Getting Around in Chile

One of the things people tended to ask me before I left was: "How will you get around the city? Will you have a car?"

Those are certainly important questions to ask. No, I don't have a car in Santiago, nor would I want one. Driving here is very treacherous. When that light turns green, cars blast off like rockets. There's a lot of traffic, and it can be quite dizzying. Also, gas is outrageously expensive in Chile, about $6 (USD) per gallon. That's a lot more than the US! All in all, I'm glad I don't have a car here.

So how do I get around in Santiago? 

I'll talk about four means of getting about town: walking, taking the bus, taking the metro, and taking a taxi.

Walking

Walking is probably my favorite way of getting around. If the walk is an hour or less, I'll usually walk instead of paying for another means of transportation. It's cheaper, of course, but it's also relaxing and good for you.

I like having my feet on the ground. I get a better feel of where I am that way. My sense of direction is pretty abysmal, so it helps me to actually walk the distance, so I can get to know landmarks and routes.

First of all, the sidewalks here are pretty. They're not concrete slabs; they're tiles. I see them being replaced quite often, and there are also street-sweepers who sweep the streets with brooms to keep them clean. They're employed by the city.

The sidewalks are also nice and wide.

I'm at a crosswalk here. You can see the little red hand, indicating STOP. You really do have to stop at the crosswalks. Like I said, when the light turns green, cars will fly. They are not concerned with you or what you're doing, so you have to be careful to truly obey the traffic laws (unless it's a Sunday, when there is very little traffic; then you can cross when it's red if there are no cars coming).

There are plenty of streetlights that keep the streets well-lit at night. They're also pretty.

Street vendors line the sidewalks in busier areas. They sell all kinds of things: umbrellas when it's raining, snacks, ice creams, sodas, candy bars, magazines, flowers, nuts, gum... The only time we typically buy from vendors is at the Nuts4Nuts stands. Nuts4Nuts is a chain of stands that sells maní confitado and almendra confitada, which are candied peanuts and almonds. They're made on the spot, so they're warm, and they smell and taste fantastic.

There are stray dogs everywhere in Chile. It sounds sad at first, and I suppose it can be, but these dogs get fed, and you see some of them waking around in fleece sweaters that people buy them. (Chileans think 40 degree is freezing cold, so they give the dogs sweaters. It's bizarre, but kind.) These dogs get fed, they get some love in the street, but they are technically homeless. Some of them look to be purebred, and would sell for thousands of dollars in the US. They're smart, too; I've seen dogs wait at streetlights, and only cross when they're supposed to. I guess they learn to survive that way. Matt has even seen some take the bus! They get on at one stop, then get off a few stops later.

Walking also gives you a chance to look at the architecture. There are beautiful doors, gates, and windows. 

These have always looked like little piggy ears to me.

One thing I like to say about Santiago is that it's truly built around people. If you build your city around roads, you'll get cars and parking lots (which isn't always a bad thing). But, if you want your city to be about the people, and the culture, you have to build it for them. 

This is an overpass. There are several like this one in the city. It helps pedestrians cut across the highway quickly and safely. They are very useful, and I'm grateful for them, even if it feels a little strange walking over a busy highway.

The Bus

I will be the first to admit that the bus scares me. I am intimidated by the bus because I have a hard time recognizing where I am on the bus. I get scared that I'll miss my stop or take the wrong bus, and end up halfway across the city.

I've been trying to be braver with the bus, though. To use the bus or the metro (both systems of Transantiago Public Transportation), you use a Bip card.

Your Bip card (pronounced Beep) is your bus and metro pass. You load money onto it every so often, at the Metro station at a machine or a teller, and swipe it when you want to enter the bus or metro. We'll talk more about fees later.

This is an example of a bus stop. It's got a small bench, a small covering, and usually some advertisements (here, a movie poster). Also, though not pictured, every bus stop has a sign that tells you which buses stop there. Unlike buses in the US, you have to flag down the bus (like you would a taxi) to let the driver know you want the bus to stop, otherwise they'll keep on going. In the morning, the line at the bus stop is super long.

Most buses are reddish in color, but some are blue. The bus number is displayed on the front and sides, and in the windshield, drivers will place the specific routes. Buses can be fairly small, or can be huge.

We got lucky on this bus; it was nearly empty! Buses are slam-packed in the mornings (during "peak hours"). You will be squished right up against the door. They fit as many people on as they can in the mornings. During off hours, it's easier and safer to take pictures, so that's when I took this one.

Buses, by the way, seem to follow no traffic laws. (Not really, I'm joking, but they do sort of take over the road!) They go very, very fast, so you have to hold on! There are buttons on those yellow railings that you can push to signal to the driver that you want to get off at the next stop.

The buses are convenient, but they take some getting used to.

The Metro

The US is an enormous country with lots of big cities. I'm surprised that the US doesn't have more metro (subway) systems. New York City, D.C., and Chicago all have metro systems, of course, but I wish there were more.

The Santiago metro system is incredible. It's easy to use, and it's my favorite way to get around the city. It's fast and efficient, if a little crowded at times.

The three red diamonds in an oval signify a metro station. This logo can be found over the underground entrances to the metro stations themselves, or on buses, signifying which metro stations they pass by.

Here's the map of the metro. The main line is the red line. I live off of the red line, between Metro Salvador and Metro Manuel Montt. To get to the other lines, you take the red line to connecting stations. Connecting stations are always busy stops. Lots of people get on and off the metro at those stops.

