Train from Santiago to Temuco (Lake district)?
 

My guide book says there is a good overnight train to and from Temuco. Has anyone taken it? My plan would be to rent a car there and spend a few days in the Pucon area. If you had your choice between flying, bus or train, what would you recommend? Thanks for suggestions. SWR

I was searching on the EFE website (train) and it seems the itinerary Santiago - Temuco isn't working. The site is in spanish but just in case you want to look up: www.efe.cl ---> itinerarios y tarifas.

I have taken the train from Santiago to Concepcion and they do have a good service, but i'm afraid they don't run to Temuco (I could check that for you tomorrow on business hours).

I think the best way to get to the Lake District is to take a plane from Santiago to Temuco (one hour). Check:
www.lan.com
www.skyairline.cl
www.arolineasdelsur.cl

The other alternative is to take a bus from Santiago to Temuco... about 9 hours. There are good bus companies.
www.pullman.cl

Train service from Santiago to Temuco ended last fall. Chillan is the farthest south you can go from the capital. According to the EFE website that Helen mentions above, there seems now to be service within the Lake District once a day.

I would avoid the train even to Chillan. It has had endless problems with delays this year. The overnight bus is the best option. TurBus or Cruz del Sur.

Thanks for your advice. It looks like we could take a train to Concepcion or Chillan and rent the car there. We'd rather see some of the country on the ground than flying over it! How long would it take to drive to Pucon? We like to drive too, providing the roads aren't too trecherous. If the mountain roads are "hair-pin" roads with huge drops offs, we'd like to know! Thanks again. SWR

Susan, there are 110 kms to from Temuco to Pucon area, that's about one or two hours ride...

Susan:

...consider driving it on the PanAm Highway. We rented a car in Santiago, drove to Vina del Mar for two nights, then drove south to Chillan for overnight, after stopping at the famous horse ranch/hotel for lunch (Hacienda Los Lingues)..a marvelous experience.

From Chillan we drove to the lakes via Temuco and stayed at the renowned Antumalal in Pucon for a few nights, did the bulk of the lake district and stayed in Fruttilar on Lake Llanquihue...we ended up in Puerto Montt, turning in the car before embarking on the indescribable Andes lake crossing to Bariloche in Argentina...
driving the PanAm is colorful, safe and traffic-free for the most part..petrol eveywhere and plenty of places of food, snacks, water, etc. You will get to see a lot more....just a thought...but you will enjoy Chiule no matter what.

Stu T. (I have pix, pre-digital if you wish) [email protected]