How the arrivals hall works
International arrivals exit into a transport centre separated from the public zone. Nuevo Pudahuel, the airport concessionaire, tells arriving passengers to follow the blue arrow on the floor after the SAG agricultural inspection and customs. The arrow leads to desks where you choose a basic or tourism taxi, a minibus transfer or a bus ticket and pay before leaving. The concessionaire says the set-up exists so you can avoid illegal drivers touting in the hall.
Both scheduled airport buses are listed at the bus station of Terminal 1, the domestic terminal. If you land internationally at Terminal 2, ask at the transport desk for the way to the T1 bus station.
Which bus goes from Santiago airport to the city centre?
Two companies hold the airport bus concession: Centropuerto and Turbus. Both are listed as official transport by the airport, and both run to Metro stations on Line 1.
- Centropuerto runs from the airport to Metro República, stopping on the way at authorised stops. Metro de Santiago names the Line 1 stations served: Pajaritos, Las Rejas, San Alberto Hurtado, Universidad de Santiago, Unión Latinoamericana and República. Other Centropuerto routes go to Terminal Sur and Maipú.
- Turbus runs from the airport to Terminal Alameda and to Terminal Pajaritos, according to the airport's Turbus page.
| Operator and route | Airport departures | Frequency listed | Adult fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centropuerto to República via Line 1 stops | 06:00–23:30, plus night departures | 10–15 min weekdays, 15–25 min weekends and holidays | CLP 2,400 card, 2,500 cash |
| Centropuerto to Pajaritos | 06:00–22:30 | 10–15 min weekdays, 15–25 min weekends and holidays | Same fare |
| Centropuerto to Terminal Sur | 06:00–22:00 | Every 30 min | Same fare |
| Turbus to Terminal Pajaritos | 05:35–23:35 | 15–20 min weekdays, 30–40 min weekends and holidays | CLP 2,100 |
| Turbus to Terminal Alameda | 06:00–22:45 | 15–20 min weekdays, 20–30 min weekends and holidays | CLP 2,100 |
Times and fares are those published by the airport concessionaire for Centropuerto and for Turbus on 23 September 2026. Centropuerto's own site also sells a return ticket for CLP 4,100 by card, valid for 90 days, and shows sample timings of 17 minutes from Pajaritos to the airport and 48 minutes from the airport to República.
Red buses 555 and 444: cheap but card-only
Santiago's public bus network, Red, has run route 555 between Metro Pajaritos and the airport since January 2023, and route 444 from Metro La Cisterna since January 2024. Red says both charge the normal integrated fare, so a transfer to the Metro within two hours costs little or nothing extra.
There are two catches. First, these buses stop at the Intermodal Aeropuerto – Red Movilidad beside the Pehuén car park, not at the terminals. From there you ride a free airport shuttle, which the concessionaire says runs 24 hours at roughly 10-minute intervals. Second, Red lists only two ways to pay: a bip! card or a QR code from the Red or BancoEstado app. The bip! card FAQ says contactless Visa and Mastercard payment works on Metro and Tren Nos only, not yet on Red buses, and that the bip!QR account is tied to a Chilean RUT tax number.
Red's route data for 555 shows departures from the airport intermodal between about 06:04 and 22:34 on weekdays, 06:30 and 22:34 on Saturdays, and 07:30 and 22:32 on Sundays and holidays. When the route opened, the airport announcement gave a frequency of six buses an hour and a ride of about 30 minutes, plus the shuttle.
In practice, 555 suits a departure from Santiago once you already carry a bip! card. On arrival it rarely works, because you would need a card before you reach a Metro ticket office.
How much does the ride cost with the Metro connection?
The airport bus fare does not include the Metro. You pay again at the Metro gate, and the fare depends on the time you enter. Metro de Santiago publishes these adult fares:
| When you enter the Metro | Metro fare |
|---|---|
| Weekdays 07:00–08:59 and 18:00–19:59 (peak) | CLP 895 |
| Weekdays 09:00–17:59 and 20:00–20:44 (valle) | CLP 815 |
| Weekdays 06:00–06:59 and 20:45–23:00 (bajo) | CLP 735 |
| Saturdays, Sundays and holidays | CLP 815 |
Without a bip! card you can tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or a phone wallet, at the Metro gates, at the same fare as bip!. The bip! FAQ states that every Visa card is enabled and that Mastercard holders should check eligibility first. It also says trips are grouped and charged overnight, so the charge appears later on your statement.
The Metro runs from 06:00 to 23:00 on weekdays, 06:30 to 23:00 on Saturdays and 07:30 to 23:00 on Sundays and holidays. A Centropuerto bus that reaches the city after 23:00 leaves you without a train for the last stretch.
Which option fits your arrival?
This table combines the operators' hours and fares with the Metro fare bands and the payment rules above.
| Option | Cost to a central Line 1 hotel | Door-to-door time | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbus plus Metro | CLP 2,100 plus 735–895 | Bus ride plus Metro; no published total | Daytime, light luggage, no bip! card |
| Centropuerto plus Metro | CLP 2,400–2,500 plus 735–895 | Sample 48 min to República, plus Metro | You want to stay on to República or pay cash |
| Red 555 plus Metro | One integrated fare, CLP 795–895 | Shuttle plus about 30 min, plus Metro | You already hold a topped-up bip! card |
| Official taxi | Price quoted and paid at the counter | Direct | Groups, heavy bags, late arrivals |
| Minibus transfer (Transvip, WeTransport, Cabify desks) | Quoted at the counter | Door to door | You want a door drop without a taxi |
What if you land late at night?
After the last regular Centropuerto bus to República at 23:30, the airport's Centropuerto page lists fixed night departures from the airport at 00:00, 01:00, 02:00, 04:00 and 05:30. Turbus's last listed airport departure is 23:35. The Metro is closed by then, so a night bus drops you on the Alameda with no train connection.
The official taxis and the Transvip minibus desk are listed as 24/7. For a basic or tourism taxi, the concessionaire states that you pay at the counter inside the terminal before the trip and that no extra charge is collected in the vehicle. Drivers and cars are registered, and you board in a restricted zone for accredited vehicles. The airport does not publish a fare table, so the counter quote is the only figure to rely on. Keep the receipt.
A Metro line to the airport is planned, not open
Metro de Santiago's Line A project page describes a 6.5 km driverless line with luggage space from Huelén, a future Line 7 station in Cerro Navia, to the airport. It gives estimated times such as 34 minutes from Los Héroes, against 78 minutes today, but no opening date. Treat it as future information when planning a 2026 trip.
Before you leave the terminal
Once you are through customs, check three things. Look at the time against the 23:00 Metro close. Check whether you carry a contactless Visa or an eligible Mastercard for the Metro gate. And decide whether your group size makes a counter taxi quote worth asking for.
For the rest of your stay, the bip! card and Metro fares guide covers buying and topping up a card. If you are picking up a rental car at the airport instead, read Santiago TAG tolls in a rental car before you join the urban motorways.