By road, Potosí and Calama, Chile are about 391 miles (629 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 18 min of driving. You cross from Bolivia into Chile at about mile 268.
Full advisory: Bolivia, Chile. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
- Chile: “There are minefields on Chile's borders with Peru and Bolivia, and Argentina in Patagonia. Stay on marked roads and trails in these areas.”
| Distance by road | 391 mi (629 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | F5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 268, Bolivia → Chile |
| Regions on the route | Potosí, Antofagasta |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 268, from Potosí into Antofagasta. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| Entering Bolivia (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourism or business if you stay less than 90 days in a year. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
| Driving in Bolivia | You need both an International Driving Permit and your U.S. license. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Potosí to Calama is like
F5 (165 mi) carries about 42% of the 391 miles. The first 268 miles are in Bolivia; the last 123 are in Chile. It runs through 2 regions: Potosí, Antofagasta. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Potosí to Calama: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Potosí |
| F5 | 1–166 | 165 | Potosí |
| local roads | 166–391 | 225 | Potosí, Antofagasta |
- Mile 268 of this route: Potosí → Antofagasta (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Potosí and Calama
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Salar de Chiguana (mile 259), Pucará de Lasana (mile 366)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna Verde (mile 288), Baños de Ascotán (mile 311)
- Museums and history: Pucará de Lasana (mile 366)
Salar de Chiguana
Near the Chilean border in Bolivia's Potosí department, the Salar de Chiguana is a salt flat in a depression fed by small streams from the mountains.
Salar de Carcote
Also known as Salar de San Martín, Salar de Carcote is a salt flat in northern Chile, lying southwest of the town of Ollagüe.
Laguna Verde
Laguna Verde is a shallow saltwater lagoon in the Antofagasta Region, within the drainage basin of the Salar de Carcote.
Salar de Ascotán
Salar de Ascotán, also known as Salar de Cebollar, is a salt flat in northern Chile whose drainage basin of 1,455 square kilometers is shared with Bolivia.
Baños de Ascotán
South of the Ascotán salt flat, the Baños de Ascotán are a group of three hot springs.
Pucará de Lasana
Built in the 12th century, the Pucará de Lasana is a pre-Columbian fortress in the village of Lasana, El Loa Province, roughly 900 years old.
In Calama itself
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Calama
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, also called Calama Cathedral, is the main Catholic church of the Diocese of San Juan Bautista de Calama in Chile.
More drives to Calama
- Arica to Calama
- Tacna to Calama, Chile
- Sucre to Calama, Chile
- Oruro to Calama, Chile
- Salta to Calama, Chile
More drives from Potosí
- Potosí to Tarata
- Potosí to Quime
- Potosí to Quillacollo
- Potosí to Tiwanaku
- Potosí to Coroico
- Potosí to Chulumani
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Potosí to Calama, Chile?
About 9 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 391 miles.
What is the driving distance from Potosí to Calama, Chile?
About 391 miles (629 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Potosí to Calama drive cross the border?
At about mile 268, from Bolivia into Chile.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Potosí into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Potosí to Calama drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Potosí and Calama?
Closest to the road: Salar de Chiguana (salt flat, mile 259, 0.4 mi from the route); Baños de Ascotán (spring, mile 311, 2 mi from the route); Pucará de Lasana (archaeological site, mile 366, 0.4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.