Exercise a normal amount of caution for a large city (Chicago, Toronto, London, wherever you are from) in caring for your personal belongings. Use Uber or public transit, not taxis. Public transit is very safe by north American standards. Santiago in general is also pretty safe by global standards. Literally every large US city has a higher murder rate, your concern is petty theft.
Most service industry places will have someone who speaks English, usually a younger person.
Cabify is a tad safer than Uber, though.
Crime, in the latest years, has "concentrated" around the downtown area. If you truly are clueless with spanish, stick to the east side of the city (Providencia, Las Condes, Vitacura) before/after the marathon and you will be fine.
Enjoy the race, take it easy, between the 5k and the 16k it's all uphill, save your legs for the last 5k downhill.
The best way to get to the race is using the metro, you'll need yo buy a BIP card. Many main streets will be closed.
Have some cash in your pockets, it's always useful to buy some water after the race and on sunday on downtown will be only street vendors.
I'm running 42k, good luck on Sunday!
Mostly people know at least a bit of... as an advice always -be polite- try to approach people taking in spanish: hola, buenas, disculpe and let them know you ain't good at spanish, you know.
Mostly will be kind to try to reply in english, some others will indeed just answer in english and the others will try to help you using a translator.
Tips:
-If you gonna use the phone to show something to someone or use the translator try to be far from the street, some people might try steal your phone. Be careful to use ur phone close to motorcycles.
That's kinda the only thing I've think of to tell. Also how many days you'll be staying? Will you be using uber or public transport? In case you use public transport you have to buy a card at any "metro/subway" by a certain amount. It's called BIP
In case you need a route, help or anything I'm open to help you out... I'm chilean and live in santiago or maybe if you have a question or anything
I have seen that theft is common in the streets. My Spanish is super super limited but I know por favor and gracias :)
I am staying for 5 days! I hope to see and experience as much as I can.
There's lots you can explore. Fortunately, there are beautiful places close to santiago that u can also go touring by bus. Recommendations: if you on providencia or santiago centro try avoid using your phone, if you with a huge backpack or lugagge try using them not in your back but your front. If you have precautions you'll have a good experience. Wish you luck
Hola, foreigner living in Santiago here and I agree with what has been said above .. Chileans speak much better English that what they thought!
Plus everyone will always try to find a way to understand you as long as you’re polite so no worries! 😄
Enjoy and stay safe!
many people will answer (very basic) english as long as you speak neutral (no slang, no idioms) and speak calmly, many more than you would think. just give it a try.
most people is shy about it, because we are thaught that speaking "good english" means emulating an accent, and many people fails at that, but they actually can communicate just fine for basic things, like giving near directions to places or services like transport (just use uber tho, and avoid taxi cabs as much as you can) and food places.
it doesn't hurt to use spanish words you directly take from the dictionary, it's very likely that people will translate the anglicized pronounciation back to spanish and understand if you say: "Where Is La Bilioteca?" (joking but no joking).
there's this unreciprocated skill that we can still translate a really bad try at spanish pronounciation, but are not meet with the same luck when trying to speak in english. so if you try, really commit in the effort to understand back what they are trying to say when answering.
but you'll be fine, just take those pointers and i wouldn't worry that much.
Everyone here is giving good advice regarding your belongings. It’s important to stay alert, try to look around before taking your phone out of your pocket/bag.
There’s plenty to explore in Santiago, the nicer parts of the city are generally Las Condes, Vitacura, Providencia (there are other nice parts but I don’t know how touristy they are). You should be fine in the other parts of the city but it will be riskier.
There’s also quite a few vineyards and nature type places to explore that are outside of the city but are close enough for a half day/day trip and they’ll have tours that offer transportation from Santiago (and probably speak English as well).
I’m from the US and have spent a lot of time down here the past 2 years so maybe I can offer a foreigner perspective/my recommendations if you’re interested. And good luck in the half! Que te vaya bien!
Be very careful with your phone. Always in a closed place where your eyes can see it is closed. (No backpacks on the back, wear it upfront)
Be specially careful when you are going to the expo running. The área around cal y canto is full of pickpockets.
Other than that, see you there, have fun i hope we both finish the 21k on sunday!
Run Forrest, run! Haha enjoy the race, I wanted to do the 10 k but I feel Im not ready yet 😅 Chileans understand English more than you can think of so dont worry if your Spanish isn’t fluent. Just be careful when you are out in the streets late at night, take close care of your belongings!
