Use Uber, learn the local transit payment, and prepare for long distances
Check Chile's official entry rules for the passport you will use, since visa requirements depend on nationality.
If your trip includes Rapa Nui, complete its separate FUI before departure, hold a return ticket and a booking at a SERNATUR-authorized accommodation, and respect the 30-day maximum stay. Cards are widely used in cities, but carry some Chilean pesos for markets, smaller businesses, regional buses and places with weak connectivity. In Santiago, contactless Visa and Mastercard work directly on Metro and MetroTren Nos, but not yet on Red buses; a physical Bip card remains the simplest visitor option when buses are involved. App-based rides operate widely, although Chile's new transport-app law was still awaiting its completed regulation at this review date.
At Santiago airport, use a transport desk inside the terminal, an official airport transfer or the pickup instructions shown in your app, and ignore unsolicited drivers. Phone and bag theft is a real risk in crowded transport, restaurants and tourist areas. Keep the phone out of sight near the street, watch your luggage, and call 133 for police, 131 for an ambulance or 132 for fire services. Follow SENAPRED alerts and local evacuation instructions during earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires or volcanic activity.
The simplest first ride app for most visitors, with service across Santiago and many regional Chilean cities.
A useful second option in four major urban areas, with certified airport van services in Santiago.
A broad regional alternative to Uber with card payments and cash in some Chilean cities.
The most useful messaging channel for Chilean accommodations, guides, businesses and local contacts.
The best general map for Chilean addresses, driving, businesses and much urban public transport.
Santiago's official app for Red buses, Metro and MetroTren Nos routes, live arrivals and service alerts.
Chile's official live bus and route planner for participating public transport in more than 20 regional cities.
Useful for Spanish text, signs, menus and downloaded language files when mobile data is unavailable.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Chilean stores may simply refuse to sell a prepaid SIM on a foreign passport, and this is common enough to plan around: recent travelers report Entel shops declining outright and needing several Movistar branches before one agreed, after which the sale itself took minutes. Try Movistar first, expect refusals, and carry a travel eSIM as a fallback. Also note that 2G and 3G are being shut down across all four carriers, so an older handset may fail, and if an online form demands a RUT (Chilean tax number), entering nine 9s is the standard workaround.
The widest geographic coverage and the local pick for the Atacama in the north and Patagonia in the south. Its stores are, however, the most likely to turn tourists away.
The fastest network in recent rankings, strong in Santiago and along the central coast around Valparaiso. In practice the carrier most likely to actually sell a tourist a SIM.
Aggressive on price and first with 5G in Santiago, but rural coverage lags. Fine for a city trip only.
The smallest of the four networks. Workable in Santiago, but not the pick for travelling around the country.
The essential apps for Chile are Uber, Uber Eats, WhatsApp, Google Maps, Red Movilidad.
We've curated 12 apps across 11 categories for traveling in Chile, including 7 essential apps.
Uber is the top-rated ride hailing app in Chile. The simplest first ride app for most visitors, with service across Santiago and many regional Chilean cities.
Cards, peso cash, open transit payments and dependable local apps
Cash backup, QR payments, cable cars and roadblock-aware travel
Use Uber or 99, expect CPF barriers, and carry backup cards and reais
Use dispatched rides, carry small pesos, and learn each city's transit system
The right apps, plus the official and offline backups Costa Rica still requires
Dollar cash, exact map pins and city-specific transport tools matter in Ecuador
