Chile Forum

Is there a train from Santiago to the south? Is it worth taking instead of a bus?

I remember when i spent 4 months in Temuco that there is indeed a trainstation where passenger trains come and go, however i'm not sure the route, although you could probably bet that it runs north/south up to santiago. I'm not sure, though, that it would beat taking a bus. The buses are quite nice throughout chile and for very competative prices...much better than in the US. i remember a one-way ticket to santiago from Temuco cost me $5.000 pesos. about $9-10 US at current exchange rate and was very comfortable....hope this helps

Yes, there are trains. I don't have the current prices right on hand, but they are more expensive than the bus. That said, I money not being an issue, I would go with the train every time. The train has much more room, and runs through back country that the bus does not go through.

Be aware that the train has a bad rep in Chile for breaking down, but I still love riding the train. There are some articles on the train on allsouthernchile.com :
http://www.allsouthernchile.com/content ... ion/23/82/

Try http://www.efe.cl/ for the current train prices and info [/url]

Last word we got is that the train was not running. Some problem with the tracks. Should be up by mid Oct for the start of the high season as we understand.

Are the train tracks still broken? Someone said it was, but would like to have it here in writing for others who might be interested.

The Chilean RR needs to have some of the equipment that I saw a little while ago here. They were doing some repairs on some track crossings here. They had some equipment that rode on the rails and was leveling out the gravel on the sides. They also replaced some ties and repaved a few crossings. I don't remember who the equipment belonged to, I saw the signs and know the name well but I am drawing a blank.

I would rather take the train from Santiago to Temuco, than the bus. You can walk around the train and have more room.

I would consider the train just a tourist train. I did see one go through last week, but that is really the exception to the rule of always being broken down.

I also don't understand their policy. For example, they will have a train say from Santiago to Puerto montt running, but if the one that does Temuco to Santiago breaks down then there is simply no replacement train. The tracks are the same.

We have tried to get information from the EFE people but no one will talk to us because they consider us press. The EFE has fairly bad relationship with the press. I mean really bad. They killed a journalist that was on the tracks trying to take a photo of a train last year.

This time last year I asked about the train and it was stopped due to need for investment to get it up and running again. There was talk of it being ready by (last) summer. I don't think anything has changed - ie it is still stopped due to need for investment.

It's a shame as I took it about six years ago my first time in Chile. It was a gorgeous old train from (apparently) 1940s germany, all polished wood and mini sleeper compartments, complete with a fat conductor who illustrated they were old german trains by goose-stepping up and down the aisle for my benefit.

That makes the sighting of a train arriving in Temuco from Santiago akin to bird watching. You might see one or not. But it is not like you can (or could) count on the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano.

So if you need to make the trek from Santiago to Temuco by a certain date/time, don't count on the train.

Didn't they buy some trains (locomotives) from Spain a while back? Why didn't they get some from someone else? I didn't think Spain was one of the top builders of locomotives, but I could be wrong.

Isn't there a gauge issue between commuter and cargo trains in some (or many) parts of the world?

Does anyone knows if the trains are running now? We'll be traveling soon to Valdivia but I would be happy to know that at least we could travel up to Temuco and from there to Valdivia. I would appreciate an update.Thanks

I would love to take the train if it's running...does anyone know?

It appears to be, no info about it not running.

Check on efe.cl for uptodate info.

I have used the online to buy tickets before.

I am just coming from the south and at the moment there is NO train Santiago-Temuco-Santiago. They are still working on it....