Apps for Santiago Chile

These days, when we go away, we’re generally still connected.  Using our smartphones and laptops, we can post our travel pictures to Facebook and use GoogleMaps to locate the nearest coffee shop.  Obviously, there are drawbacks to this continued connectivity—some might argue that this all detracts from the true experience of traveling.  But the truth is, there are instances in which we can harness the power of technology and improve our tourist activities.  Especially in a vast metropolis like Santiago, it can be useful to have a few helpful applications and websites in our arsenal to aid us in navigating the city. Over the last several years, developers have released a wide array of apps to make everyday life in this city more convenient.  From ordering food to requesting a taxi, many things are now as simple as the tap of a finger. 

If you spend just a few days in Santiago, you’ll see that restaurants offering delivery food are ubiquitous.  From family-owned Chinese eateries to Kentucky Fried Chicken, droves of establishments now offer to bring your food to you.  This is great, but it can be a little difficult to order via telephone if your Spanish isn’t the best.  That’s where apps like PedidosYa, and QueHambre, come in.  You enter your address and the type of food you want and both apps will show you a list of nearby restaurants offering delivery.  Select any restaurant and you’ll see the menu, where you can choose the items you want.  Then you enter a bit of information and your food will be on its way—you never have to talk on the phone.  If you don’t have a smartphone, both of these services also have websites that serve the same function.

Perhaps you prefer to go out to eat rather than order in. You can use the Restorando app or website, (http://santiago.restorando.cl/en/) to find restaurants (categorized by neighborhood and type of cuisine) and reserve a table. Then, if you’re looking for a taxi to get to your chosen location, you’re in luck.  There are several easy-to-use apps that can help you request a taxi. EasyTaxi, works within the existing Santiago taxi system—it just allows you to choose your location and call a taxi to come pick you up.   The app provides you with a photo of your driver and information about the vehicle. Using the app is free, and you pay your driver with cash as normal.  If you prefer an app that lets you pay with credit card, you can try Uber, an international taxi service that has recently launched in Santiago.  Uber offers their own fleet of drivers using company cars—most of them luxury-class vehicles.  Download the app and enter your credit card information and you’re good to go.  Choose your pickup and drop-off location and a driver will be on the way.  When the ride is over, your card is automatically charged the fare.  The prices are comparable to that of city taxis.  The best thing about Uber is that if your friends sign up using your referral code, you can receive credit toward free rides.

Apart from food and taxis, there are plenty of other apps that will help you navigate Santiago.  For public transportation, try Paraderos, which helps you locate the nearest bus stop for your journey (this app also has a website: http://paraderos.cl/).  You can also use Cúanto Falta to get an estimate for when the next bus will pass.  An app called iTransantiago will help you calculate your total travel time on the metro or bus, and the bip! card system has an app that allows you to check the balance on your card.  With all this transportation help, you’ll be able to see much more in the city.

All of the apps mentioned here are available for Apple and Android for free (with the exception of the bip! app, which costs 500 CLP).  And remember: these apps can help you get around the city easily, but they’re no substitute for your own research and exploration.  Make sure to look up from your smartphone every once in a while to take in your surroundings—that’s what you’re here for, after all.