Entering Chile

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may require a visa for entering Chile (for most countries in Europe and in the Americas no visa will be necessary, while for most countries in Asia and Africa it will be necessary). Check also if your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months beyond the travel dates.

If you require a visa, then we can provide you with a letter and serve as contact in Chile. Note that ESO will not pay any costs related to visas.

Health insurance

The health system in Chile is private (US-style) and expensive. It is very important that you have a health insurance that is valid in Chile for the duration of the School. Your health insurance may have a specific hospital as partner, so please contact them to find out to which hospital you should go in case of an emergency, and inquire what your insurance actually covers. Note that in most cases you will have to pay first for medical treatment and get reimbursed by your health insurance later, so we strongly recommend that you bring a credit card with you. ESO will not pay for medical treatment.

If you are taking medication, bring sufficient medication for your stay. Medical prescriptions from outside Chile will not be accepted by Chilean pharmacies.

Venue: ESO Chile Headquarters

The venue of the workshop in Santiago will be the ESO Chile Headquarters which are located at:

Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura.

Alonso de Cordova is a posh shopping road, and ESO is located at the end of it, close to the Parque Bicentenario and the Municipalidad (city hall) of Vitacura. 

Safety in Santiago

Walking around in Santiago is usually safe when common sense is applied. In general, the districts east of the city center (Providencia, Las Condes and Vitacura) are wealthier and safer. If you plan to stay extra days in Santiago, we recommend staying in Providencia, which is a lively district that is well connected with the city center of Santiago.

A big issue are pick-pockets, and when going out, you must have your bags in sight at all times. For example, hanging a bag on the chair behind you is an absolute no-go. The same applies when taking public transportation or walking in crowded places. Valuable items should not be displayed publicly. When walking around in Santiago, you may want to leave your documents / passport in the hotel and just carry a copy of your passport with you.

Traffic can be chaotic, so act defensively, especially when crossing a road. Always watch out before crossing a road even though the traffic light shows green for you, as some drivers prefer to look at their phone rather than at the street.

Emergency phone numbers are: 131 for an ambulance, 132 for fire (Bomberos), 133 for the police (Carabineros).

Practical tips

Remember that you will be in Chile, so expect that many people will not understand English.

When going to bars or restaurants, in most cases the menu will be online, and you will have to scan a QR code with your cell phone. When paying, you will be asked if you want to add a tip ('propina', 'servicio') which typically is 10% of the total amount. In many cases the amount plus 10% tip is already outlined on the check. Paying with card is possible almost everywhere in Santiago and large cities, so it is not necessary to walk around with a lot of cash. In any case, make sure that your (credit / bank) card works in Chile (you might have to inform your bank beforehand). If you travel to rural areas, however, then bring cash as payment in restaurants may be cash only.

Chile has a 230 V / 50 Hz electricity network as in most parts of Europe. While the plugs for small devices (for example, charger for the cell phone) are compatible with the European standard ("Europlug"), larger devices (for example, a laptop charger) that have a three-pin earthed plug require a Type L plug (three pins in a row). Note that the German Schuko plug will not fit into these sockets, as its pins are too wide. At ESO, outlets for the German Schuko plugs are available.

Taxis are cheap, but they are cash only. Have small bills when taking them (1000 - 5000 Pesos bills). There is also uber.

For public transportation (bus, metro) you will need a pre-paid card 'tarjeta BIP' which you can buy and charge at any metro station; single trips cost around 700 pesos (~0.70 EUR). It's not possible to buy a ticket from the bus driver.