Chile Forum

Anybody know how to buy a bus ticket from Chile to Argentina before I leave the USA?

It's not a problem, you can get a ticket the same day or even a couple hours before you leave. Just check the schedules for TUR BUS or PULLMAN BUS. If you show up at the right time you can get a ticket 15 minutes beforehand.

I just came back from Mendoza today doing a visa run. It's a great trip though the Andes, takes about 7 hours from Vina. Some of those hairpin turns on the switchbacks are pretty wild. Take your camera the scenery is fantastic.

I tried using TurBus's web site but couldn't find any destinations in Argentina. The idea here is to provide proof of forward travel so the airline will grant me a one way ticket into Chile since the round trip tickets are about double the cost.

are flying on aeroflot or tica air?...does anyone remember EQUATAURINA AIRLINES?...Yeah well it took a week to get to miami from santiago...a week, a long week...but that was back in the day....

puelche out

ShanePickle wrote:The idea here is to provide proof of forward travel so the airline will grant me a one way ticket into Chile

Ah, the return/onward ticket issue requirement as thrown up by many uninformed travel and ticket agents. One of my favorite topics and rants.

When traveling on a passport from most developed and even many developing nations, CHILE HAS AN OFFICIAL EXEMPTION TO THE ONWARD TICKET REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE TRAVELING FOR TOURISTIC PURPOSES...not that Chile or Argentina Immigrations or most other Latin American countries ever bother asking for onward travel even if officially required.

The airlines will be your problem not Immigrations.

PROOFS:

(1) Refer to evidence from Timatic (access via the Delta Airlines site), the IATA database the entire travel industry uses to determine whether they will print you a boarding pass on travel day. Bold emphasis mine.

/ 28MAR07 / 0301 UTC



National U.S.A. (US) /Destination CHILE (CL)


CHILE (CL)



Passport required.

Visa not required for a stay of max. 90 days.
(Extension of 90 days possible).

Passengers entering for touristic purposes are charged a

reciprocity fee of USD 100.- (in cash).
The receipt issued upon payment of the reciprocity fee is
regarded as a multiple entry visa and is valid until the

passport expires.
Exempt: holders of student visas and their dependants.

In all cases:
if passenger holds an APEC Business Travel Card:
visa not required, provided back of card states it is valid
for travel to Chile.

Passenger must hold:
- Tourist Card, issued free of charge, on board aircraft or on
arrival. Validity is 90 days (extension possible); and
- sufficient funds; and
- return or onward ticket.


Exempt from holding return/onward ticket:

when arriving for touristic purposes and holding credit card

or sufficient funds to purchase a ticket.


Minors: foreign minors up to 18 years old travelling:
- alone, are recommended to hold notarised authorisation from

both parents/guardians;
- with one parent or one legal guardian, are recommended to
hold notarised authorisation by the absent parent.

In case minor is adopted, legal permission from both parents
is required (Tribunal Permission/court order).

Non-compliance with entry regulations may result in heavy

fines and deportation at carrier's expense.


CHECK TINEWS/N14 - CARICOM SPECIAL VISA;



Timaticweb Version 1.3
28 March 2007

(2) I am a real life example of someone that has lived on a tourist visa in Chile since May 2001 always traveling on itineraries that terminate in Chile. Let's see, I must have 49 stamps since May 2001 in my just expired passport. Chile Immigrations has never asked me for proof of funds or my future travel plans. The airlines are a different story.

A once uninformed me was denied a boarding pass at MIA by an uninformed American Airlines ticket agent until I purchased a return ticket (I bought a 100% refundable ticket which I cancelled on landing in SCL).

Afterwards, I found out about the exemption and now know it by heart and recite it, slap down my credit card, and direct/order the ticket agent to look it up in Timatic (at their fingertips) if questioned (about three times since my bad MIA experience).

IME, Lan has never given me a problem. American Airlines and Delta can be pendejos about it.

(3) Go to Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree South America forum to see how zillions of probably not so rich looking gringo mochillero-types never seem to have a problem when entering Chile/Argentina/Uruguay/Peru/Bolivia and most other Latin American countries in the region.

Point taken, Thanks.