Car hire and driving in Punta Arenas
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Chile traffic drives on the right. Picking up at PUQ means 18 km (11 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648813 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648847 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648848.
Drives from Punta Arenas
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Arenas to Comodoro Rivadavia | Argentina | 848 km (527 mi) | about 12 h 56 min |
| Punta Arenas to Puerto Montt | Chile | 1,309 km (813 mi) | about 19 h 58 min |
| Punta Arenas to Osorno | Chile | 1,410 km (876 mi) | about 21 h 30 min |
| Punta Arenas to Valdivia | Chile | 1,495 km (929 mi) | about 22 h 48 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Punta Arenas?
The right, as everywhere in Chile.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.