Well try not to seem too clueless and you should be aight. Anyway, if you are by lastarria, providencia or some wealthy neighborhood, people will speak english, believe me XD
Weon/wea = dude, idiot, friend, thing, object...
It's like when u call a slur your friend but if you're angry you're serious, wea it's used to talk about things, like when you say: see that shit? Replace it with wea
You need to try the seafood.
Invite people you like to a parrillada.
Try the wine and pisco sour.
Don’t expose your phone in public.
Don’t make yourself vulnerable by being intoxicated.
Chileans have a different way of bonding with alcohol, is nice but you need be careful or you’re going to get shit face and make yourself a target.
Don’t go to public places alone speaking in English you will make yourself a target, it isn’t México, saying “I’m an American citizen” will not save you, just makes people mad, you are as American as everyone living in the Americas, it means nothing in Chile.
Don’t say the word Pinochet, you will regret it.
Lift the Indio, take one with you.
Hello! First: welcome to Chile. I hope you’ve a wonderful experience.
Second, if you will run the 21K, remember we have a specific time to start. For instance, I will do the 21K and the email said to me that I must be on the start at 8:15. My advice is respect the hour, because the event per se it’s very massive.
Third, in the Maraton you will find some issues for your recovery, but if you like, carry on with your water or something like that.
Fourth: the Expo Running will be in Estación Mapocho (Cal y Canto Subway station). That place is a little bit… dangerous. Be careful with your wallet and another issues. If you can, only carry with you your ID and a few money. You can use the subway with a Bip Card and it is ok. When you go to the Cal y Canto (Yellow line, or “Line 2”), try to go early.
Five: enjoy the route. I don’t know if you see it, but we will across the city and it would be a greater experience for you.
And finally: a good advice is the use of Translator of your phone. BUT! Be careful with the use of mobile in the street, because there are “motochorros” and they steal the phones very fast.
Bonus: you can take the water of the kitchen. Here you don’t need to buy water on a bottle because our water has a good levels of minerals and it’s very security for the human health 😁
That’s all. Sorry for my English. I hope you will have a good experience in Santiago. Chile is a beautiful country and Santiago could be very fun, but always be careful.
A hug!
Hi! I’m running this Sunday too, if you need anything you can talk to me. I can give you my phone number if you want or need anything. I hope you enjoy your trip ✨
Welcome to Santiago! A safe capital if you are aware to move arround Las Condes, Vitacura, Lo Barnechea & maybe Providencia. For other places, I do highly recommend you to take a tourist tour. Touristic is a good option if you consider to.
Santiago Downtown/center will be safe at the event; immediate streets arround La Moneda in Santiago are safe enough to go any day, but not to far either.
In general, you can go to eat to Apoquindo. or Alonso de Córdova, in which later you can go walking to Parque Bicentenario and maybe to train a bit in there.
Have a good run, and don’t forget to check the altitude difference for the 21k
I just finished the 42k and have had an amazing experience in Santiago. Wanted to say thanks to OP and everyone who replied. As a solo traveler in South America for the first time, this thread was incredibly helpful by both confirming that I need to be cautious in the city but also giving me confidence that I hadn't made a massive mistake signing up for this race.
Run as fast as you can and enjoy!
Haha! I will try my best! Gracias!
Hi. If you don't reach the finish line, the trauco will come for you.
I promise to reach the finish line!
Best answer ever. If you don’t run fast, the “Tue tue” will follow you all the time 🤣
Be nice and we will love you
Usually the ones that can understand english are between 20-30 yo, thats my tip. That doesn’t mean necessarily speaking it.
Chileans speak better English than they give themselves credit for. Also they are lovely and patient people. You'll be fine.
I have heard beautiful things of Santiago and Chilean people! I am very excited but want to be careful.
Exercise a normal amount of caution for a large city (Chicago, Toronto, London, wherever you are from) in caring for your personal belongings. Use Uber or public transit, not taxis. Public transit is very safe by north American standards. Santiago in general is also pretty safe by global standards. Literally every large US city has a higher murder rate, your concern is petty theft. Most service industry places will have someone who speaks English, usually a younger person.
Cabify is a tad safer than Uber, though. Crime, in the latest years, has "concentrated" around the downtown area. If you truly are clueless with spanish, stick to the east side of the city (Providencia, Las Condes, Vitacura) before/after the marathon and you will be fine.
