Santiago SCL: What to Do on a Layover
Mercado Central in 3 hours: the finest ceviche in Chile, copper crafts, Maipo wine. SCL is worth leaving the terminal.
Getting from the airport
SCL to city center: 50 minutes by bus (Centropuerto). Trains run every 30 minutes. Service runs 06:00 to 23:00. Skip the taxi unless your connection is under 5 hours.
What to do in Santiago
The stops worth making: Barrio Bellavista murals, Mercado Central seafood, Cerro Santa Lucía, Viña del Mar day trip. Rated above 4.4: La Moneda Palace (4.5), Fantasilandia (4.6), National Museum of Fine Arts (4.6), Museum of Memory & Human Rights (4.7), National Museum of Natural History (4.7). You do not need the full tourist circuit. Pick two and commit.
Visa and entry
Santiago is visa-free for US passports. No application, no fee. The border process at SCL is standard — budget 30 minutes.
How long do you need
The minimum useful layover is 6 hours. That gives you 50 minutes in each direction plus about 170 minutes on the ground. Up to 24 hours is a proper overnight.