Information for visitors and international students

The most common way to get into the country is flying. The following are the main airlines offering flights to Chile: Latam, Sky Airlines, JetSmart, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Canada, Air France, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Copa Airlines, Delta, Iberia, KLM, Qantas, United Airlines.

The O’Higgins Region is located next to the Metropolitan Region, which is home to the country’s main international airport. The city of Rancagua, where our main campus is located, is less than 90 km from Santiago, so there are several options to get there by land:

• Bus: From Santiago you can find different bus lines with regular routes that arrive in or pass through Rancagua, to mention a few: TurBus, Cóndor, Ruta H, Andimar, JetSur, etc. Of these, only TurBus offers a direct route with Rancagua as a final stop, since all the other lines pass through Rancagua, but continue their trip to cities further south. Rancagua is served by two bus terminals: Terminal O’Higgins and Terminal O’Carrol, located in different parts of the city, but both less than 2 km from the Campus. Almost all buses from Santiago arrive at the first terminal, with the exception of the TurBus line that arrives at the second terminal. It is worth mentioning that when arriving on the TurBus line, it is also possible to get off one block from the University, at the Av. España/Alameda bus stop.
• Tren: Trains from Santiago to Rancagua depart from the main station – “Estación Central” (map). You can check the schedules on this website. There are 2 types of services to Rancagua: “Tren Rancagua-Estación Central” (regular service with several departures a day. Upon arrival at the station you must buy a smart card and load credit onto it which allows you to use this system, no online purchase or reservation is possible) and the “Tren Chillán – Estación Central” (direct service, with only a couple of daily departures, which allows online purchase and seat reservation, either in first or second class. It is more expensive than the regular service). In any chosen train service, your arrival point will be the Rancagua train station, which is located about 2 km from the Campus. (map)
• Car: If you have a valid driver’s license from your own country, you can also opt for temporary car rental service (Rent a car) and drive directly to Rancagua. There are many agencies in Santiago that offer this service, including several that operate from the international airport itself. If you choose this option, we recommend booking in advance through the websites of the providers. If you drive from Santiago, the trip to Rancagua usually takes about an hour, depending on traffic conditions.
• Transfer: There are some direct transfer services from the airport, some providers are the following: : Transvip, VTS, Transfer OH, Transfer Aránguiz
• Taxi or ridesharing apps: It is also possible to hail a taxi directly from the Santiago airport to Rancagua or travel using the most common ridesharing apps, although these alternatives tend to be the most expensive.

The UOH campus is located in the center of the city, so it is very easy to get around simply by walking. There is also a network of public transportation buses (“micros”) and also shared cabs with fixed routes (“colectivos”) that travel throughout the city.

There are also regular taxis (black with yellow roofs) that circulate throughout the city or are located at special stops, as well as various transportation applications.

Rancagua is also equipped with several kilometers of bicycle lanes.

Here are some hotels and lodging options available in Rancagua: Hotel Diego de Almagro, Hotel Terrado, Hotel Mar Andino, Hotel Piedra Verde (Machalí), Aparthotel De Triana.

You can also check out various alternatives on AirBnb.

There are several options for having a meal in Rancagua. Note: In Chile it is customary to leave a 10% tip if the service received was satisfactory. Here we list some options as an example:

• Okulto: Restaurant in downtown Rancagua, with Japanese and fusion dishes. Olivares 156, Rancagua
• Sra. Fang: Located next to the main square in Rancagua, it offers different Asian dishes. Independencia 470, Rancagua.
• Pueblito Gastronómico de Machalí: A place that gathers 7 restaurants with Italian, Japanese, Chilean, American, Peruvian cuisine, among others. It is located in the town of Machalí, about 10 kms from downtown Rancagua. Camino La Hacienda 48, Machalí
• Magari: Located in the center of Rancagua, restaurant of Asian and Peruvian fusion dishes.. Campos 544, Rancagua
• B Lounge: Restobar, specializing in sushi, which has 3 locations in the city. Alcázar 445, Rancagua
• Fuente Millán: Restaurant specializing in a variety of meat dishes and sandwiches, with several options of Chilean and international food. Pedro de Valdivia 30, Rancagua
• Tierra Norteña: Peruvian food, locations in Rancagua and Machalí. Av. Eduardo Frei Montlava 075, Rancagua
• Margo: Bar specializing in beer and pizzas. Av. Bombero Villalobos 1092, Local 2, Rancagua
• Il Peccato: Italian food restaurant located on the limit of the town of Machalí, about 5 kms from the center of Rancagua. Av. San Juan 133, Machalí
• Torino: Italian food restaurant. Manuel Montt 160, Rancagua

Rancagua and San Fernando have a Mediterranean climate, with long, hot summers and cold, generally dry winters. If you are traveling, especially in the warm season (late November to mid-April) it is very important to have a high protection sunscreen.

