International travelers must clear customs upon entrance. Passengers are advised to exclude the following items from their luggage, in order to meet agricultural/security regulations and to avoid expensive fines and prison.

• Fruits, vegetables, seeds or unprocessed goods of animal origin.
• Firearms, ammunition or explosives.
• Illegal drugs.

“Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport” is the arrival airport in Santiago of Chile, connecting several domestic and international flights. Santiago airport is located at a 20 minute drive from the conference site. From the airport, the conference site can be reached by taxi, car, shuttle or a combination of bus and subway. Authorized taxi cabs and registered car rentals are available at the international arrivals exit. The trip value by taxi from the airport to Santiago downtown is approximately US$ 40.


Shuttle services are available at a departure frequency of 10 to 15 minutes; these are shared services from the airport to the hotel. Alternatively, bus services connecting to subway stations in Line 1 (Pajaritos station) depart every 20 minutes from the airport. The cost for a round trip ticket is about US$ 5 and the cost of the subway ticket is US$ 1.

By car, the best way to access the conference site from the airport is to take the Costanera Norte Highway, take exit 17 “Mercado Central” and then follow the signs to “Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins Oriente”, alternatively called as “Alameda Oriente”. The cost to rent a car is about US$ 60/day.

More information can be found at www.aeropuertosantiago.cl

Offices	Mon - Fri 9:00 to 18:00
Banks	Mon - Fri 9:00 to 14:00
Shopping Centers	Mon - Sun 11:00 to 21:00 / 22:00
Stores & Shops	Mon - Sat 10:00 to 20:00
Supermarkets	Mon - Sun 8:30 to 22:00 / 23:00

Electric voltage is 220 volts, 50 cycles (220v 50Hz). The use of appliances or electric devices designed for 110V require the use of a transformer. Plug adapters could also be needed.

Multicarrier services are available at almost every phone. In order to avoid surcharges, we suggest you to use the public phones at the hotel lobby or the public phone cabins.

The currency unit is Chilean Pesos ($ or CLP). Traveler checks are seriously respected commercial documents, received only upon passport identification. You can find a useful currency converter into Chilean Pesos (CLP) at the website: http://www.xe.com

Foreign cash is not commonly used, except for hotels that may waive the value-added tax (IVA) when passengers pay in US dollars cash.

You can exchange money at any established "Casa de Cambio" or bank office. They are available at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in commercial areas (Downtown and Providencia) as well as Shopping Centers and International Airport.

Credit cards are welcome. Commonly accepted cards are Visa, Master Card, American Express and Diners Club. However, some small, rural towns have cash economies, therefore, when going out of the beaten path we suggest you to take some cash at hand.

Automatic Teller Machines are available everywhere, 24 hours a day. The Redbanc network honors cards from any local bank, as well as from Cirrus or Maestro cards.

Airport tax for flights leaving Chile is USD$18.
Airport tax for domestic flights is included in the airline ticket.

US citizens pay a reciprocity tax of USD$100 cash upon entry. The receipt will be valid as long as your passport is in force. This tax is applied to countries that charge Chilean citizens a fee to obtain visas.