The southernmost city of Chile is Punta Arenas, the capital of the Chilean Antarctic region of Magallanes and a great starting point for a trip by rental car. It is located on the mainland, has about 120,000 inhabitants and is the starting point for cruises to Tierra del Fuego . Founded in 1848 as a Chilean colony, Punta Arenas served the British as a free port and penal colony. Before the Panama Canal was opened, the city and port were of great importance for merchant ships. Today, Punta Arena attracts holidaymakers who love the special and is used as a starting point for expeditions to the Antarctic. Travellers arrive at the international airport with IATA code PUQ and mainly use rental cars to get to the city or the surrounding area.
The very young city has no typical historical sites to offer, however, the scenario is characterized by magnificent palaces and houses. The area around the Plaza de Armas is especially worth seeing, the square itself is provided with a huge Indian stature. The low and manageable traffic results in free travel and everywhere available parking spaces for your rental car.
From Aramas Square you could go to the beach and see the unique breakwaters . A total of three historical sailing ships give the beach an extraordinary flair. Punta Arenas also has a pleasant cultural atmosphere to enjoy.
Natural highlights make up the real charm of the Punta Arenas region, at the southernmost end of the Chilean nation, the unique landscape is particularly fascinating. A few kilometers outside the city there is the Penguin-Reservat Seno Otway to visit. However, there are several penguin colonies in the surrounding area, where you can observe the natural habitat of these unique animals.
A short drive by rental car will take you to the beautiful Torres del Paine Nature Park. The southernmost national park of Chile enchants with imposing mountains, rugged granite rocks, glaciers and diverse landscapes. The ideal time to visit Punta Arenas is between December and March. Then it's midsummer there and the temperatures can reach 15 degrees.
Well developed roads allow you to drive on the Chilean territory from south to north with the rented car. The most important traffic regulations can be found here:
| Road category | highest speed |
|---|---|
| Inner cities | 50 km/h |
| Out of town | 100 km/h |
Our comparison portal shows you every active car rental company at your destination's airport, always with the latest vehicle offers. After the comparison, you choose a rental car with desired insurance benefits and helpful navigation. The completed booking assures you that your car is waiting for pick up at the airport car rental. In case of spontaneous rental attempts after landing you have to make compromises in every respect and sometimes have to wait a long time. Here are some tips for renting and taking over at a car rental company.
In the event of a rental car accident abroad, an existing fully comprehensive insurance always relaxes the situation. As the driver responsible, you can assume that all damages will be settled. You do not incur any additional costs if you have a policy without excess . You are covered by a contract with a deductible.
To have a second driver covered by fully comprehensive insurance you must arrange car insurance at Punta Arenas airport or downtown rental to include in the rental contract. Only if the name of the additional driver is stated in the contract, the insurance also regulates an accident caused by him.
You could choose the one-way option if you want to drive from Punta Arenas airport to the capital Santiago for example. You drop off your rental car at Santiago de Chile Airport at the same car rental company and take unique memories of your trip with you.
The Car rental at the southernmost place of Chile blocks the rental car deposit on your card. You should therefore ensure that you have sufficient funds available. You can only dispose of the money again once the car return has been completed without complaint. When renting on our portal you will see the amount of the deposit for each vehicle.