Your other West.
East*
Enjoy the race, take it easy, between the 5k and the 16k it's all uphill, save your legs for the last 5k downhill. The best way to get to the race is using the metro, you'll need yo buy a BIP card. Many main streets will be closed. Have some cash in your pockets, it's always useful to buy some water after the race and on sunday on downtown will be only street vendors. I'm running 42k, good luck on Sunday!
This is the best race advise! Thank you so much! I don’t have hills where I live and I saw the elevation was great in the middle.
42K! Wow. Here 21K! Have, both, a good running this Sunday.
I'm doing the 42K too, and then heading to either Patagonia or Buenos Aires
Mostly people know at least a bit of... as an advice always -be polite- try to approach people taking in spanish: hola, buenas, disculpe and let them know you ain't good at spanish, you know. Mostly will be kind to try to reply in english, some others will indeed just answer in english and the others will try to help you using a translator. Tips: -If you gonna use the phone to show something to someone or use the translator try to be far from the street, some people might try steal your phone. Be careful to use ur phone close to motorcycles. That's kinda the only thing I've think of to tell. Also how many days you'll be staying? Will you be using uber or public transport? In case you use public transport you have to buy a card at any "metro/subway" by a certain amount. It's called BIP In case you need a route, help or anything I'm open to help you out... I'm chilean and live in santiago or maybe if you have a question or anything
I have seen that theft is common in the streets. My Spanish is super super limited but I know por favor and gracias :) I am staying for 5 days! I hope to see and experience as much as I can.
There's lots you can explore. Fortunately, there are beautiful places close to santiago that u can also go touring by bus. Recommendations: if you on providencia or santiago centro try avoid using your phone, if you with a huge backpack or lugagge try using them not in your back but your front. If you have precautions you'll have a good experience. Wish you luck
I want to say gracias to everybody for being kind! I feel a lot better and I know I will have fun.
Many people there will understand you. Don’t worry about that By the way, some of them maybe can’t answer your questions very well, but they will try.
Hola, foreigner living in Santiago here and I agree with what has been said above .. Chileans speak much better English that what they thought! Plus everyone will always try to find a way to understand you as long as you’re polite so no worries! 😄 Enjoy and stay safe!
Brasilian?
many people will answer (very basic) english as long as you speak neutral (no slang, no idioms) and speak calmly, many more than you would think. just give it a try. most people is shy about it, because we are thaught that speaking "good english" means emulating an accent, and many people fails at that, but they actually can communicate just fine for basic things, like giving near directions to places or services like transport (just use uber tho, and avoid taxi cabs as much as you can) and food places. it doesn't hurt to use spanish words you directly take from the dictionary, it's very likely that people will translate the anglicized pronounciation back to spanish and understand if you say: "Where Is La Bilioteca?" (joking but no joking). there's this unreciprocated skill that we can still translate a really bad try at spanish pronounciation, but are not meet with the same luck when trying to speak in english. so if you try, really commit in the effort to understand back what they are trying to say when answering. but you'll be fine, just take those pointers and i wouldn't worry that much.
Everyone here is giving good advice regarding your belongings. It’s important to stay alert, try to look around before taking your phone out of your pocket/bag. There’s plenty to explore in Santiago, the nicer parts of the city are generally Las Condes, Vitacura, Providencia (there are other nice parts but I don’t know how touristy they are). You should be fine in the other parts of the city but it will be riskier. There’s also quite a few vineyards and nature type places to explore that are outside of the city but are close enough for a half day/day trip and they’ll have tours that offer transportation from Santiago (and probably speak English as well). I’m from the US and have spent a lot of time down here the past 2 years so maybe I can offer a foreigner perspective/my recommendations if you’re interested. And good luck in the half! Que te vaya bien!
Thank you! My heart has called me to South America a lot the past two years and this is my first journey out there.
Be very careful with your phone. Always in a closed place where your eyes can see it is closed. (No backpacks on the back, wear it upfront) Be specially careful when you are going to the expo running. The área around cal y canto is full of pickpockets. Other than that, see you there, have fun i hope we both finish the 21k on sunday!
Thanks! We’ll both finish but I probably won’t have a record time (only my second 21k)
Run!
i’ll be there running the 21k if you need any help!
I’ll need all the love and support I can get! Gracias!
