Santiago Travel Forum

Does anyone where to find a schedule for bus trips from Santiago to Mendoza? Do you know if I have to make a reservation if I'm going in January?

Also, if you have inexpensive hostel/hotel recommendations that would be cool.

THANKS!!!

I don't know the schedule but I took one bus from Viña del Mar (about 1.5hours northish) from Santiago at around 8am. I believe the bus came from Santiago.

There should be several buses per day coz Santiago is really not that far from Mendoza and it's SANTIAGO... there are tonnes of buses leaving for everywhere.

If you're concerned about seat availability and you HAVE to leave a particular day, just drop by the bus-station in Santiago 1 (quite sufficient) or 2 days before to book your tickets.

Santiago: LA CASA ROJA

Pros :
- In an elegant, historic (although some wall and windows need some fixing) mansion
- In Barrio Brasil, within walking distance to city centre, supermarkets and metro stations
- Spacious dorms
- Toilets and showers are numerous and excellent
- Free internet for 20 minutes per day
- Kitchen facilities
- Helpful and friendly staff speaks English as this is Australian-run
- Breakfast (extra) available
- Huge courtyard behind to relax
- Great atmosphere

Cons :
- No quiet hours so if your dorm is right by the courtyard and people are playing music late into the night, til morning... you can forget about sleeping

Dorms : 4000 Chilean Pesos

Address: Agustinos 2113, Barrio Brasil

I really like this hostel in Mendoza... This comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Mendoza : HUELLAS ANDINAS HOSTEL

Pros :
- Wonderful wonderful wonderful ambience and friendly staff
- Lockers are available
- Great kitchen facilities, with MICROWAVE OVEN (quite rare but so convenient!)
- BBQ pit at the roof-top for the much-needed asados
- TV / Living room is very comfortable
- Homely dining area and backyard
- Very near to the centre, Plaza de la Independencia

Cons :
- Can be noisy if your room faces the backyard as the hostelites stay up all night, chatting and playing music

I suggest you take a room on the second floor.

Dorms : 12 Arg Peso

Address: Calle Rivadavia 640
Phone: (0261) 420 2846
Email: rodrigomedina300@yahoo.com.ar

Email me if you have more specific qs and think I can help. Have a nice trip!

Some typo errors... My first sentence should read: I took a bus from Viña del Mar to Mendoza at around 8am. Bus came from Santiago...

It's funny that you took a bus from Vina to Mendoza and this one was coming from Santiago. From west to east, Vina is first, then Santiago and finally Mendoza...
Anyway, buses going from Santiago to Mendoza are easy to find. And it's easier in summer time, although I wouldn't recommend Mendoza in January 'cause it'll be REALLY hot.
Go to the bus station a week earlier in January, hence lots of people travel to Mendoza and you'll have to make a reservation.
Once you get here, you can call.

TERMINAL DE BUSES SANTIAGO
Address: Av. Lib. Bdo. O'Higgins Nº 3850 (U. de Santiago subway station)
Phone: (56-2) 376 17 55

True... Viña is more WEST than Santiago, but I did not make a mistake there. The Viña del Mar family I stayed with told me about the route. : )

Santiago is south-west of Mendoza and south-east of Viña del Mar. It may have buses going NORTH leaving from Santiago to Viña before heading EAST to Mendoza (generally heading NORTH).

But, there are, for sure, other buses going to Mendoza using different routes. Thanks!

Got it. Didn´t mean to be rude.

There are a number of bus companies. The big ones are CATA (Argentinian, I think), Andesmar, and El Rapido (which is the one I took). Most of them have overnight bus that leaves Santiago around 11:30pm for the 6-hour journey, but that is brutal. You'll probably be waken up around 2 in the morning to go through the border checkpoint (where you'll have to line up for customs and to have your bags checked) and your bus may be lining up with tons of other buses awaiting to go through the border. Also, you'll miss the most breathtaking view over the Andes that I have ever seen from a bus ride.

There are lots of private mini-van buses that will take you over the border to Mendoza as well, but I always prefer the big buses.

The purpose of this information is to give you somewhat of an idea of the prices. Prices are approximate and frequently change. On holidays the prices will go up about 50%. From about the 20th of december to the 25th of february the prices will also be about 20 to 50% higher. Also the prices are sometimes higher on fridays. There are four main bus terminals in Santiago with companies which have buses going to Mendoza. Terminal de Buses Terra Puerto Los Heroes, San Borja, Alameda and Terminal de buses Santiago aka Terminal Sur. There is only one company leaving from T. Alameda and only a few from T. Los Heroes and San Borja. Terminal Santiago is by far the best if you want options for companies and hours of departure because all of the bus companies that offer international service have offices here. You can get your tickets easily the day before unless it is a holiday weekend.

