Figuring out which ferries you need to take is one of the trickier parts of planning a Carretera Austral road trip. Some crossings are essential, others are optional shortcuts, and plenty won’t be relevant to your route at all.
I spent far too long looking at ferry routes and timetables before my own trip, trying to work out which ones I actually needed.
If you’re driving south from Puerto Montt, continuing all the way to Villa O’Higgins or crossing General Carrera Lake to Chile Chico, you’ll need to plan around the relevant sailings. Some ferries need booking in advance, others you can just turn up for.
The trick is knowing which crossings apply to your route, which need booking in advance, and how their schedules fit around the rest of your trip.
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Carretera Austral Ferries at a Glance
CrossingWhen You Need ItBooking and Timing
La Arena to PuelcheThe usual coastal road route south from Puerto MonttFirst come, first served. About 30 minutes on the water, plus queuing.
Hornopirén to Caleta GonzaloContinuing south from HornopirénBook ahead with a vehicle. The usual bimodal service combines two ferries and a short drive. Confirm which service you’re booking.
Puerto Yungay to Río BravoDriving south to Villa O’HigginsFree, with no reservations. Check the seasonal timetable and arrive early.
Puerto Ibáñez to Chile ChicoAn optional crossing of General Carrera LakeBook ahead if you’re relying on it. Chile Chico is also accessible by road around the lake.
Important: Timetables, fares and operating arrangements change. Use the operator links below to check your travel dates before fixing accommodation either side of a crossing.
Which Carretera Austral Routes Need Ferries
From Balmaceda, you can drive through Villa Cerro Castillo, Puerto Río Tranquilo, the General Carrera Lake area and Cochrane to Caleta Tortel without taking a ferry. For the route and realistic overnight stops, see my Carretera Austral itinerary.
The usual coastal route from Puerto Montt involves La Arena to Puelche, followed by the Hornopirén to Caleta Gonzalo connection.
Further south, the Puerto Yungay to Río Bravo ferry becomes necessary when you continue towards Villa O’Higgins. You don’t need it to reach Caleta Tortel from the north.
If you’re still deciding where to start, my Carretera Austral road trip guide compares the northern and southern sections.
The Chile Chico ferry is a separate choice. It crosses General Carrera Lake between Puerto Ibáñez and Chile Chico, giving you an alternative to the drive around the lake’s western and southern shores.
These are the crossings to check for those routes. Other regional ferries may be useful if you deliberately choose a different entry or exit point, but you don’t need to research every service in Patagonia before planning your road trip.
The Main Carretera Austral Ferry Crossings
La Arena to Puelche
La Arena to Puelche is usually your first ferry when driving south from Puerto Montt along the coast. The crossing takes about 30 minutes, with frequent departures.
You can buy a ticket at the terminal or through Transportes del Estuario’s online channel. Boarding is first come, first served, and an online ticket doesn’t reserve space on a particular sailing or let you skip the queue.
This is the crossing I’d worry about least, but I’d still allow extra time in summer when the queue can get pretty long. (And especially if you’re continuing to Hornopirén for a booked departure later that day.)
Hornopirén to Leptepu and Fiordo Largo to Caleta Gonzalo
This was the section that often causes people the most confusion. The usual “bimodal” route combines two ferry journeys with a short drive between them.
Travelling south, this means:
- Take the ferry from Hornopirén to Leptepu (~3 hours 30 minutes)
- Drive from Leptepu to Fiordo Largo (~15 minutes)
- Take the ferry from Fiordo Largo to Caleta Gonzalo (~40–45 minutes)
Those are travelling times, not including check-in, loading or waiting between boats.
Check the service description when you book. Somarco sometimes advertises direct sailings between Hornopirén and Caleta Gonzalo, so don’t assume every departure follows the two-ferry sequence above.
Visit Somarco’s website to check current timetables, confirm the route for your date, and book tickets.
