Chile expands subsidized transport routes in Arica and La Araucanía

The Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications announced a new subsidized bus route, CTA0363, linking the regional capital Arica with the high‑altitude localities of Chucuyo, Parinacota, Chañopalca, Caquena, Quenuavinto, Ancovilque and Ungallire in the Putre commune. The service will run twice a week, departing Arica on Saturdays at 08:00 and returning from Ungallire on Sundays at 14:00, covering about 216 km per trip and serving roughly 200 passengers. Fares are free for seniors, people with disabilities and children under seven, fulfilling a commitment of President José Antonio Kast to keep remote communities connected.

In parallel, the ministry opened a public tender for 42 free school‑transport services in the La Araucanía region. Covering 24 communes, the contracts – lasting three school years (2027‑2029) – will transport more than 4,000 students from isolated rural areas to their schools. Funded by the Ley Espejo, the initiative is overseen by regional transport seremi Rodrigo Lagos and adds to a national network of 919 free‑transport services that already benefits over 71,000 children.

Both measures aim to improve mobility for vulnerable populations in Chile’s remote regions, reinforcing the government's social‑inclusion agenda.