Santiago bus 201 (Red): route map, stops and timetable

Route 201 is the bus (locally called a “micro”) that links the north and south of Santiago along the Independencia – Gran Avenida axis. It leaves Mall Plaza Norte, in Huechuraba, crosses the city centre and ends in central San Bernardo, a trip of 33.4 km. It is a Red Movilidad service, the system formerly known as Transantiago, and it is run by Consorcio Conecta, which took it over in July 2025 after the 2023 tender. It also has an express, the 201e, between Metro Santa Ana and San Bernardo. In this guide you will find the route by section, the timetable, how long it takes and how to find out where the 201 bus is.

Route 201: from Mall Plaza Norte to San Bernardo

Northern section. The 201 starts at Mall Plaza Norte, on Los Libertadores, crosses Américo Vespucio and passes Los Libertadores station. It continues along Av. Independencia (Cardenal Caro, El Cortijo), detours via Quilicura, Barón de Juras Reales and Av. Los Zapadores streets to Vivaceta station, and heads down Av. Fermín Vivaceta to Conchalí station. From there it returns to Av. Independencia, with stops at Plaza Chacabuco, Hospitales, the Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile and Mall Barrio Independencia.

Centre. The 201 reaches Estación Mapocho, passes the Hospital Traumatológico, the Teatro Teletón and Santa Ana station, and reaches La Moneda via San Martín. It then continues along San Ignacio and past the Palacio Cousiño, and takes Nataniel Cox south to Franklin station.

Southern section. From Franklin the 201 runs the full length of Gran Avenida, following the bus stop numbering from 3 to 41: Hospital Barros Luco, the Municipalidad de San Miguel, the San Miguel, Lo Vial, Departamental, Ciudad del Niño, Lo Ovalle and El Parrón stations, the Municipalidad de La Cisterna, La Cisterna, El Bosque and the Escuela de Aviación. After Estación Freire it enters San Bernardo via Urmeneta and Avenida San José, and ends at José Besa and Antonio Varas.

The return trip differs in the centre: instead of Nataniel Cox it goes up San Diego (Teatro Caupolicán, Parque Almagro, Instituto Nacional) and Bandera to Estación Mapocho, the Vega Central and the Terminal de Buses La Paz. In San Bernardo it leaves from the Plaza de San Bernardo, and in the north it ends at the Terminal Los Libertadores.

201 services and variants

The 201e is the express service. It runs from Metro Santa Ana to San Bernardo with only 18 outbound stops: Los Héroes, Manuel Rodríguez, Av. J. J. Prieto Vial, Av. Pdte. J. Alessandri R. and Avenida Colón, entering San Bernardo via Urmeneta and San José. It is 21.7 km long and its scheduled time is 49 minutes. It runs from 05:30 to 24:00 every day, with about 135 departures on weekdays, 68 on Saturday and 71 on Sunday. It does not replace the 201 on Gran Avenida: it takes a different path and does not go through the north of the city.

Route 201 timetable

According to the current DTPM operating schedule (October 2026), the 201 runs 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday. The schedule provides for about 139 departures on weekdays, 126 on Saturday and 120 on Sunday. In the early hours the bus keeps running, but with longer intervals than during the day.

In the morning peak (07:00 to 09:00) on a weekday, the shortest scheduled interval is 8 minutes on the 201 and 5 minutes on the 201e express. The 201e does not run at night: its first departure is at 05:30 and its last at 24:00.

How long the 201 takes

According to the operating schedule, a full outbound trip on the 201, from Mall Plaza Norte to San Bernardo, has a scheduled time of 144 minutes for 33.4 km. It has 96 outbound stops and crosses the whole centre. If your trip is from the centre to San Bernardo, the 201e takes 49 minutes according to the schedule. These are reference times: allow extra time in peak hours.

Bus stops and Metro connections

The 201 has 96 stops outbound and 91 on the return. In the north it passes the Los Libertadores, Cardenal Caro, Vivaceta, Conchalí, Plaza Chacabuco and Hospitales stations. In the centre, Santa Ana and La Moneda (and Parque Almagro on the return). In the south, Franklin, San Miguel, Lo Vial, Departamental, Ciudad del Niño, Lo Ovalle, El Parrón, La Cisterna and El Bosque. The 201e passes Santa Ana, Los Héroes and Toesca (the latter only on the return).

How to find out where the 201 bus is

The official way to see how long until the next 201 is the App Red (in the app stores, “Red Metropolitana de Movilidad”), which is free and has an arrival predictor for each bus stop (paradero). On a computer you can use “¿Cuándo llega?” on red.cl. In both cases enter the bus stop code: it is printed on the stop sign and starts with P, followed by a zone letter and a number. The App Red also plans trips combining buses, Metro and Tren Nos.

Fare and tarjeta bip!

Since 22 February 2026 the adult fare on Red buses is CLP 795 at any time, including on the 201e. Secondary and higher-education students pay CLP 260 with the TNE, primary school pupils ride free and seniors with the bip! Adulto Mayor pay CLP 390. You can pay with the tarjeta bip! (it costs CLP 1,550) or with bip!QR generated in the App Red or other apps.

With a single payment you get up to two transfers (three legs) within 120 minutes of the first validation, as long as you do not repeat the same bus route. There is no extra charge between buses; if you transfer to the Metro during peak hours, you pay the difference up to CLP 895.

Tips for travelling on the 201

• If you are going from the centre to San Bernardo and do not need to get off on Gran Avenida, take the 201e at Santa Ana or Los Héroes: the schedule gives it 49 minutes.
• For short trips on Gran Avenida, the 201 drops you next to every Metro station between Franklin and El Bosque.
• In the centre the outbound and return trips use different streets (Nataniel Cox and San Diego): check the map before looking for the bus stop.
• At night, check the App Red before you leave: the 201 runs 24 hours, but with fewer departures.