Transport in Chile

File:Carreteras Duplas de Chile 2024.jpg

Dual carriageway highways in Chile, in red

Transport in Chile is mostly by road. The far south of the country is not directly connected to central Chile by road without travelling through Argentina, and water transport also plays a part there. The railways were historically important in Chile, but now play a relatively small part in the country's transport system. Because of the country's geography and long distances between major cities, aviation is also important.

Road transportEdit

HighwaysEdit

Total: 85,983 km
Paved: 21,289 km
Unpaved: 64,695 km (2020 est.)<ref name="observator">Red Vial de Chile</ref>

FreewaysEdit

3,347 km (2020 est.)<<ref name="observator"/>

BusesEdit

File:Transantiago bus articulado.jpg

Transantiago, Santiago's public bus system

Buses are now the main means of long-distance transportation in Chile, following the decline of the rail network.<ref>Omnilineas website</ref> The bus system covers the whole country, from Arica to Santiago (a 30-hour journey) and from Santiago to Punta Arenas (about 40 hours, with a change at Osorno). There are also international services to most other countries in South America. Longer-distance services are mostly on semi-cama (reclining seat) or cama (sleeper) buses, often double deck.

Santiago began its public bus system Transantiago in 2007. Concepción's "Bio Bus" integrates with the electric train, Biotren, and is based on a dedicated right of way for buses.

RailwaysEdit

File:Passenger trains in Chile.png

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Total: 6,782 km
Broad gauge: 3,743 km Template:Track gauge gauge (1,653 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 116 km Template:Track gauge gauge; 2,923 km Template:Track gauge (40 km electrified) (1995)
Template:Track gauge 40 km (from Arica to Tacna, Peru)

Not all lines connect.

Chile's railways (except for a few dedicated industrial lines <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> ) are operated by the state owned company Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE), which completed a major investment programme in 2005.<ref name=Kolodziejski>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The rail system once served the entire country, running rail lines from Arica in the north to Puerto Montt in the south. Due partly to the nature of the terrain and evolution in transportation systems, rail travel has suffered greatly at the hands of bus and air competition. The train usually takes longer to reach a destination than a bus, and the comfort is comparable. Prices also tend to be uncompetitive. Rail freight transport has also suffered at the hands of the trucking industry and will continue to do so due to the immense leverage the truck driver's union can bring to bear if they were to feel threatened.

The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia is a metre gauge railway in the north of the country. It was originally constructed in Template:RailGauge gauge.

The northern rail line out of Santiago is now disused past the intersection with the Valparaíso line. Until there, it is used nearly exclusively for freight. Although the rest of the northern line is still in place, it is in a state of serious disrepair.

The southern line runs as far as Puerto Montt and is electrified as far as the city of Temuco, from where diesel locomotives are used. Due to lack of budget and care, the 389 km Temuco to Puerto Montt section was abandoned in 1992 but after a $44m upgrade it has been back in use since 6 December 2005 with daily service between Victoria (north of Temuco) and Puerto Montt; today, however, only the service between Victoria and Temuco still operates.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Work to build/restore(?) the South Trans-Andean Railway link between Zapala, Argentina and Lonquimay, Chile was underway in 2005.<ref>IRJ March 2005</ref> Possible break-of-gauge. Possible rack railway.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Construction was undertaken by Patagonia Ferrocanal SA, formed and funded by the province.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The first 7 km was completed by January 2006.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Commuter rail lines in Santiago are planned to connect to Melipilla and Batuco.

There have been repeated case studies regarding the installation of a high-speed line between the cities of Valparaíso and Santiago, some even considering maglev trains, but no serious action has ever been taken on the matter.

Rail links with adjacent countriesEdit

Bolivia – yes – same gauge Template:RailGauge – from Arica to La Paz, Bolivia
Argentina – Central Trans-Andean Railway – abandoned 1984 – 100 km of mountain railway of Template:RailGauge gauge with rack railway sections – break of gauge Template:RailGauge/Template:RailGauge at either end. Concession planned to re-open line.<ref name=Kolodziejski />
Peru – yes – a single Template:RailGauge gauge connection between the northern Chilean city of Arica and Tacna in Southern Peru.

Cities with MetrosEdit

Ports and merchant marineEdit

Template:See also

PortsEdit

Merchant marineEdit

total: 45 ships (Template:GT or over) totaling Template:GT/Template:DWT ships by type: (1999 est.)

AviationEdit

Airports – with paved runwaysEdit

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total: 62
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)

Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, located in Santiago, is Chile's largest aviation facility.

Airports – with unpaved runwaysEdit

total: 310
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 68
under 914 m: 223 (1999 est.)

National airlinesEdit

BridgesEdit

File:Chile relief map 1974.png

An enlargeable relief map of Chile with major roads and rail lines depicted

Chacao ChannelEdit

Chacao Channel bridge is a planned suspension bridge that was to link the island of Chiloé with mainland Chile crossing the Chacao Channel. It was one of the several projects that were planned to commemorate the Chile's bicentennial in 2010. If completed, it would have been the largest suspension bridge in South America. Construction started in 2017 with completion expected in 2028.