The conference will take place at the Faculty of Economics & Business of the University of Chile (Facultad de Economía y Negocios) in Santiago. It is located 500mts. south of O’Higgins Avenue (main street) in downtown Santiago. More precisely, at the PriceWaterHouse auditórium, which is located at Diagonal Paraguay 205/257, Santiago, Chile. If you search for that address in GoogleMap you will get the picture included below.
If you use the Metro (subway), you can either get out at Universidad Católica or station (Line 1), Baquedano station (Line 1 and 5) and Parque Bustamante station (Line 5). From there, you can reach the conference site after a 5 minutes’ walk.
Using the Subway
The Santiago Metro might be the best public transport option if the place you want to reach is located near to one of its stations. Even if not, it might be convenient to move first to the nearest station to your destination first and then take a taxi. Currently, there are five lines (numbered 1, 2, 4a, 4b, and 5; there is no line 3 yet). In most cases, you will use only lines 1 and 2, since most of the interesting spots in Santiago and also the conference venue are located near the stations of these two lines.
In order to pay for the Metro you have two options: you can buy a ticket for a single trip or buy a “BIP” card, which can be recharged with money and used for several trips. There is no difference in the price using one or another paying method, but if you want to use the BIP card you have to buy it first for 1000 pesos (US$ 2.2) and then charge it with money for traveling. The BIP card is required if you plan to use the buses, since it is the only way to pay for them. Moreover, with the BIP card you do not pay again to continue your trip started with the Metro and changing to a bus or vice-versa within 90 minutes.
The price of one trip does not depend on the length of the trip, but there is a difference in the price depending on the hour of the day. The peak hours are from 7:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00; the fare is 670 pesos (about US$ 1.3); the fare is 610 pesos during the rest of the day.
The Metro network: for reaching the conference venue get off at Universidad Católica or Baquedano station on Line 1 (red line).
Taking a Taxi
Taxis are relatively cheap in Santiago compared with most North American and European countries. There is a fixed charge of 200 pesos and then a fare of 90 or 100 pesos (depending on the taxi) for every 200 hundred meters. The same amount is charged for every minute the vehicle is not moving during the trip (for example, waiting for a green traffic light).
Other useful tips
The official language in Chile is Spanish. Most people in the street do not speak English.
Electricity is 220V 50 Hz. Time zone is Greenwich -4. Other information is in Accommodations.
Hotel Information
If you are a foreign visitor to Chile then you are entitled to full VAT exemption for accommodation. You do not need to pay 19% tax in the hotel provided you: 1) show your passport to the hotel cashier, 2) pay your expenses with cash, in US currency. Therefore, it is a good idea to bring US bills, even if you do not use that currency in your country. You can also change some currencies to US dollars or Chilean pesos at “Casas de Cambio” in downtown Santiago. The Casas de Cambio typically accept Euros, British pounds, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, Japanese yens, Argentinian pesos and Brazilian reais.
We recommend three hotels which are very near from the conference venue listed below. There are many restaurants and cafes nearby (Lastarria street, and crossing the river, Bellavista neighborhood).
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL * * * * *
Av. B. O’Higgins 136
Single: US$239 Double: US$290
Web page: http://www.crowneplaza.cl/
HOTEL PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS * * *
Ramon Carnicer 21
Single: US$84 Double: US$97 Breakfast included
Web page: http://www.hotelesprincipado.com/indexpasteng.htm
HOTEL PRINCIPADO * *
Av. Vicuña Mackenna 30
Single: US$72 Double: US$79 Breakfast included
Web page: http://www.hotelesprincipado.com/indexprincipadoeng.htm
To access the preferential rates with Principado Hotels, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., indicating Conf IRM 2017 participation
Transportation
TRAVEL INFORMATION You can come to Santiago flying directly from several cities in the world: Frankfurt, Madrid, Paris, Sydney, Auckland, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta and New York. Also from many Latin American capital cities.
