Ushuaia, Argentina, and Puerto Natales, Chile, may look close together on a map, but the challenging terrain – including fjords and mountains – makes it a long road trip for travelers exploring Patagonia’s greatest highlights.
Moreover, flights between Ushuaia, and Punta Arenas, Chile, the connection point for flights and buses to Puerto Natales (the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park), ended in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with no return announced.
This left us with one option to get from Ushuaia to Puerto Natales: the 12-hour bus, operated several times a week by Bus Sur.
We were pleased to find that Bus Sur operates a high-quality service with comfortable coaches and beautiful scenery. I’m shocked to say that even with the length, we would make this journey again. Here’s what you can expect.
The Route from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Puerto Natales, Chile via Punta Arenas, Chile
How to Buy Tickets
To travel from Ushuaia to Puerto Natales, you must transfer buses in Punta Arenas. You’ll need to buy tickets from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and then from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales. The layover in Punta Arenas added about 2 hours to our journey, bringing us to 14 hours from start to finish.
From September to April, the high season, the transfer service to Puerto Natales is offered Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. From May to August, the service is offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
You can find a current schedule and purchase your tickets online at BusSur.com. English-speaking passengers can toggle the language to English using the link in the upper right-hand corner.
Because I required several tickets from Bus Sur and needed to verify their schedules, I booked my tickets by emailing them at sac@bussur.com. Their agent was very helpful, confirming my schedule, providing a price quote, sending a link for payment, and ultimately emailing all my tickets to me.
You can also purchase tickets in person at the bus stations in Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales. We didn’t see a ticket counter in Ushuaia, but it may exist.
As foreign tourists, you want to pay for your tickets in Chilean Pesos using a credit card or cash. Bus Sur offers different prices in Chilean Pesos and Argentine Pesos due to the blue dollar exchange rate in Argentina. (If you aren’t familiar with Argentina’s currency issues, check out our article on getting cash in Argentina.) The Chilean exchange rate is much more favorable to foreign tourists. If you pay in Argentine pesos via a credit card, you will pay twice as much.
Tickets on the classic bus cost around $60 USD per person as of November 2023. A semi-cama bus is also available for $75 USD per person. We took the classic bus service.
Boarding
We arrived at the Ushuaia Bus Stop about thirty minutes before our 8:00 AM departure. The bus stop is located downtown within walking distance of most Ushuaia accommodations.
Two attendants checked our tickets and then immediately assisted us with Chilean immigration paperwork. Every passenger has to complete a Chilean immigration and declarations form using an online website. You need to have your own cellular data or hotspot off of another passenger.
Our luggage was loaded underneath the bus and we were allowed to board a few minutes before departure.
The Bus
I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the bus was. The interior felt new and the seats were comfortable with a generous recline. Seats were assigned.
There was a curtain dividing the seats if you don’t feel like looking at your companion.
Each seat had a USB outlet, light, and air vent.
There was even a small toilet on board. (Bring your own hand sanitizer.)
Our connecting bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales looked exactly the same. In fact, all of the buses in Bus Sur’s fleet that we saw looked identical.
The Journey
First Hour and Lunch
After one and a half hours on the road, we came to our first restroom stop in a small Argentine town. There, the bus also picked up our lunch: a pre-packaged sandwich, two pastries, and water.
It wasn’t fancy, but we were happy to have it for free. You might want to bring snacks like we did to supplement. Every restroom stop included a convenience store that had, at a minimum, chips and candy for purchase.
Argentina-Chile Border Crossing
After another couple of hours on the road, we crossed the border from Agentina to Chile where any produce, fruit, or vegetables needed to be surrendered. For the low price of an apple, we got to see Chilean border control’s newest recruit in action. (We were not allowed to photograph anything, unfortunately.)
Here’s what happened: they lined everyone up and had us set our bags on the ground inside of the border control building. They asked who had fruit or produce but asked that everyone keep it in their bags to test their new trainee. (Information about fresh fruit and vegetables was also included on the Chilean immigration form we filled out before departure.)
So who was that new trainee?
It was an adorable and clumsy puppy! The lil’ doggo accurately found every piece of produce (and it wasn’t clear if the dog also detects other contraband). Nevertheless, 10 out of 10, would get searched again. It was the most enjoyable border crossing anyone had ever experienced.
With that, we were in Chile.
The Ferry: A Road Leading into the Water
Another couple of hours passed as we drove through the flat ranchlands of Southern Chile. We saw our first few Guanaco running down the road.
When the bus finally came to a stop, I looked out the window and saw that the highway was running straight into the water.
I hadn’t researched this part of the journey, but it turned out that we would be ferried across a body of water to the highway on the other side.
Our bus had to wait for the next crossing. During that time, there was a public restroom (that lacked soap and paper towels but otherwise functioned) and a convenience store available.
We watched the ferry unload. This route, part of the Pan-American highway, is popular with road trippers, but the motorcyclists struggled to get their bikes off the ferry and across the sand. It was frustrating for them and entertaining for us.
Shockingly, our bus and several others fit on the ferry with no problem. The journey was short – maybe 20 minutes.
Did we end up in Farson, Wyoming? (Nope, just Chile)
The bus continued to Punta Arenas, Chile, after this point without stopping.
Pete and I watched the scenery, and at one point, he leaned over to me:
“Did we drive all the way to Farson, Wyoming?!”
Farson is a very small farm town in a sagebrush-filled valley in our home state of Wyoming. There’s not much more than farms and scenery. For some reason, the Chilean landscape reminded us exactly of it as we watched the fields and abandoned ranches fly by.
Then a Guanaco would hop out and remind us of our actual location.
Photos are hard when the bus is moving, but we really enjoyed the area. It’s gorgeous.
What does the Punta Arenas Bus Sur Station look like?
Finally, about 10 hours after leaving Ushuaia, we arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile.
The bus stop is basic but provides a place to sit and wait for your connection. They did have a wifi connection and a restroom.
Again, the restroom plumbing left something to be desired. The sinks were a bit of a struggle to use. As you might have gathered, this was a common theme among restrooms in Chile. It is not unwise to pack your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer in case things get dodgy.
Our bus to Puerto Natales left on time and arrived around midnight.
What does the Puerto Natales Bus Sur Station look like?
On arrival, the bus station in Puerto Natales was closed. We walked to our AirBnB and were pleased to find that the city was safe.
There isn’t Uber in Puerto Natales. If you require a taxi to your accommodation, make sure to arrange one in advance. Your hotel can assist you. There weren’t any taxis waiting at the bus station.
On our outward journey, we again visited the Puerto Natales bus station and were pleased with how nice it was. Their restrooms were well-kept, clean, and 100% functional – a rare treat. Each bus company had its own window for ticket sales and service, and several kiosks sold snacks.
They also had the best stray cat ever hanging out with bus passengers. What more could you want?
Alternative Options
Travelers looking for a shorter journey may want to consider flying from Ushuaia, Argentina, to El Calafate, Argentina, spending a couple of days in El Calafate exploring the Perito Moreno glacier and then taking a shorter 4-5 hour bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales, Chile. From Puerto Natales, several carriers are available for the 3-4 hour journey to Punta Arenas, Chile.
Would we do it again?
Yes! The ability to explore Antarctica, Ushuaia, Argentina, and Torres del Paine, Chile in a single trip was incredible. The journey on Bus Sur was comfortable and well-executed. We highly recommend Bus Sur.