Lakes Region : What means of transportation to get around?

Lakes Region : Organize your stay

From the airport to the city centre Lakes Region

Two airports handle international flights: Buenos Aires and Santiago, of course! Depending on your itinerary, you can land in Santiago and depart from Buenos Aires, or vice versa. Most airlines make a stopover in Madrid. Air France, however, offers direct flights, even between Santiago and Paris. It should be noted that price variations depend on the airline used, but above all on the booking deadline. To get the best rates, you need to book well in advance (around 6 months in advance).

Once you've set foot on terra firma, there are a number of options for getting to the city center of either megalopolis. Shuttles, buses, cabs and VTCs (such as Uber, even though it operates without regulation) offer fast, efficient transfers in under 45 minutes.

In Buenos Aires, you'll most likely land at Ezeiza airport. If you're feeling fit and patient and are arriving during the day (we don't recommend this option at night), opt for the 8 bus ($650 or around US$0.60), which will take you 1.5 hours to reach the city center and Avenida 9 de Julio.

There are also regular transfers from the airport (about every 15 minutes), so all you have to do is wait for the vehicle to fill up and you'll be dropped off 45 minutes later at the Retiro station in the city center, all for around $5,000 (about US$5).

The other comfortable option is to choose a cab or VTC. If you use a cab, avoid those that charge "by the meter" and ask for a flat-rate price (this should not exceed US$50 or around $50,000).

For those arriving in Santiago, you'll be landing at Arturo-Merino-Benítez airport after a 14-hour flight: here you have the same options, you can take the bus (TurBus, for example), which will charge you $1,800 (around US$2). Departures are every 10 minutes. It's best to get off at the Pajaritos stop, close to the main tourist attractions.

For transfers, all you have to do is give the address of your hotel and you'll be dropped off at the front door. The TransVip company is particularly fast and efficient, and costs from $7,000 (US$7). Finally, depending on the area where you're staying, cabs will charge between $20,000 and $28,000.

Arrival by train Lakes Region

If you're a fan of train journeys, conducive to daydreaming and scenic contemplation, Patagonia is no place for locomotives! Apart from a few old train lines that have been rehabilitated as tourist circuits, such as the Tren patagónico (https://trenpatagonicosa.com.ar/), which links Bariloche to Viedma through the province of Río Negro, La Trochita (or Viejo Expreso Patagónico) from Esquel, or the Tren del Fin del Mundo between Ushuaïa and the Parque nacional Tierra del Fuego.

Arrival by boat Lakes Region

A trip to Patagonia gives you the chance to cruise through islands, canals and fjords. Many cruises invite you to contemplate the horizon from ferries and boats offering spectacular scenery. To accompany you on this maritime odyssey, many companies offer cruises lasting from a few days to several weeks. Sail on Lake Nahuel Huapi, cross the lakes between Chile (Puerto Varas) and Argentina (Bariloche) with Cruce Andino (www.crucedelagos.com), embark among the glaciers to Tierra del Fuego or attempt the great crossing to Antarctica... Cruises are sometimes even necessary to reach the southern part of the region: ferries run several times a week between mainland Chile and the roadless, fjord-strewn southern lands. You can embark at Puerto Montt, Hornopirén or Quellon on the island of Chiloé to begin your journey south.

One of the most popular cruises is the one from Punta Arenas in Chile to Ushuaïa in Argentina. Lasting an average of 5 days and 4 nights, it allows you to admire the Beagle Channel and Cabo de Hornos National Park (the famous Cape Horn!). Cruceros Australis (www.australis.com) offers this expedition.

For a 4-day cruise in the Chilean fjords between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, contact Navimag (www.navimag.com).

Public transport Lakes Region

Patagonia is served by a huge network of national and international buses. Before heading off into the desert plains of the south, you can reach Santiago or Buenos Aires from La Paz in Bolivia, Asuncion in Paraguay or Lima in Peru. As you can imagine, this is no Paris-Bordeaux, and the distances involved are long, really long..

