Transport in Chile

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.

Longer-distance services are mostly on semi-cama (reclining seat) or cama (sleeper) buses, often double deck.

Chile's railways (except for a few dedicated industrial lines [3] ) are operated by the state owned company Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE), which completed a major investment programme in 2005.

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 southern line runs as far as Puerto Montt and is electrified as far as the city of Temuco, from where diesel locomotives are used.

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.

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