Travel Time Between Santiago and Valparaiso

[Bobbie63]

Hi Marilyn.....So sorry I did not answer sooner...we were away on a trip to Cancun and I am finally getting caught up with things.

Yes, we would definitely be interested in getting together with you for the transfer to Valparaiso - that would be great. We, too, are arriving 2 days ahead. We will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel the 13th and 14th. How are you getting from the airport to your hotel? We are flying from Ft Lauderdale, FL and arrive at 4:15 am! Just hoping the hotel will allow us an early check-in.

Please let me know further details. Looking forward to meeting you.

Bobbie

[Bobbie63]

Awaiting your reply Marilyn

Bobbie

[ponstad]

We too will be looking for transportation from Santiago to Valparaiso - next December. We plan to spend two days in Santiago, then off to the cruise ship. Please let us know how your transportation works out - we might want to find a van and we'll have a group of 4 people already.

[rjeannette]

hello PONSTAD

in the past I had good experience in the transfer you can write to my mail rjeannette@123mail.cl

[cands]

We did this transfer in January 05. We got off the ship, were bussed to the passenger terminal, and from a desk in the terminal, instantly got an air-conditioned van for four people from Port Compass for USD50 each. We did it with two people we met on the ship - there were many who had planned to transfer independantly. We toured Valparaiso, Vina del Mare and then onto Santiago to two different hotels. We didn't want to do a winery. There was a major street through Santiago that is under repair (Bernard O'Higgins Ave?). Our driver got seriously lost because of this - we didn't mind as we got a free tour. In the end he used our map to find his way.

 

The vans seemed to all have a driver and guide, and at both hotels the guide came in to make sure everything was OK.

I would have liked more time to look around Valparaiso and skip Vin de Mar (typical over built sea resort - for Australians, the beaches were considered non existent). Valparaiso has many funiculars with pretty little town squares at the top and lots of interesting buildings and vistas.

I notice a posting for people staying at the Crown Plaza in Santiago. We stayed there and it was fine. The picture on their website does not do it justice. It is walking distance into the city and also over the river to the funicular up San Cristobel. Historic buildings area opposite the hotel. Good cars with drivers are available instead of taxis and didn't seem expensive.

 

I must comment that after several stops in Chile on our cruise, I found that I have never been to country where the locals and staff, who mostly have no english, were incredibly patient and friendly - even more than USA! - I get the 'not another foreigner' look, even in english speaking countries, as my Australian accent is quite strong.

 

Also, something that has never happened anywhere else - even at home, the shop near the hotel made me take the six cans of soft drink that I wanted to buy, would not take my money, and gently pushed me out of the shop. I am still perplexed about that one. I think it was due to my entertainment value.

 

If there are any queries will keep an eye out for your posts.

 

Chris :)

[DallasSteve]

Hi all. ! a quick question..... I'm doing the Valaraiso to Ft. Lauderdale run on the Infinity next March. I've heard something about having to pay money at the Santiago airport to get out of the airport. Can someone tell me what that's about??

 

Also, at this point I'm planning to fly in and go directly from airport to ship without any stayover .... is that a good idea?

 

Thanks.

Steve

[Keith1010]

Yes, when you fly into Santiago each US passenger pays $100.00 to enter Chile. There was one line that takes credit card and the rest took US dollars.

 

I prefer to fly in a day or two early. That way if there is a delay with the airplane or the flights are canceled I have another day or two to make the ship.

 

I'm not sure if you live in Dallas based on your CC user name, but if you do American Airlines does have a direct flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Santiago, Chile.

 

Keith

[Jesimina]

Hi Jennie,

 

A typical transfer to either the airport or hotel is usually anywhere from $100 to $160 dollars for your own cab/car. Most drivers include brief tours of Santiago in on the way. Your only real problem is that there are very few drivers who speak english. How they do tours is beyond me but I guess so long as you have a bit of spanish and they a little english then somehwere in the middle with the view everyone is happy.

 

Usually myself or one of my staff (all who speak English) are organizing free crew shuttles for the crew members to come and use my cafe services. This is how I have figured out prices and met the few who speak english. The other guys usually end up asking me to assist in the barter/haggle to set up a shuttle or tour. I pretty much try to stay out of it as on a slow day you can imagine how grabby they can become.

 

All are well licensed, the port is patroled strongly by the authorities and anyone who is not a licensed cabbie minimum is shuttled off the port area. So you can feel safe in doing whatever you wish for transportation. Depending on exactly what you wish I have helped many folks last year with a dependable english speaking driver. Saves the last minute hassles. In turn on of ship days these guys direct tourists to my cafe for cofees and phone calls.