On arriving to Santiago airport, you have these options to downtown:
- Taxi: about US$30
- Transfer (minibus to the hotel): about US$20
- Bus: about US$7
Please also check your hotel; they may have a courtesy pick-up.
The official currency is the Chilean peso. You can exchange money at the airport, in hotels, banks and “casas de cambio” (the latter may be the most convenient, but do get some pesos at the airport to pay initial expenses).
Please check locally or at the Chilean Foreign Ministry web page if you need to have a visa to travel to Chile. Also, when entering the Santiago airport, residents from a few countries not requiring a visa will be asked to pay a “reciprocity fee”. Those countries are the ones charging Chilean residents to pay for a visa when visiting them.
Location
Santiago and Surroundings
- Santiago Santiago, founded in 1541, is a mixture of old and modern features. Santa Lucia Hill (panoramic views), Central Square, Cathedral, Central Post-Office, Santiago Town Hall, Government House and Horse Track. Estern modern quarters, lapis lazuli stores.
- Andes Vineyards There are top-quality vineyards close to Santiago (Maipo valley). One suggested visit starts with Viña Undurraga, it then continues with Viña Cavas del Maipo (Boutique Vineyard), Viña Concha y Toro, and Viña Aquitania (Boutique Vineyard). Another interesting option is an excursion to Viña Santa Rita. Its winery, declared National Heritage, combines the traditional American and French oak barrels with the most modern production systems.
- Colchagua Wine route The Colchagua Valley is located 130 kilometers from Santiago, considered “a paradise” by many enologists. Itsweather conditions allow most grape varieties to adapt perfectly. Fine stocks such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,Carmenère, Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, are produced here. Suggested vineyards: Viu Manent, Bisquertt or Montes. Suggested lunch at Santa Cruz Hotel and visit the high-quality Museum of Colchagua.
- Wine train Another alternative regarding Chilean wine is Wine Train (Tren del Vino), a delightful trip into the past driven by a locomotive built in 1913. On this train you travel along the main vineyards, tasting a selection of wines. Visit vineyards, have lunch at the Santa Cruz Hotel and visit the Museum of Colchagua.
- Isla Negra – PomaireOnly and hour and a half from Santiago is Isla Negra, a beach that embraces one of Nobel Prize in Literature winner Pablo Neruda’s houses. The Isla Negra House was built in 1939 out of stone and wood, and it houses a unique collection of diverse items that give it the sense of a big ship. The house’s intriguing collection is made up of items gathered by the poet throughout his lifeComing back to Santiago, visit Pomaire, village based on pottery production whose origins go back to 1771. Its legacy – which can be appreciated in its clay handcraft stores – has been kept for generations.
- The Andes MountainsThis excursion will get you in direct contact with nature. Just one hour away from Santiago there are the most important ski centers of the region. Morethan 2,600 meters above sea level you will reach the ski resorts of Farellones, La Parva, El Colorado and Valle Nevado. Luckily, you may spot some foxes and condors.
- Portillo (in The Andes Mountains)In the road connecting Santiago with Mendoza (Argentina) it is possible to visit Portillo Winter Center, the oldest one in South America, founded in 1949. Portillo offers an infrastructure that enables the enjoyment of skiing during winter time and all the attractions of the Mountain in summer time. Its beautiful panorama of Laguna del Inca, located at 2,800 meters above the sea level, is remarkable.
- Viña del Mar and ValparaísoValparaíso, whose origins go back to 1536, is a harbor city, Human Cultural Heritage and seat of the Chilean Parliament. It presents a picturesque view with its elevators, colorful neighborhoods within its 45 hills Visit La Sebastiana, Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda’s museum house.Relatively close is Viña del Mar, which has singular architecture, streets and palaces.
Tourist information about Chile
Chile has many unique places which are worth a visit. If you are coming to Santiago, the Chilean capital, you may want to see some of the most outstanding touristic attractions nearby. Here you will find various options that may suit your preferences and time availability.
Go to the official tourism site of the Chilean government to explore the many possibilities you have to discover new landscapes