I found the metro pricing system in English! These signs are in Spanish at the metro station. To calculate any price from CLP (Chilean pesos) to USD (US dollars), multiply the pesos by 2, then move the decimal place over two spots to the left. So, if one metro swipe costs 690 pesos during rush hour, it costs $1.38 USD.

Here's where you swipe you Bip card. Once past the turnstyles, you choose a direction. Instead of something confusing like North, South, East, or West (which can be disorientating without a map in front of you), it gives you the option of the directions of two stops at the beginning and end of the line, so you always choose an "up" direction or a "down" direction. It's easy to use that way.

Past the turnstyles, looking down at the trains going in opposite directions.

Here's Matt waiting at Metro Salvador, the metro closest to our house. The platform isn't too wide. You have to stay behind the yellow line for safety. The trains come fast! You'll never wait more than about two minutes for a train.

Here's a stealthy train picture. You shouldn't generally take out expensive electronics on the train, because you wouldn't want someone to steal it, so I made sure to only take my out with the train was pretty empty.

You'll see that the train has a few seats per car, with lots of handrails (pasamanos) and rungs (manillas). This train is packed like a can or sardines in the morning. I have to hold my breath for the doors to close! The metro is not a good place for you if you are claustrophobic. But in the off-hours, it's easy-going and more open.

I'm getting better at my metro stance. (This was taken in the reflection on the door.) You have to stand with your legs apart, sort of in a "power stance," so that you don't fall over. The trains aren't as rough as the buses can be, but it can be a jolt when it takes off or comes to a stop.

The metro stations in Santiago are really beautiful. There is some sort of artwork in most of the stations. A lot of it is historical or cultural. There are painted murals, tiled murals, and even model sets.

The metro stations here are enormous. It's easy to get lost, but eventually you'll find your way. They're also very clean, and I actually like the way they smell, because most have bakeries, mini-restaurants, and vendors in them. The vendors sell homemade pastries and breads, yogurt cups, and sandwiches. Restaurants sell all kinds of things, and you'll even see some US chains.

Metro Escuela Militar has a Dunkin Donuts with a big patio. The yellow sign next to Dunkin Donuts is for Castaño. Castaño is bakery chain here in Santiago. They are more prevalent than Starbucks is the US; there seems to be a Castaño bakery on every block, and at every metro station.

It also has a Subway.

And a grocery store!

This was from a newspaper I got. It says that 2.4 million people take the metro every day in Santiago.

This is from the same article. It explains how the metro system is stepping up its security.

Sometimes you'll see carabineros (police) in the metro with dogs. The dogs are there to sniff. A few weeks ago (in early July), an explosive was found on a Santiago metro car (not on the red line, but another line). It was not detonated, luckily. It is thought to have been left there by a rogue anarchist group. That's reprehensible.

The picture in the article shows guards checking a train car at the end of the line, making sure that no suspicious items are leftover.

Despite that incident from a few weeks ago, I feel very safe on the metro. If you ever ride the metro (in Santiago or in any city), just be smart about it. Know your surroundings, trust your instincts, and keep your possessions out of sight (don't leave your phone or wallet in your back pocket, hold onto bags instead of leaving them on the floor where someone could pick them up and run off with them, etc.).

Taxis

I have a love-hate relationship with taking taxis in this city. Luckily, if I ever need one, I won't have to wait too long for one, because they're everywhere, and they're easy to spot. The city taxis are black cars (and make or model) with yellow roofs. 

They start at a base price of 300 CLP, and the ticker runs until you reach your destination. They can get pretty expensive if you're going far, so usually I try to take a cab to the metro station and then ride the metro for the rest of the way. 

Cabbies here have been nothing but lovely to me. Maybe it's because I'm a gringa that speaks Spanish, but they're always friendly and conversational. I have tried to tip several cabbies, and they always decline. They just do their job, scooting around the city, taking people where they need to be. 

This cabbie pulled out his English journal at a red light. He told me that he has been using free online programs and phone apps to try to learn English. His journal was filled with grammar and vocabulary practice that he'd done on his own. He was really proud of it, and I was proud of him, too. That takes a lot of will-power and dedication.

So, how early and late can you take all these systems?

• Walking - You can walk at any time, obviously, but as in any city, I feel comfortable walking by myself between the hours of 6am and 9pm. With Matt or another person, I feel ok walking later, but wouldn't want to walk in the wee hours of the night/morning.
• Taking the bus - Some run 24 hours; you just have to check the Transantiago website. Most run late into the night and very early in the morning.
• Taking the metro - The metro opens around 5am and the last run starts around 11pm.
• Taking a taxi - The taxis are always around.

One really cool thing the Transantiago website does is give you specific routes. If you enter your starting address and your destination address, it will tell you exactly how to get there: which bus or metro station to get to, which bus to take, when the next one is coming, and exactly how long the total journey will take, including the walking time back to your house.

So, getting around this city isn't too hard. Sometimes I get pangs of anxiety where I miss my car, especially if I'm far away from home, but they go away. I trust the public transportation system here. I wish Richmond would develop a better bus system. But, bus systems require funding and more infrastructure, and sometimes there's just not enough money to do it. I think it would make navigating the city a lot easier, though. 

Hope everyone at home is getting around safe and sound. Love and miss you all!