A common mistake travellers do while planning a trip to Patagonia is not taking in consideration border crossing. Even though Patagonia is a region of South America, this doesn’t mean it all belongs to the same country. For years, Patagonia has been divided into territories of Chile and Argentina, both having different landscapes and people.
Some people decide to visit only the Chilean part, some others the Argentinian part but most opt for taking it all in and explore it all (well, or at least they do their best to). If you – like us – fall in latter category, by now you’ll have figured out one thing: deciding which border to cross is hard! Whatever you’re gonna go, you’ll always have the feeling of having missed something.
After a bit of route-making in Santiago de Chile, we decided that we wanted to see most of Chilean Patagonia before crossing over at the last border crossing of the country accessible by public buses. In this article we have collected all the essential information – handpicked by us – needed to properly organise the border crossing of Chile Chico – Los Antiguos.
Our minivan that got us to Chile Chico from Pto Rio Tranquilo
Getting in
From Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Option 1 is to get the Costa Carrera bus (supposedly running 2-3 times per week) and costing 14’000CLP/pp. Option 2 is to get a 12-seater minivan which is subsidised by the government (ticket can be purchased at the bus “terminal” of P. R. Tranquilo) and costs 15’000CLP/pp. Both rides supposedly take anything between 3 to 4 hours.
From Cochrane: Theoretically, the same Costa Carrera (Tel. 9-8739-2544) bus that runs buses to/from Rio Tranquilo also runs buses to Chile Chico from Cochrane three times a week (once per day at 5’000CLP/pp).
From Coyhaique: Three bus companies runs the bus + ferry combination to Chile Chico via Puerto Ibañez: Buses Acuña (Tel. 67-225-1579), Transportes Alejandro (Tel. 9-7652-9546) and Buses Carolina (Tel. 67-241-1490).
From Puerto Guadal: We’ve been told there are buses running to Chile Chico at least twice a week but that’s as much as we found out!
*** Be aware that this bus companies are privately owned. Obtaining exact timings, prices and up-to-date information is only possible by calling them directly ***
Taqsa border shuttle
Transport to border & Los Antiguos
Until short ago, services crossing the border were absent due to disagreement between Chile and Argentina but recently things changed.
Nowadays, the Patagonian bus company Taqsa runs a daily shuttle service (not Sundays) three times per day: 10.30am, 1.15pm, 8pm. On Saturday runs twice a day: 10.30am and 8pm. The cost of the ride is 12’000CLP/pp and connects Chile Chico with Los Antiguos.
At the border, the driver will help you through the quick process of border crossing, including the luggage checking. Remember that like other South American countries you’re allowed up to 90 days of visa in Argentina for FREE.
Dreadful office of Taqsa where scamming happens on a daily basis
On-ward journey
Most people crossing the border here can either be going up toward Bariloche or down to El Chalten. Either way, in the bus terminal of Los Antiguos there are buses heading to both destinations on daily basis.
Be aware that at the terminal of Chile Chico the Taqsa agents will try to sell you overpriced buses for Argentina. Don’t be fooled by these liars, they have been reported to the police multiple times for scamming. That is not your only option! Don’t buy tickets in Chile for buses operating nationally within Argentina, buy them in los Antiguos!
Our bus to El Chalten, they even offered us cherries on-board!
Chalten travel & Alina
In Los Antiguos, head straight for the Chalten Travel office and ask for Analia & her husband (analiakruk@hotmail.com, Tel. +54 92976234882). They’re probably the nicest people we’ve met so far and will get you organized in no time. In high season they offer a promotion for the 8pm bus to El Chalten at 1500ARG/pp (vs. 2090ARG/pp of Taqsa). You can also buy with them the connection for El Chalten to Calafate for just 500ARG/pp (against the 800ARG/pp if you buy at the on-site terminal).
In high season you can find buses more often but you need to check right at the office (or on the website) for the exact timings and such. Should you need to spend the night in Los Antiguous, do tours in the surrounding area or find transport to other less known destinations: Analia & co. is definitely you’re best bet!
In the end, crossing this border was definitely harder than what we expected. Due to the lack of information (kind of a pattern in Patagonia) we weren’t really able to plan ahead. Between unknown bus timings, inexistent connections and lying terminal agents, we literally tip-toed our way into Argentina.
How was your border crossing? Did you manage to cross without too many issues? Feel free to share your experience in the comments below, especially if you have fresh information about it!
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