Departure From Santiago: Terminal Sur AKA Terminal Santiago (Terminal South ) Updated November 6, 2003................Exchange rate is 620 pesos= 1 dollar US

Company,..Destination,..Approximate Prices,..Departure Time,..Duration

Tur Bus, Mendoza,7000 pesos = $10 US, Every Day 9:00 and 22.30, 6 hrs
Tur Bus, Cordoba,18000 pesos=$24 US, Only Friday 12:30, 16 hrs
Fenix, Mendoza,7000 pesos = $10 US, Every Day 9:00,11:30,22:00,-- 6 hrs
Fenix, Buenos Aires,30000pesos=$40.5 US, Wed,Thurs,Sat,Sun 10:30, 22 hrs
Andesmar, Mendoza,8000 pesos = $11 US, Every Day 9:30, 6 hrs
Andesmar, Buenos Aires,28000 pesos=$37 US, Every Day 9:30, 22 hrs
Andesmar, From Osorno to Bariloche,8000 pesos, Every Day 10:20, 6.5 hrs
El Rapido, Mendoza,7000 pesos = $10 US, Every Day 8:00,9:30,13:30,23:30,-- 6 hrs
El Rapido, Buenos Aires,25000 pesos=$36 US, Same Bus To Mendoza at 9:30, 24 hrs
Tas Choapa, Mendoza,7000 pesos = $10 US, Every Day 8:30, 23:30, -- 6 hrs
Tas Choapa, San Louis,8000 pesos=$11 US, Tues. and Sat. 9:00, 11 hrs
Tas Choapa, Cordoba,15000pesos=$20 US, Tues. and Sat. 14:30, 18 hrs

Ahumada, Mendoza,7000 pesos =$10 US, Every Day 9:00,11:30,22:00, -- 6hrs
Ahumada, Buenos Aires,30000pesos=$40 US, Wed.,Thurs.,Sat.,Sun., 10:30, 20 hrs
Pullman Del Sur, Buenoa Aires,25000pesos=$36 US, Mon. And Fri. 13:00, 19 hrs
TAC, Mendoza,7000 pesos =$10 US, Every Day 8:30,12:00,21:30, -- 6hrs
TAC, Buenos Aires,25000pesos=$33.5 US, Every Day 10:00, 20 hrs
CATA, Mendoza,7000 pesos= $10 US, Every Day 7:30,10:15,23:00, -- 6 hrs
CATA, Buenos Aires,23000pesos=$31 US, Same 10:15, 20 hrs
CATA, Cordoba,20000pesos=$27 US, Same 10:15, 18 hrs
O´Higgins, Mendoza,7000 pesos=$10 US ,--Every Day8:15,10:30,14:45,22:00,-- 6 hrs
Chi-Ar TAXI, Mendoza,12000pesos=$16 US, 5 hrs
Nevada, Mendoza,8000 pesos=$11 US,-- Every Day 8:30,10:30,12:30,14:30-- 6 hrs
Nevada has three different size mini buses—10,14 and 16 passenger
Coitram, Mendoza,7000 pesos=$10 US, Every Day 8:30,12:30,14:30, --- 6 hrs
Coitram has 12 passenger mini buses
Pluma, Rio De Janeiro,71500pesos=$95 US, Friday and Sunday 10:00, 62 hrs
Pluma, Sao Paulo,64000pesos=$86 US, Same, 52 hrs
Pluma, Curitiba,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 46 hrs
Pluma, Camboriu,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 43 hrs
Pluma, Florianopolis,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 41 hrs
Pluma, Porto Alegre,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 35 hrs
Pluma, Uruguaiana,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 26 hrs
Chilebus Int., Rio De Janeiro,71000pesos=$95 US, Thurs.And Sat., 56 hrs
Chilebus Int., Sao Paulo,64000pesos=$86 US, Same, 50 hrs
Chilebus Int., Curitiba,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 45 hrs
Chilebus Int., Florianopolis, 60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 40 hrs
Chilebus Int., Porto Alegre,60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 36 hrs
Chilebus Int., Uruguiana, 60000pesos=$80 US, Same, 26 hrs
Chilebus Int., From Arica to La Paz, 12000pesos=$16 US, Every Day, 7 hrs
Ormeño, Lima, $ 75 US, Tues. and Fri. 12:00, 2 Days
Ormeño, Guayaquil, $ 130 US, Same, 3.5 Days
Ormeño, Quito, $ 140 US, Same, 4 Days
Ormeño, Cali, $ 220 US, Same, 5 Days
Ormeño, Bogota, $ 230 US, Same, 5:5 Days
Ormeño, Caracas, $ 240 US, Same, 6-7 Days

Thats got to be the most detailed answer I´ve ever seen on this site! GREAT stuff.