

WE used About Chile for a tour and airport drop off. They did an excellent job. Customized the tour for us.

[24theroad]

We just got home this morning. Yesterday we used Christian "The Van Man" Montenegro for an all day from Valpariaso to Santiago. Absolutely outstanding tour and service. He even escorted us through the zoo of the Santiago airport last night...invaluable! All the way to security. We would have been lost without his help. Top recommendation!

[ariellejesse]

I used RutasChile for transport and tours of Val/Vina/Santiago on Jan. 17. We had the van to ourselves and toured from 10 am to 6 pm with Maria Solis as a guide. The total for 2 persons was $155. Check their web site.

[Slievedonard]

Someone else mentioned About Chile. The website is www.chileabout.com and we have been dealing with Cristobal who has been very helpful.

Besides doing the transfer to the port from the hotel in Ssntiago, he has also arranged some tours for us. Bonnie

[sarahuk]

Hi

We are on Celebrity Infinity Jan 2011. We disembark at Valparaiso. Does anyone know how far away Santiago is and approx how long to get there by private transport.

Whats the earliest flight we should book comfortably without rushing.

Thanks

Sarah

[Berwin]

I am now in Buenos Aires completing my trip on NCL Sun.

 

Using Christian the Vanman is like a box of chocolates. You never know who shows up. He subcontracts out most of his jobs to other drivers. Notice in his emails he never provides a cell phone number. My experience with Christian:

 

Day 1 Santiago airport. He never showed up.

 

Day 2 Santiago. Scheduled a full day tour of Santiago and a winery with Christian. He sent another guide who was not aware of the winery tour. He also included another couple in our tour who was not part of our group.

 

Day 3. Tour to Valparaiso with an English speaking guide and a driver. All he sent was a spanish only speaking driver.

 

Never met Christian although I had him scheduled for 3 tours.

 

The clincher. At the Valparaiso port I told the driver to contact Christian for me on his cell phone. Christian got on the phone and said he "didn't speak English".

 

Use The Vanman at your own Risk. You have been warned by a victim.

[bradshore13]

Michael at winetoursvalparaiso.com is the best bet.

 

Expat Brit from London takes you through the casablanca wine valley on the way to either the airport or seaport.

 

We had a great time with him. michael@winetoursvalparaiso.cl

[bradshore13]

Hi

We are on Celebrity Infinity Jan 2011. We disembark at Valparaiso. Does anyone know how far away Santiago is and approx how long to get there by private transport.

Whats the earliest flight we should book comfortably without rushing.

Thanks

Sarah

 

its 1hr and 30 minutes direct, but obviously if you tour casablanca wine valley which is in between the two cities its longer, depends what time your flight is and if you staying in Santiago.

[jjb415]

There is also public transportation available. The long-distance buses / coaches are very comfortable and made for passengers with luggage (and do cost maybe $10). The only less comfortable part is to reach the main bus station. The local bus to take you there (< $1) is a normal city bus, fine for the few minutes ride but without special areas for luggage.

Alternative you could take a taxi to reach the long distance bus.

 

I'm thinking to try this way for my transfer on March. I found this link with pics and it seams doable:

 

http://www.visitvalparaiso.info/lang/english/airporthotelenglish.html

 

I have done the trip from Santiago Airport to the cruise terminal this way twice in the last couple of years and it is very easy and cheap. You take the CentroPuerto Bus (pictured on the link above) from the airport to the Pajaritos Bus Terminal. From there 2 companies have service to Valparaiso, Turbus and Pulman, just check the television monitor for which company has the next departure and go to that ticket window. At the window, you buy your ticket and select your seat & the agent will tell you the number of the departure bay for your bus. When your bus pulls up, it will be clearly marked and a baggage loader will load your luggage and give you a claim check.

 

Along the way, soda and snack vendors may board the bus from time to time during the less than 2 hour trip. At the terminal in Valparaiso, your luggage will be unloaded at the side of the bus and you will be asked for your claim checks. From there you can take a taxi or make the 5 block walk to the cruise terminal which is to Avenida Argentina and then to the left about 4 blocks. The first time I made this walk with my luggage, as I neared the terminal, people just kept pointing me in the right direction. I travel light, so the uneven sidewalks were not a problem for me, if you travel with larger suitcases, walking may not be an option.

 

Hope this helps those of you who may want to see how the locals travel or those who wish to save some money. :)

[greatam]

Hi

We are on Celebrity Infinity Jan 2011. We disembark at Valparaiso. Does anyone know how far away Santiago is and approx how long to get there by private transport.

Whats the earliest flight we should book comfortably without rushing.

Thanks

Sarah

 

Allow 2 hours for the transfer. And THREE hours to get checked in at the airport. The airport is almost always a zoo, but on cruise days, it can be total CHAOS. Do not count on getting out of the Valpo terminal until 9AM or better. MOST flights to the USA leave late evening, so no real hurry. Flights to Europe often leave much earlier. I personally would not book a flight before 2PM and even then you could be rushed.

 

IF you book a USA airline, your ticket will INCLUDE the departure tax. If you book a foreign airline (often cheaper and generally MUCH better service), you MAY or MAY not have to pay the Chilean departure tax. Depends on how the ticket is written. The departure tax line is another line to stand in, so allow another 1/2 hour.

