Drive in Santiago
 

Hi, I´m going to Santiago for a cruise in Valparaiso in December.I will be 3 nights in the Santiago Marriott hotel. For the transportation to Valparaiso I will rent a car, also for Santiago. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how it´s to drive in Santiago, easy safe,etc.. And how it´s to drive to Valparaiso.
Thanks in Advance.

There is no point to driving in Santiago where you have a good metro and plenty of taxis.
The road to Valparaíso will be very easy from the Marriott. You get onto the main road in front of it and pretty much keep going. But driving in Valparaíso is complicated so you need a good map with you.

Santiagio is a relatively congested city and around the Marriot at peak periods the traffic can be horrendous. It is better to let other people do the driving.

Getting to Valparaiso is easy. There is a good highway to which Ave. Kennedy part of the Costenera Norte system leads directly to it. Make sure that you understand about the electronic tag system for paying the tolls on the Costenera Norte system and on all the other urban superhighways in Santiago and get it clear with the rental company who pays. All highways are private concessions so there are tolls as well on the highway to Valparaiso, but these are paid at a booth in cash.

Oh ok. One little detail, I can rent a gps for the car for 20 dolars do you need it´s a good idea to buy it, or I just use maps. Oh and were can I pay the tolls and how many is it?

I can rent a gps for the car for 20 dolars do you need it´s a good idea to do it or better to save the 20 dolars for other thing?

You do not need a GPS to drive in Santiago or from Santiago to Valparaiso.

So I only need maps to the trip: Marriott, Las Condes tO vALPARAISO.

Even a map might be more than you need just follow the signs.

So to drive from Bilbao to Av. Presidente Kennedy is easy.