 

I have spoken to many people who use portcompass and are very happy with their dependable and professional service. But they have minimums and you may not get the individual personal chauffer type service.

 

In terms of the tours I set up some last year that were about $35 per person on top of the transfer fee of $120. It included two wineries. Depending on your timeline there are some very interesting ones I know of including one over 100 years old that was a Franciscan monestary. I don't think port compass or any large bus tour will find or take you to this one. Very unpolished and original.

 

All the best,

Jaime;

What would be your cost for 2 persons (as of this writing) from the port to the airport. Our Holland America cruise arrives on 7 Jan sometime in the morning. Our flight leaves that night at 10:30pm.

Do you use a car or a van? What is the maximum number of people would you have on one trip? What would the tour consist of - Valpairiso; Vina de Mar; a winery?

Please respond with the particulars.

[Jesimina]

Hi Bobbie.

We are also transferring from Santiago to Vapo for the Apr. 15 sailing of the Amsterdam. I think I have found someone. Would you like to join me and my husband? A van will hold 4 people and luggage. Are you arriving in Santiago that morning? We will be picked up from a hotel in Santiago because we are arriving 2 days earlier. We are travelling with 2 other couples who have arranged the transfer from the airport but the van will hold only 4 people with luggage. I am going to reserve it with the same person that they did. I can't remember what the cost was for 4 people. For 2 people it was $95 for the van, not per person. If you would like to do this, let me know and I will let you know exactly how much it will be.

Marilyn

Hi Marilyn

I read your post regarding a transfer from Santiago to Vapo for the sailing of the Amsterdam. You said you think you found someone.

 

I am looking for a transfer from Vapo to Santiago after the return of the Rotterdam. I am also hoping that I will be able to find another couple to join my husband and I.

 

I would appreciate knowing what company/person you contacted for this service.

 

Marilyn (Yes, I am also a Marilyn - from L.A.)

[cruiser1720]

I know this is an old message, but I hope that you are still active. We are disembarking from the NCL SUN on Dec. 21st at approx. 8:00 a.m.. We are a party of 4. How much to transfer to the Layfayette Hotel in Santiago with maybe a 3 or 4 hour tour added? Also, on Monday the 22nd, we need to go to the airport for flights at 11:30 a.m. and later for a flight at 10:30 p.m. Two of us might tour some that day if there is something that you recommend doing.

[cruisetraveler55]

Hi - I've read a lot about PostCompass -- we are also traveling alone. We have a wierd trip home. Ship docs 8:00 a.m. and we leave Santiago at 4:00 a.m. so we have 18 hours -- about 15 actually leaving time to get to the airport. We need transportation from Valparaiso and would like to tour a winery and perhaps Santiago or will take recommendations. I guess we should have dinner and then leave for the airport. Welcome all suggestions. Thank you.

[cruisetraveler55]

Sorry -- we are on NCL cruise arriving Valparaiso 2/15/09. Is anyone out there that wants to hook up with us for a PortCompass Tour? Are open to all suggestions how to spend the day of 2/15. Thanks:)

[Carmelita]

Hi Cruisetraveller55, welcome to the boards. Please come and join our very small roll call for the NCL Sun cruising out of Buenos Aries on Feb 1. A couple of us are just planning to take a taxi from Valparaiso into Santiago and do a short afternoon hop-on hop-off bus tour of the city as we both will be leaving the following day. We have another outside vendor tour planned for Puerto Montt if you are interested. Looking forward to chatting with you some more on the Roll Calls board.

[Addictedtwo]

Sorry -- we are on NCL cruise arriving Valparaiso 2/15/09. Is anyone out there that wants to hook up with us for a PortCompass Tour? Are open to all suggestions how to spend the day of 2/15. Thanks:)

 

I read somewhere either here or trip advisor about how bad port compass was. I too have been searching for tours and just took this tour company out my book marks.

[barjolov]

Hi - I've read a lot about PostCompass -- we are also traveling alone. We have a wierd trip home. Ship docs 8:00 a.m. and we leave Santiago at 4:00 a.m. so we have 18 hours -- about 15 actually leaving time to get to the airport. We need transportation from Valparaiso and would like to tour a winery and perhaps Santiago or will take recommendations. I guess we should have dinner and then leave for the airport. Welcome all suggestions. Thank you.

