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?
Recent and Future changes
Puerto Varas station reopened on 16 January 2024 and trips between there and Llanquihue were offered the following day.
In June 2023 President Gabriel Boric announced that local passenger services are to be introduced in three regions under the Trenes de Cercanía 30/30 programme. The first was launched in the same month over the 29·6 km railway between Temuco and Pitrufquén in the La Araucanía region, and services on the 114·7 km long route between Curicó, Talca and Linares were introduced in June 2024.
Passenger services restarted on 22 April 2025 on the Puerto Montt – Llanquihue line after a gap of 18-years. The 27 km long, 1676 mm gauge unelectrified route is the southernmost part of the Chilean network. National railway EFE says that rehabilitation works have included track reconstruction and the rebuilding of the Paloma terminus in Puerto Montt.
Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
See Chile - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services.