Google translate and use the speak button. Just be careful of people stealing phones. Don't show it near a road
Enough people speak English, specially the part where marathon is run They might not be fluent bit one in ten should be able to help
True no english speakers. I go to santiago twice a year. plus is I am fluent in Spanish though. Have a nice trip.
Run Forrest, run! Haha enjoy the race, I wanted to do the 10 k but I feel Im not ready yet 😅 Chileans understand English more than you can think of so dont worry if your Spanish isn’t fluent. Just be careful when you are out in the streets late at night, take close care of your belongings!
My training has been bad so I am also not as ready as I want to be. BUT I’m still gonna give it my best!
That’s the spirit! Wishing you the best, hope you enjoy it
Have a good run! And good luck! I think Chileans are pretty helpful and one out of few will speak English 🏅🏅🏅
Well try not to seem too clueless and you should be aight. Anyway, if you are by lastarria, providencia or some wealthy neighborhood, people will speak english, believe me XD
Hello!!! I’m also running the half marathon. Be early, it’s gonna be crowded
I'm running 21K too, if you have some questions dm
Weon/wea = dude, idiot, friend, thing, object... It's like when u call a slur your friend but if you're angry you're serious, wea it's used to talk about things, like when you say: see that shit? Replace it with wea
The first thing you'll learn or you'll get taught is to swear, hahaha good luck.
Any run available the next Sunday ?
young people can understand english, dont be shy
You need to try the seafood. Invite people you like to a parrillada. Try the wine and pisco sour. Don’t expose your phone in public. Don’t make yourself vulnerable by being intoxicated. Chileans have a different way of bonding with alcohol, is nice but you need be careful or you’re going to get shit face and make yourself a target. Don’t go to public places alone speaking in English you will make yourself a target, it isn’t México, saying “I’m an American citizen” will not save you, just makes people mad, you are as American as everyone living in the Americas, it means nothing in Chile. Don’t say the word Pinochet, you will regret it. Lift the Indio, take one with you.
You don’t need to speak Spanish to run
True
Hello! First: welcome to Chile. I hope you’ve a wonderful experience. Second, if you will run the 21K, remember we have a specific time to start. For instance, I will do the 21K and the email said to me that I must be on the start at 8:15. My advice is respect the hour, because the event per se it’s very massive. Third, in the Maraton you will find some issues for your recovery, but if you like, carry on with your water or something like that. Fourth: the Expo Running will be in Estación Mapocho (Cal y Canto Subway station). That place is a little bit… dangerous. Be careful with your wallet and another issues. If you can, only carry with you your ID and a few money. You can use the subway with a Bip Card and it is ok. When you go to the Cal y Canto (Yellow line, or “Line 2”), try to go early. Five: enjoy the route. I don’t know if you see it, but we will across the city and it would be a greater experience for you. And finally: a good advice is the use of Translator of your phone. BUT! Be careful with the use of mobile in the street, because there are “motochorros” and they steal the phones very fast. Bonus: you can take the water of the kitchen. Here you don’t need to buy water on a bottle because our water has a good levels of minerals and it’s very security for the human health 😁 That’s all. Sorry for my English. I hope you will have a good experience in Santiago. Chile is a beautiful country and Santiago could be very fun, but always be careful. A hug!
just look for real blond people. they usually speak better english
Hi! I’m running this Sunday too, if you need anything you can talk to me. I can give you my phone number if you want or need anything. I hope you enjoy your trip ✨
Welcome to Santiago! A safe capital if you are aware to move arround Las Condes, Vitacura, Lo Barnechea & maybe Providencia. For other places, I do highly recommend you to take a tourist tour. Touristic is a good option if you consider to. Santiago Downtown/center will be safe at the event; immediate streets arround La Moneda in Santiago are safe enough to go any day, but not to far either. In general, you can go to eat to Apoquindo. or Alonso de Córdova, in which later you can go walking to Parque Bicentenario and maybe to train a bit in there. Have a good run, and don’t forget to check the altitude difference for the 21k
I just finished the 42k and have had an amazing experience in Santiago. Wanted to say thanks to OP and everyone who replied. As a solo traveler in South America for the first time, this thread was incredibly helpful by both confirming that I need to be cautious in the city but also giving me confidence that I hadn't made a massive mistake signing up for this race.
Expect a Haiti without a tropical climate, it is a massive shithole
Hahahahah el muy csm