Chile
Country Details
See Wikipedia
National Railway System
UIC code
alpha CL
National Railway Operator
The network is owned and operated by Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE). Passenger services are operated on various routes in central Chile (the Valparaíso - Santiago - Temuco area); some routes are isolated from the main passenger network around Santiago. See the EFE website for a list; note that the various "Estación Central" routes overlap, and "Estación Central" itself refers to the main station in Santiago, also known as "Alameda".
Maps
There is a very basic schematic map on the EFE website's freight transport page. No printed map is known.
An on-line map of the Chilean passenger train network as on 2023 may be found at
Timetable
- There is a journey planner on the front page of the EFE website. Note that this is route-specific: it is necessary to select the required route by clicking on the relevant tab in order to obtain the appropriate drop-down lists of departure and arrival stations.
- The EFE website does not provide any downloadable timetables. Timetables in HTML format are available at the Fahrplancenter website, but do not appear to have been updated since early 2020.
- It is possible that printed timetables are available for EFE services; the compilers would be grateful for any information.
Summary timetables are available in some editions of the European Rail Timetable.
Some information is available at the Man in Seat 61.
Infrastructure
- gauge: 1676mm (5 feet 6 inches). The Talca - Constitución line is metre gauge.
- electrification: 3000V DC
- rule of the road: right
Other Railways
Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia (FCAB)
No known passenger services (website)
- Gauge: metre
- Electrification: none
Ferrocarril Tacna - Arica
International railway between Arica (Chile) and Tacna (Peru). Passenger services operated until March 2020, but ceased due to Covid-19 - see Facebook page.
- Gauge: standard
- Electrification: none
Ferrocarril Arica - La Paz (FCALP)
An international line to Bolivia; the Chilean part is owned and operated by EFE. The only passenger service is an infrequent tourist operation on the Chinchorro (Arica) - Poconchile section: see EFE website.
- Gauge: metre
- Electrification: none
Tourist Lines
None known, but EFE operates various tourist services, some on lines not used by other passenger services - see website.
Metro and light rail systems
Santiago
Metro de Santiago; the website includes a network map; see also UrbanRail.
- Gauge: rubber-tyred with standard-gauge rails (lines 1, 2, 5); conventional standard-gauge (lines 3, 4, 4A, 6)
- Electrification: 750V DC third rail (lines 1, 2, 4, 4A, 5); 750V DC overhead (lines 3 and 6)
Valparaíso
Tren Limache-Puerto (formerly Metro de Valparaíso) is a metro-style service operated by EFE; see also UrbanRail.
- Gauge: 1676mm (5'6")
- Electrification: 3000V DC?
Obscure and Sparse Passenger Services
Ferrocarril de Antofagasta (FCAB) CL1
It is reported that FCAB operate special trains three or four times a year from Antofagasta, Calama and Chuqicamata, for employees or their families. Any information about such services which may operate on any regular basis would be welcomed by the compilers. Reported: January 2012
[Chinchorro (Arica) - ] Poconchile - Central (FCALP) CL2
This 33km extension (Tren de Las Estrellas) of the approximately twice monthly Saturday tourist service from Arica runs only on a limited number of dates each year: see EFE Trenes de Chile's tourist train webpage. Report updated: October 2024
Concepción area excursions CL3
EFE Trenes de Chile operate occasional excursions in this area beyond the limits of the Biotren passenger services. These have included the freight branch from Concepción to Lirquén as far as Penco and beyond Coronel on the branch to Horcones with two trains to Colcura near Lota in January 2024 and one even further to Laraquete.
Recent and Future changes
Puerto Varas station reopened on 16 January 2024 and trips between there and Llanquihue were offered the following day. It is reported that Llanquihue to Puerto Montt should resume regular passenger services by the end of 2024.
