Apart from the metro, buses are the only other public transport option. The Transantiago system has standardized bus routes and combined local (feeder) bus lines, main bus lines and the subway network. It includes an integrated fare system, which allows passengers to make bus-to-bus or bus-to-metro transfers for the price of one ticket, using a single smartcard. While this is great for residents it is of little value for the visitor who has just arrived.
The bip! charge card allows you to get on any metro or bus. Furthermore, you can transfer from metro to a bus or vice versa and not get charged extra, as the fare carries over for 90 minutes from your first point of entry. Passengers who do not have the card may pay in cash (only in feeder buses).
Frankly, I found the bus system almost impossible to use. It was difficult to find the correct route, difficult to find the correct bus stop and difficult to determine which bus to actually catch. If you are staying for only a few days, my recommendation is to forget about it and take the metro or a taxi. If you want to persist you can buy a book that the company publishes and sells at newspaper stands anywhere in the city. Transantiago also has a website and a free paper map that are essential to the understanding of transit in the capital.
At present there are both new Transantiago-standard and old buses in operation. The main bus lines are operated with articulated (18 meters long) and normal buses, while the local services are operated with normal buses and minibuses.
Taxis are relatively cheap and the drivers don’t expect a tip but they often don’t carry street directories so it can be difficult getting to your desired destination if you don’t know the neighbourhood. They sometimes claim to have no change so it is handy to have something like the correct money. Radio taxis are also available and some locals say these are safer for foreigners. You will also see some blue taxis at the airport and at hotels which charge a fixed fee rather than use a meter. This will always be higher than a metered fare.