By road, Santa Cruz, Chile and Punta de Choros are about 474 miles (763 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 45 min of driving.
Full advisory: Chile. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
| Total distance | 474 mi (763 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | D-110-C |
| Regions on the route | Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Santa Cruz–Punta de Choros drive in a few lines
D-110-C (24 mi) carries about 5% of the 474 miles. It runs through 4 regions: Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Santa Cruz to Punta de Choros
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–449 | 449 | Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Valparaíso, Coquimbo |
| D-110-C | 449–473 | 24 | Coquimbo |
| local roads | 473–474 | 1 | Coquimbo |
- Mile 76 of this route: Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins → Región Metropolitana de Santiago (region line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Región Metropolitana de Santiago → Valparaíso (region line)
- Mile 232 of this route: Valparaíso → Coquimbo (region line)
Stops between Santa Cruz and Punta de Choros
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (mile 40), St. Bernard Cathedral, San Bernardo (mile 101), Centro Nacional de Arte Contemporáneo Cerrillos (mile 107), Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 403)
- Nature and outdoors: La Campana National Park (mile 172), Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 344)
- Museums and history: Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (mile 40), St. Bernard Cathedral, San Bernardo (mile 101), Centro Nacional de Arte Contemporáneo Cerrillos (mile 107), Chilean Historical and Military Museum (mile 110), Londres 38 (mile 111), Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (mile 403)
Teatro Municipal de San Fernando
Teatro Municipal de San Fernando is a public theater in the commune of San Fernando, Colchagua Province, in Chile's Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region.
Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo
A Catholic church in the city of Rengo, the Basílica de Santa Ana is one of Chile's nine minor basilicas, with roots going back to the colonial period.
St. Bernard Cathedral, San Bernardo
Beside the Plaza de Armas of San Bernardo in metropolitan Santiago, St. Bernard Cathedral is the main Catholic church and seat of the Diocese of San Bernardo.
Centro Nacional de Arte Contemporáneo Cerrillos
Housed in the old modernist terminal of Los Cerrillos airport in Santiago, this contemporary art center opened in 2016 for temporary exhibitions and Chilean art from 1967 onward.
Chilean Historical and Military Museum
Founded in 1895 and run by the Chilean Army, this Santiago museum of military history has occupied the 19th-century Alcázar, a former military academy and National Historic Monument, since 1997.
Londres 38
In downtown Santiago, Londres 38 is the building the DINA used as a detention and torture center for opponents of the Pinochet dictatorship, code-named Yucatán.
La Campana National Park
In Chile's coastal range northwest of Santiago, La Campana National Park protects the Chilean palm that Charles Darwin studied on his 1834 visit. Trails climb toward Cerro La Campana, and the park also holds petroglyphs and the Salto La Cortadera waterfall.
Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park
Near Ovalle in Chile's semi-arid north, Fray Jorge National Park shelters a fog-fed forest of species typical of southern Chile, such as olivillo and canelo. A short marked loop trail winds through it, and the park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena
Also called La Serena Cathedral, this is the seat of the Archdiocese of La Serena, standing on the northeastern corner of the Plaza de Armas at Los Carrera and Cordovez streets.
More drives to Punta de Choros
- Vicuña to Punta de Choros
- Reñaca to Punta de Choros
- Valparaíso to Punta de Choros
- Viña del Mar to Punta de Choros
- Santiago, Chile to Punta de Choros
- El Colorado to Punta de Choros
From Santa Cruz to other places in Chile
- Santa Cruz, Chile to Valle Nevado
- Santa Cruz, Chile to Vicuña
- Santa Cruz, Chile to Pisco Elqui
- Santa Cruz, Chile to Malargüe, Argentina
- Santa Cruz, Chile to La Punta, Argentina
- Santa Cruz, Chile to San José de Jáchal, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Cruz, Chile to Punta de Choros?
About 9 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 474 miles.
How far is Punta de Choros from Santa Cruz, Chile by car?
About 474 miles (763 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Santa Cruz to Punta de Choros drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Cruz to Punta de Choros?
Closest to the road: Basílica de Santa Ana, Rengo (basilica, mile 40, 0.7 mi from the route); St. Bernard Cathedral, San Bernardo (cathedral, mile 101, 0.6 mi from the route); Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena (cathedral, mile 403, 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.