Getting Around In Santiago
Getting from place to place in Santiago is very easy and efficient. The public transportation system here in Santiago can get you anywhere you need to go fast.
First off, most tourist destinations can easily be reached via a trip on the subway. The subway system in Santiago is called the Metro. The Metro has a Red, Green, Yellow, and Blue line. The Red line is the line that most tourist attractions are off of. The lines intersect at various stations, so you can easily get from one line to another. Metro tickets can be purchased in every subway terminal from manned ticket counters. If your stay in Santiago is going to be long and you anticipate riding the Metro many times I would recommend purchasing a "BIP" card. A BIP card is a rechargeable plastic card, much like a credit card, that will save you time as you will not have to stand in line at ticket windows each time you need to ride the Metro. Also all Metro stations have display maps showing the routes, so you can easily check which Metro line you need to get onto. There is also no need to look for time tables as you will never have to wait more than a minute or two for the next Metro.
Your next option are the buses. Here in Santiago the buses have come a long way and are now a reliable source of public transportation. There are bus stops at each Metro stop so transferring from the Metro to a bus or the other way around is not complicated.
With so many reliable and easy options to get around in Santiago you do not need a car. I would also advise against renting a car as parking is hard to find and expensive when you do find it. Also be aware that during rush hour times both the Metro and the buses can be overflowing with commuters as many Chileans use public transportation to get to and from work. But if you do find yourself riding the Metro during rush hour most Chileans will try to make space on the train so don't be shy about trying to squeeze on the train.