San Pedro de Atacama is located near the tri-nation border with Bolivia and Argentina, therefore you can get directly to San Pedro coming from those country by the "Paso Jama" or "Paso Sico" if you're coming from Argentina (Salta and Jujuy Province) or from "Hito Cajon" if you're coming from Bolivia.
If you are coming from a foreign country by air must fly to Santiago first, from here there are various ways of getting to San Pedro de Atacama.
Below, you will find a number of alternatives to meet your comfort and budget needs.
a. By Plane:To get to
San Pedro de Atacama you can fly to Calama (100 kilometres away). This is certainly the fastest way of getting to Calama from Santiago. There are several flights every day of the week. The flight takes from an hour and fifty minutes up to three hours, depending on whether it makes a stop at Antofagasta.
The airlines that fly to Calama are:
LAN: www.lan.com
Sky airlines: www.skyairlines.cl
Principal airlines: www.palair.cl
At the Loa airport you can take a transfer shuttle bus, which will take you to San Pedro de Atacama in about an hour and a half (98 km or x miles) and it costs $10,000 Chilean pesos per person. Another alternative is to hire a car at the airport or take a taxi.
A direct trip by taxi can be very expensive, we recommend that you take the transfer. However, the service does not run continuously for all the flights nor does it provide service throughout the year. We recommend you call and make your reservation in advance.
City express: 09-8162091
Licancabur Shuttle: 055-543426- 09-9999404
b. By Bus:
If you are already in Chile and wish to go to San Pedro de Atacama, the trip takes more than 20 hours from Santiago. There are different bus lines that provide this service and different types of services and prices ranging from economico (coach), semi-cama (business class), salon cama (with bigger reclining seats similar to business class on airlines) and Premium (90° reclination).
Only turbus company offers a direct trip from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama, other companies takes you to Calama, from where you must take another bus to San Pedro de Atacama
More information on:
www.turbus.cl
www.pullman.cl
If you arrived in Calama there are frequent bus services to San Pedro de Atama, whether with Turbus, Buses Frontera del Norte, Geminis, Intertrans or Atacama 2000. Buses depart from bus terminals or each company's agency, not from a single place.
c. By Car
If you're coming from the south along the route n°5 north, you need to take the diversion towards Calama approximately 100 km (62.1 miles) after Antofagasta. Here you take route n°25 all the way to Calama, then need to take route n°23 which will lead you to San Pedro de Atacama. It's a 98 km (60.9 miles) journey where you will first be going uphill to around 3000 m (9842.5 ft) to cross the Domeyko mountain rage, and then abruptly descend towards the Atacama Salt Flat. The entire route is paved and well preserved. If you are coming from Santiago we recommend splitting the trip in 2 days, staying the night at Caldera or Bahia Inglesa (870 km or 540 miles approximately) and then on the second day drive the other 800 km (497 miles) until you reach San Pedro de Atacama.
a. By PlaneYou can fly directly to Calama only from Iquique.
The airlines that do this route are:
Sky airlines: www.skyairlines.cl
Principal airlines: www.palair.cl
b. By Bus
There are daily bus services from Iquique and Arica to San Pedro de Atacama. The two bus companies that have a direct trip to San Pedro de Atacama are Turbus and Frontera del Norte. Normally this is a night trip.
The other opotion is to take a bus to Calama, and there take a new bus to San Pedro de Atacama.
c. By Car
If you're coming from the north, whether you are heading through the coast (route 1) or the Pampa (route 5), you need to take route 24, which takes you to Chuquicamata, then take the route to Calama, which is 13 km (8.1 miles) away. Finally, you need to take route 23, which will lead you to San Pedro de Atacama. It's a 98 km (60.9 miles) journey, where you will first be going uphill to around 3000 m (9842.5 ft) to cross the Domeyko mountain rage, and then abruptly descend towards the Atacama Salt Flat. The entire route is paved and well preserved.
