Dear travelers,
I will soon have to go from Coyhaique to Puerto Natales. I found some old 2009 threads and I hope that public transport in Chile has become better in 7 years. Is there anyway to go by bus without spending a fortune? I cannot hitchhike because I'll have just 24 hours to go there and it's a bad bet. Flights are well over 200$/€ right now. I would appreciate a list of public transport sites in Chile!
Thanks and cheers,
Stefano
Buses Becker has a weekly bus fro Coyhaique to Puerto Natales leaving at 12:30 on Tuesdays (confirm)..
http://www.busesbecker.com
There are other, more complicated routes but this is the most straightforward.
The reason public transport is complicated is because (1) it's VERY sparsely populated, and (2) there is no road connection in Chile between Coyhaique and Puerto Natales. The bus @femby said is by far your best option. If once a week doesn't cut it for you, your best bet would be to string together that same itinerary on your own. Roughly: Coyhaique - Pto Ibañez - Perito Moreno - El Calafate - Puerto Natales. If you can't find transport from Pto Ibañez to Perito Moreno, take the ferry to Chile Chico and go from there.
Your other alternatives are ferry up to Puerto Montt and then another ferry to Punta Arenas and then a bus. Or, all the way down the Carretera Austral to Vila O'Higgins, then hike, ferry and hitch hike to El Chalten and bus from there onwards.
None are particularly fast.
the flight Balmaceda Punta Arenas costs only 48.000 pesos = 69 euros from Punta Arenas to Natales cheap and frequent buses 2,5 hours ride
https://dapairline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Tarifas-e-itinerarios-2016-2017.pdf
Argh, I cannot. Busesbecker doesn't offer online booking. I'll try to send them an email. Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks Fernando. I'll better check the timetable to see.if there's any flight the day I must go.
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