Chile rural transport expansion

In late July 2026 Chile’s Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications stepped up efforts to improve mobility in remote areas. On July 27 the private operator Transportes Santa Juana SpA added two high‑standard buses, bringing its fleet to 25 vehicles and serving about 3,500 passengers daily on routes between Santa Juana, San Pedro de la Paz and Concepción. The same announcement highlighted a new subsidised 216‑km route (CTA0363) linking Arica with Ungallire in the Putre commune, intended to run on weekends and carry roughly 200 passengers per trip, thereby enhancing access to health, education and other services for high‑altitude communities.

Two days later, on July 29, the ministry detailed the CTA0363 service schedule – departures from Arica on Saturdays and returns from Ungallire on Sundays – and confirmed free fares for seniors, people with disabilities and young children. In addition, a public tender was opened for 42 free school‑transport contracts covering 24 communes in the La Araucanía region. The three‑year contracts will move more than 4,000 students from isolated rural areas to schools, expanding a national network that already serves over 71,000 children. Both actions underscore the government’s commitment to connect vulnerable populations in Chile’s distant regions.