a. By BusThere are two bus lines who operate this route: Pullman Bus and Geminis. Departures are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The journey lasts 9 to 10 hours from San Salvador de Jujuy, or 10 to 11 hours from Salta city.
b. By Transfer
You can take a transfer from Salta or Jujuy to San Pedro de Atacama onlyas private service, for this you should contact local tourism agencies to check if the service is available. Normally this is an expensive service.
c. By Car
There are two border crossings from Argentina: Sico in the province of Salta, and Jama in the province of Jujuy. Both offer a wonderful experience. The big difference between them is the condition of the road, because Jama is a completely paved route, which offers a safer and more comfortable journey.
Through Jama:
Both if you are coming from Jujuy or from Salta through the Jama crossing, you need to take route 52, which crosses the village of Purmamarca, then it climbs the Lipan hill reaching over 4000 m (13123 ft) (ascending over 2000 m (6561.7 ft) within 42 km or 26 miles) Following the same route you go through Salinas Grandes, a beautiful white crust, and then you arrive to Susques, the last town 155 km (96.3 miles) away from the border. The customs check of Jama is 4200 meters (13779.5 ft) above sea level and is only 160 km (99.4 miles) from this point to San Pedro de Atacama, ascending up to around 4900 meters (16076.1 ft) above sea level and ending with a steep descent in the last 40 km (24.8 miles.)
More info:
www.gendarmeria.gov.ar/pasos/fichjam.htm
www.ruta0.com/rutas_argentinas.asp?desde=12&hasta=763&tipoq=1&tipo=1
www.turismosalta.gov.ar/frontend/index.asp
Through Sico:
Take the route 51 from Salta to San Antonio de Los Cobres (it is almost completely paved, 164 km or 101.9 miles) and then follow the same route towards SICO (gravel road, 127 km or 78.9 miles.) From there take the route 23 in Chile until Socaie (gravel road, 120 km or 74.6 miles.) From this point it's 90 km or 55.9 miles to San Pedro de Atacama on a paved road that borders the Atacama Salt Flat.
More info:
www.gendarmeria.gov.ar/pasos/fichsico.htm
www.camdipsalta.gov.ar/latitudcero/2007/sico/detalle.htm
a. By TrainYou can take the train from Uyuni to Calama on Mondays. It is a freight train with no amenities with no amenities for passangers. The journey takes 18 to 20 hours. Be prepared for cold temperatures
More information:
www.fca.com.bo
b. By Bus
There are two departures to Calama: Wednesdays and Sundays at 3:00 AM. You must change bus at the border. The journey takes about 12 hours. Be prepared for cold temperatures.
c. Through an Organised Tour
There are 2 and 3-day tours that go from Uyuni to San Pedro de Atacama through the Bolivian High Plain, coming into Chile through the Hito Cajón crossing. The route goes through the Uyuni Salt Flat, the Sol de Mañana geysers, the Colorada Lagoon and Verde Lagoon. It is a wonderful experience but the services are poor and the route is quite bad.
d. By car
We only recommend the international road Abaroa-Ollagüe. This is a 550 kilometers trip, from which 150 are paved Chiu Chiu to San Pedro de Atacama. In Ollagüe/Chile there're accomodations, restaurant and telephone. Is a good place to rest.
The customs agency and immigration procedures are done in Abaroa and Ollagüe. There are fuel station only Uyuni, San Cristobal and Calama.
Leave the town of Uyuni in the direction of the train cementery, take the road going towards the San Cristobal mine, cross vast plains and small towns classified as authentic highland villages including San Cristobal, Villa Culpina and Alota, among others. You'll reach Abaroa where you have to do customs and immigration procedures, the same in Ollagüe-Chile later.
In Chile, take the road n° 21, this road goes along the railway line and passes through the edge two large salt flats, Carcote and Ascot. You'll pass a police control, then you'll sart to descend in altitude, up to Chiu Chiu, where you'll start an paved road to Calama, in Calama exit Highway 23 toward San Pedro de Atacama.
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