Check the current weather forecast here.

• Money: In Chile, the currency is the Chilean peso, here you can see an estimated currency converter. Generally, payment in any other foreign currency is not accepted. In downtown Rancagua and San Fernando there are some money exchange offices. Please contact us if you require more details. In most of the stores (including small shops) it is possible to pay with an international credit card, but it is advisable to always have some cash. Transportation in the city only accepts cash.

• General shopping: Shops are normally open from Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. In some cases, smaller stores may close briefly at lunchtime. On Saturdays, stores usually operate on more limited opening hours, and on Sundays and holidays almost everything is closed, except supermarkets and some small shops.

• Drugstores: Drugstores have business hours; they do not operate on a 24-hour basis as in other places. However, during closing hours (e.g., evenings, Sundays, holidays) there are drugstores on duty. These are usually very crowded as there are not many of them and they are the only alternative. They are only recommended in case of emergency.

• Restaurants and entertainment: Usually these places operate at much longer hours, and many of them are open on Sundays and holidays.

• Emergency numbers: Ambulance: 131, Fire Department: 132, Carabineros (police): 133.
• Hospitals and medical centers: There are several hospitals and medical centers that can be accessed in case of emergency or illness. See all health care centers in Rancagua. The closest one to the University’s main Campus is the Redsalud clinic, which is located just across the street from the main building. See all medical centers in San Fernando.
• Earthquakes: You may have heard it before: Chile is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, so it is likely that you will experience one during your stay. But don’t worry, most of the earthquakes that usually occur are of low or medium intensity and do not represent any kind of danger (many times they are not even noticeable!). However, there is always the possibility that an earthquake of greater intensity may occur. In this case, the first thing to do is to remain calm. In Chile, buildings are prepared to withstand strong earthquakes, so they usually do not suffer any damage or only minor ones (broken windows, falling ceiling panels, etc.). Check more details about what to do in an earthquake and which are the safety zones of the university in this site.
• Crime: Rancagua and San Fernando are quite safe cities compared to many other places in Chile. As in any big city in the world, you should be careful not to have your wallet, purse or high-value objects in sight (cameras, jewelry, etc.). Be careful also when taking out your cell phone in public. We suggest you avoid going out at night to lonely places or in areas you do not know. Remember that the Carabineros (police) number is 133.
• Wildlife: In our cities we have no animals that are dangerous or pose a risk to humans. The sole exception is the Chilean recluse spider (“Araña de rincón”). This type of spider has a venomous bite (potentially even lethal) and is found mostly in older buildings, but can be found in most of the houses and buildings in the country. This spider usually shies away from human contact, so it will never attack you if it does not feel threatened and you may never see one, even if it is present where you are. As a recommendation, always keep rooms well ventilated and clean. In addition, you should avoid leaving clothes on the floor or in a corner and, if you do, it is advisable to shake them out before wearing them. In the very unlikely event that you get bitten, we recommend that you apply ice to the area of the bite and go quickly to a medical center, mainly to rule out a bite from this type of spider (try to take the specimen with you if you can).
• Sunburn: In the summer months (December to February), you should always use sunscreen with a high protection factor, otherwise you could quickly suffer from sunburn. A good hat and sunglasses are also recommended, as well as trying to avoid being out in the sun during the peak hours of radiation.

• Holidays: You can check the list of holidays in Chile here.
• Important UOH dates: In the academic calendar you can find the important dates at UOH.

• Official time: Depending on the time of the year, in the O’Higgins Region (“Chile Continental”) there are 2 different time zones: CLT (UTC-4 ) between April and September and CLST (UTC-3) between September and April. Check the current official time here.
• Electricity: In Chile, the plugs are type C and type L. Voltage is 220 V and frequency: 50 Hz.

• Rancagua’s City Council
• Tourism on the O’Higgins Region
• Chile Travel