[portofrome]

I have done the trip from Santiago Airport to the cruise terminal this way twice in the last couple of years and it is very easy and cheap. You take the CentroPuerto Bus (pictured on the link above) from the airport to the Pajaritos Bus Terminal. From there 2 companies have service to Valparaiso, Turbus and Pulman, just check the television monitor for which company has the next departure and go to that ticket window. At the window, you buy your ticket and select your seat & the agent will tell you the number of the departure bay for your bus. When your bus pulls up, it will be clearly marked and a baggage loader will load your luggage and give you a claim check.

 

Along the way, soda and snack vendors may board the bus from time to time during the less than 2 hour trip. At the terminal in Valparaiso, your luggage will be unloaded at the side of the bus and you will be asked for your claim checks. From there you can take a taxi or make the 5 block walk to the cruise terminal which is to Avenida Argentina and then to the left about 4 blocks. The first time I made this walk with my luggage, as I neared the terminal, people just kept pointing me in the right direction. I travel light, so the uneven sidewalks were not a problem for me, if you travel with larger suitcases, walking may not be an option.

 

Hope this helps those of you who may want to see how the locals travel or those who wish to save some money. :)

 

Thanks so much. This is very useful for my next transfer.

[jjb415]

I have done the trip from Santiago Airport to the cruise terminal this way twice in the last couple of years and it is very easy and cheap. You take the CentroPuerto Bus (pictured on the link above) from the airport to the Pajaritos Bus Terminal. From there 2 companies have service to Valparaiso, Turbus and Pulman, just check the television monitor for which company has the next departure and go to that ticket window. At the window, you buy your ticket and select your seat & the agent will tell you the number of the departure bay for your bus. When your bus pulls up, it will be clearly marked and a baggage loader will load your luggage and give you a claim check.

 

Along the way, soda and snack vendors may board the bus from time to time during the less than 2 hour trip. At the terminal in Valparaiso, your luggage will be unloaded at the side of the bus and you will be asked for your claim checks. From there you can take a taxi or make the 5 block walk to the cruise terminal which is to Avenida Argentina and then to the left about 4 blocks. The first time I made this walk with my luggage, as I neared the terminal, people just kept pointing me in the right direction. I travel light, so the uneven sidewalks were not a problem for me, if you travel with larger suitcases, walking may not be an option.

 

Hope this helps those of you who may want to see how the locals travel or those who wish to save some money. :)

 

Thanks so much. This is very useful for my next transfer.

 

You're quite welcome. :) Have a great trip.

[cruise4cm]

Hi,

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Santiago airport on the morning of 2/28/10, for the 14 days Star Princess leaving Valparaiso to Rio, March 2 - March 16.

 

We're thinking of staying one night in Santiago and another night in either Valparaiso or Vina del mar. We hope to do a little tour in Santiago and maybe a little wine tasting tour on the way to Valparaiso.

 

Anyone interested in sharing a taxi or a van to Valparaiso?

 

Also, any other suggestions for what to do for 2 nights/3 days pre-cruise?

 

Thanks,

Clara

[jegk1]

We used Carola Neubauer carola.neubauer@gmail.com and she gave us a wonderful tour and transport from the ship to the plane. I'm certain she can do the opposite for you and pick you up at the plane, tour Santiago, and drop you off at the ship. If you want more info contact me jegk1@comcast.net. We just completed the cruise in Dec of '09.

[estebofarr]

Hi, Archipelago!

We're planning another trip to SA as well, glad to hear you're still traveling. Janis

[Archipelago]

Hey Janis !

Not traveling too much since the economy went sour , but I have a big birthday coming up and I did like South America..I have one on a waitlist from Buenos Aires to Miami but was also looking at LA to Valparaiso . My goal is to cross the equator and eventually have circumnavigated South America . We left off at Valparaiso last time so if I were to go from LA to there I would have completed that side of it and vice versa on the other side . I wanted the opportunity to see BA a little more in depth !

[bobbisailsolo]

We used Christian, his email is christianroymx@hotmail.com. We were very satisfied.

 

Can not say enough about christian. I traveled alone to Val, and he took such good care of me. I felt totally comfortable with him.. Took me on a short tour of Santiago, and we sat and had a coffee in a lovely area. Got me to my hotel and made sure i was safe and sound before he left. And to top it off, the day i was leaving for the cruise, I got a call from Christian... I had left my jacket in his van, and he had dropped it off at the hotel!!!! He is fabulous.

[estebofarr]

he sounds like a gem.

A few years ago, we arranged a private tour that picked us up at the ship in Valpo, took us on a tour around Valpo then to Vina del Mar for lunch then to Santiago, stopping at a vineyard on the way. we shared with another couple and I would love to have his name again, I just don't remember it. I know it wasn't very expensive and a wonderful day. The flights out were late so we had plenty of time to do all this. I would like to do it again this time, just in reverse.

[Berwin]

It appears that Christian got too big and uses many other people as subcontractors. Most of the people on my cruise who contracted with Christian never met him. Did you notice on his emails he does not list his cell phone number.

I finished this cruise. Its your trip. If you want to gamble with Christia thats your call.