I’d book this before fixing accommodation around Hornopirén, Caleta Gonzalo or Chaitén, especially if you’re travelling with a car in peak season.
Somarco’s boarding conditions require passengers and vehicles to be at the terminal with their tickets two hours before departure. I’m not sure how strictly this is enforced, but would still factor it into your driving plan.
Puerto Yungay to Río Bravo
You need this ferry if you want to reach Villa O’Higgins, the southern end point of the Carretera Austral. It crosses Fiordo Mitchell, after which the road carries on from Río Bravo.
Naviera Transal operates the service, which is free and doesn’t take reservations. Boarding is by order of arrival, with priority for emergency and official vehicles.
The crossing takes about 40 to 45 minutes. Check Ferry Patagonia’s seasonal timetable, which covers Naviera Transal’s sailings, for up-to-date departure info.
The operator recommends arriving at least an hour before departure. Services are less frequent in winter, and bad weather can affect the schedule.
Download the timetable before setting off and bring enough food and water for a wait. There’s no mobile data coverage at the embarkation points, so it’s best to plan ahead.
Puerto Ibáñez to Chile Chico
This ferry crosses General Carrera Lake and can save a long drive around its western and southern shores. However, this section of the Carretera Austral is actually one of my favourites (sooo pretty!), so I wouldn’t usually recommend taking this ferry.
That said, I’m still including the info here, as it can be a useful shortcut for overlanders continuing into (or from) Argentina at the Chile Chico border crossing.
Compare the full journey, including check-in and waiting, with driving. The ferry won’t automatically be quicker from wherever you happen to be staying.
If you do choose the ferry, book your vehicle space ahead and check who is operating the service for your dates. Look at Naviera Austral and Ferry Patagonia’s service updates.
How to Build Ferries into Your Route
I’d plan in this order.
- Decide which section of the Carretera Austral you’re driving and identify the crossings you’ll need.
- Check sailings in the correct direction for your travel dates. (Consider terminal arrival times, not just the departure.)
- Book vehicle space on the Hornopirén and Chile Chico services if you’re using them. Check the vehicle category and any dimensions requested before paying.
- Book accommodation around those crossings, then allow extra driving time for roadworks, fuel stops and other delays.
- Recheck the service before setting off and save your tickets and operator contact details offline.
If you’re booking before collecting a hire car, ask the ferry operator how to provide or update any vehicle details you don’t yet have. Don’t guess details that could affect your booking.
Leave Room for Delays
The Carretera Austral isn’t a road where I’d trust map timings too much. I’d much rather sit around early at a ferry terminal than spend the last hour driving dangerously fast on gravel because I’d been too optimistic.
Avoid relying on the last sailing of the day where you have a choice. On a first-come, first-served crossing, arriving before departure doesn’t guarantee that your vehicle will fit.
If a service is delayed or cancelled, check the operator’s update before changing your route. A road alternative may involve a substantial detour, and at Puerto Yungay there’s no road bypass for the crossing to Río Bravo.
Avoid putting a ferry-dependent journey immediately before a flight or another expensive booking you can’t move. Leave enough flexibility to deal with a missed crossing without it derailing the rest of your plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Drive the Carretera Austral Without Taking Any Ferries?
You can drive sections of it without ferries, including Balmaceda to Caleta Tortel and back. Driving the full route south from Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins involves ferry crossings.
Do You Need to Book Carretera Austral Ferries in Advance?
I’d book Hornopirén to Caleta Gonzalo and Puerto Ibáñez to Chile Chico ahead, particularly with a vehicle. La Arena to Puelche and Puerto Yungay to Río Bravo board by order of arrival, so check their timetables and allow time to queue.
Do You Need a Ferry to Reach Villa O’Higgins?
Yes, if you’re driving south along the Carretera Austral. You need the Puerto Yungay to Río Bravo crossing, which is free and doesn’t take reservations.
What to Read Next
- Carretera Austral road trip guide
- Carretera Austral itinerary