How to get to San Pedro de Atacama?
The most common way to get to San Pedro de Atacama is from Santiago to the city of Calama, and then head towards San Pedro.
What is the closest airport to San Pedro de Atacama? El Loa (CJC), located in Calama, about 70 kilometers northwest. It receives regular flights from Santiago and some services from other cities in Chile.
How long does the drive from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama take? The driving distance between Calama and San Pedro de Atacama is 100.5 km via Route 23. The duration is approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Air Transportation
From Santiago de Chile to Calama Airport
The flight covers 1,670 kilometers separating Santiago from Calama, the city closest to San Pedro de Atacama, making it an attractive transportation option in terms of time and cost compared to buses and rental cars for the same route.
Which airlines fly from Santiago to Calama (CJC)? Flights from Monday to Friday. On weekends, the frequency is reduced to 4 and 1.
How long is the flight from Calama to Santiago? A nonstop (direct) flight between Calama and Santiago de Chile takes approximately 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Which other cities have direct connections to Calama? From Concepción, you can fly nonstop with JetSmart or LATAM. From La Serena and Santiago de Chile, you can fly with JetSmart, LATAM, and Sky Airline.
From the airport to San Pedro de Atacama
How to get from Calama Airport to San Pedro de Atacama?
There are various transportation options available to cover the 100 kilometers to your accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama (about an hour and a half trip). The most convenient way is to hire a transfer service from the official companies operating at the airport.
Can you take a bus?
If you choose to take a bus, go from the airport to downtown Calama and select the company of your choice, always considering a wait of at least an hour to start the trip. This is the most.
Transfer from Calama Airport to San Pedro de Atacama
Regarding the transfer service to San Pedro de Atacama from the airport, the value per person is $12,000 per stretch ($20,000 round trip), which may include an additional cost for bicycles, wheelchairs and additional luggage.
For greater safety and comfort, we recommend you reserve your place in advance by clicking here:
Transfer: Calama Airport – San Pedro
Ground Transportation
From Santiago de Chile to Calama
By bus or car, a direct trip to San Pedro de Atacama can take 24 hours, which is approximately the time it takes to travel the 1680 kilometers that separate the capital from this town.
By Car
If your choice of transport is the car, from Santiago head north on the Pan-American Highway 5 north to the fork in the hill La Isla, in the town of Baquedano (Antofagasta), where you must take Highway 25 towards Calama.
By Bus
If your choice of transportation is the bus, we recommend you prefer the company Tur Bus , since it is the only company that makes a direct trip from Santiago and other cities in Chile to the town of San Pedro de Atacama. Its cheapest ticket (semi-bed bus) has an approximate value of $31,200 (August, 2016).
In case you prefer another bus line, the transport will only go to the city of Calama, from where you must take another local bus to get to the town in a 100 kilometer trip.
Bus Terminals in Santiago
- Los Héroes Terminal: Tucapel Jiménez and Alameda, Los Héroes subway station
- San Borja Terminal (ex North Terminal): San Borja and Alameda, metro station Estación Central.
Buses from Santiago to Calama
From Calama to San Pedro de Atacama
By Car
Finally, from that city prefer Highway 23 to get to San Pedro de Atacama.
Rental Car
The good condition of the roads also makes it a good option to rent cars to go and move around within San Pedro de Atacama and its tourist attractions. If you choose this alternative, a vehicle with good traction should be enough to transport you without problems (remember to take highway number 23).
By Bus
Buses from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama
- TUR BUS: Balmaceda # 1852, Calama; Telephone: 316699; Granaderos #1852, Calama. Phone: 313700.
- Buses Frontera del Norte: Antofagasta # 2041, Calama.
- Buses Atacama 2000: Abaroa # 2106, Calama.
International
From Argentina
To get to San Pedro de Atacama, we recommend using the transport services offered by Pullman Bus and Gemini lines that have departures three times a week from the Argentine cities of Salta, San Salvador de Jujuy and the villages of Purmamarca and Susques.
The travel time considered for this section is 10 hours, without considering the delay due to customs procedures that must be carried out at Jama border crossing that links the province of Jujuy with the II Region of Antofagasta.
Upon arrival in Calama, take one of the local buses that will take you to San Pedro de Atacama in approximately one and a half hours.
From Bolivia
Reach the Chilean border crossing of Ollagüe (Parque Eduardo Abaroa) in the bus services offered by Bolivian companies such as Centenario and 11 de Julio. From Ollagüe, connect with another bus that goes to the city of Calama like those offered by Frontera del Norte and Atacama 2000.
From the Bolivian city of Uyuni, famous for its salt flat with the same name, it is also possible to reach San Pedro de Atacama through the border crossing Hito Cajón, which is 50 kilometers away from the Chilean town.
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