In Patagonia, some regions are very well served by bus companies. There are even different levels of comfort: "semi-cama" (half-sleeper) or "cama" (sleeper). Choose the "cama" option if you're traveling at night: you'll sleep very well! It saves time and is both economical and comfortable. Don't forget to take something to cover up, as the air conditioning is often cranked up to the max. Most cities have their own local bus companies. These run regular routes alongside colectivos, smaller buses with more irregular and fluctuating departures. Some cities separate national, regional and city bus terminals.

With a driver Lakes Region

In Santiago, Buenos Aires, Puerto Montt, Bariloche or Puerto Madryn, you'll easily find cabs that can provide transfers or even offer day tours. Of course, the deeper you go into the Deep South, the fewer drivers you'll come across, since they'd soon go out of business if they had to rely on the number of journeys! As far as VTC applications are concerned, Uber is not officially authorized in the region. Rides are often run discreetly, but you can order easily in the major cities and pay online or in cash. Uber is not officially authorized in Chile and Argentina: the app has been operating without regulation for several years now, and is still "in the gray zone". An "Uber law" was still under discussion during 2024. To avoid detection, drivers may ask you to sit in the front seat.

By car Lakes Region

A rental car is an excellent choice for exploring the wilds of Patagonia. While Argentine Patagonia has a number of major tourist centers, separated by long distances that can be covered thanks to a good bus network, Chilean Patagonia is more complicated to get to by public transport, as the infrastructure is not quite up to scratch. We advise you to arrive in Santiago de Chile, take a plane to Puerto Montt (or an overnight bus to Pucón) and explore from there: you'll find campervans, cars, 4x4s... Your destination: Punta Arenas, where you can return your vehicle at an extra charge. If you cross the border into Argentina, insurance papers are compulsory (the car rental company must give them to you). On your return to Chile, be sure to empty your vehicle of all "food at risk", i.e. fruit, vegetables, animal products (meat, fish, eggs, dairy products), etc.

As far as formalities are concerned, you don't need an international driver's license; you can simply take your national license with you. Apart from the fact that you must be over 21 years of age, there's nothing too complicated on the road: the Highway Code is pretty much the same as in Europe. In town, the speed limit is 50 km/h, and on the freeway 100 km/h. Don't forget to wear your seatbelt. In Argentina and Chile, wearing a seatbelt is not a matter of chance Fines are expensive, and so is your life... Small details that are also important: traffic lights are located after the crossing, crossing lights are compulsory outside towns, even during the day, and the right-of-way rule is rather ambivalent: generally speaking, it's the law of the strongest! Finally, make sure you never run out of fuel: the further south you go, the fewer petrol stations you'll find. Our advice: when in doubt, refuel as soon as you pass near a station.

Some long-haul travellers prefer to take their time: what could be better than buying a van or a car to make the most of Patagonia's diversity? Be aware, however, that the formalities can be a real headache. In Chile in particular, a 2016 law prohibits any non-resident foreigner from leaving the country with their own vehicle. However, many travelers bypass this law by obtaining the "Declaracion Jurada": an affidavit in which you confirm in writing and before a person authorized by law that you intend to bring the vehicle back within 6 months. However, some customs officers seem to know little about the law, and a veritable lottery is organized at border crossings: to avoid any problems, prefer to make an appointment with a notary, who will take care of making a sworn declaration.

Accessibility Lakes Region

The main airports in Patagonia (such as Punta Arenas in Chile and El Calafate in Argentina) are well-equipped to welcome people with reduced mobility, with ramps and elevators. Some airlines also offer assistance services for disabled passengers. Although it can be a challenge, given the region's wild and isolated nature, it is entirely possible to envisage a holiday in Patagonia for travellers with reduced mobility. However, this requires careful preparation and organization. It's essential to find out about the infrastructure in advance, to contact hotels, travel agencies and national parks to confirm their accessibility, and to plan each stage carefully.