Santiago · Backpacking

Two clusters: Barrio Brasil and Yungay west of the centre, cheaper and residential, and Bellavista at the foot of Cerro San Cristóbal, louder and closer to the bars. Both sit on or near Line 1 or Line 2.

Free: the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in Quinta Normal has charged nothing since 2015, and walking Lastarria and the Plaza de Armas costs nothing either. Paid: a weekday menú del día is the cheapest full meal, one transport fare buys two hours of transfers, and a headline attraction such as Buin Zoo is CLP 15,990 for an adult — that single ticket outweighs everything else you spend that day.

One card covers metro, buses and Metrotren Nos, and a single fare includes transfers inside a two-hour window; the fare varies with the time of day, so check the current table rather than assuming. Cards are sold and topped up at metro stations and authorised outlets, and online.

Alameda, Terminal Santiago and San Borja sit within a few blocks of each other on Line 1 near Universidad de Santiago, and between them they cover the whole country. Booking online a few days ahead usually beats the counter price, and an overnight cama seat saves a night's bed.

El Colorado and Farellones are only about 40 km from the city, but in winter the transfer plus lift pass is the biggest single thing a budget traveller spends in a day here. Out of season the same road is a well-known cycling climb and costs nothing at all.