 

When are you embarking in Valparaiso and on what cruise line. We are arriving there Dec 8th on the Star Princess. We would be interested in getting together to tour Valparaiso and Santiago and then getting dropped off at the airport. I know that with postcompass it costs less the more people we have. Do you or anyone else out there want to group up with us.

Barbara

[greatam]

Hi - I've read a lot about PostCompass -- we are also traveling alone. We have a wierd trip home. Ship docs 8:00 a.m. and we leave Santiago at 4:00 a.m. so we have 18 hours -- about 15 actually leaving time to get to the airport. We need transportation from Valparaiso and would like to tour a winery and perhaps Santiago or will take recommendations. I guess we should have dinner and then leave for the airport. Welcome all suggestions. Thank you.

 

Just a heads up. Port Compass, UNLESS you pay for a VERY expensive PRIVATE tour, will drop you off at the airport sometime between 4-5:00PM. LOOOONG time to wait until your plane leaves.

 

You will be FAR better off getting off the ship, taking a taxi to the rental car agency in Vina, renting a car from Advantage rental car (can be done online via Advantage rental, USA website), doing your own wine tour (make reservations in advance-easily done with email or via winery websites), then driving yourself to the airport and dropping the car off.

 

A couple years ago, I had to get DH to a very late plane to Peru. I was staying in Santiago for business before meeting up with him and friends in Cusco. I made arrangements with Port Compass to do a PRIVATE tour, which would drop me off at my hotel in Santiago and would end at the airport about 8-8:30PM. Cost was about $125.00pp IIRC. Got an email about a week later, stating that another couple would like to join us. It would cut the cost. Was this OK???? Sure, great idea.

 

The next thing I knew we were on one of their "grow a group" STANDARD tours with drop off at the airport between 4-5. Long wait at the airport for DH, I needed to get to the hotel so I could go to a meeting the next morning and I STILL had to get back to the hotel from the airport on my own. NO-this was NOT satisfactory. I got told I had consented to "grow a group" and I could take it or leave it. If I wanted the PRIVATE tour with late drop off, it was now going to cost $175.00pp for about 10 hours. We rented the car, DH dropped me at the hotel about 9:00, went to the airport and dropped off the car before his flight.

 

IF you can drive in California on the 101, you can drive in Chile. Since you have such a late departure, this will be a far superior idea than trying to get a tour, UNLESS you want a 10 hour wait at the airport. Wineries are easy to get to, the roads are good, signage is good, and there are very good maps on the internet and at the car rental agencies.

 

There is little open in the SCL airport after the midnight flights leave. So you just sit around. The car should cost you about $120.00 for the day. If you need further info, please post.

[bubbachief]

I read on one of the earlier posts that you have to pay $100 when you land at the Santiago airport. Is that still true?

[Keith1010]

I read on one of the earlier posts that you have to pay $100 when you land at the Santiago airport. Is that still true?

 

Used to be $100.00. It's now $131.00. Have new very crisp bills. I would give them a $100.00 bill, a twenty, a ten and a one dollar bill. They like the most current version and again ones that are very crisp.

 

Keith

[bubbachief]

Used to be $100.00. It's now $131.00. Have new very crisp bills. I would give them a $100.00 bill, a twenty, a ten and a one dollar bill. They like the most current version and again ones that are very crisp.

 

Keith

Thanks for the info. Looks like we may have to think about the trip. $262 to get of the airplane seems steep.

[cruisetraveler55]

Thank you for the wonderful information. We will investigate. Yes - the problem with using miles is sometimes getting terrible flights out. Can you recommend a winery or two for us to visit?

[LandsEndLady]

We are taking the same trip as those who have posted earlier, but will be traveling in Dec 09. Is there an update on PostCompass and/or hiring a car or even renting one?

[tjcox9]

A couple of years ago we used a company to do a wine tour and also for transfer to Valparaiso. You may want to check them out. I don't see that they have as an offering a transfer, but know they did it for us. Just use the contact us feature on the site and ask. And I don't remember what we paid, but tend to not go overboard with this stuff.:rolleyes:

 

Company name is chile about and you can easily turn that into an e-mail address with a simple com addition. Nice web site too.

[mathtodos]

We will be getting on Celeb. Infinity in Valparaiso and would like to see some of Santiago before going to Valp. Would like to hear about touring in Santiago, getting to Valp. and touring there and on the way. Mathtodos;);)

[patpat1118]

all info is old and not very useful