Renting a car is your best choice to get around Patagonia. Highways are extremely well mantained and very safe; you can certainly drive worry-free. To rent a car, you need to be at least 22 years old and no more than 75. Present an identification such as a valid passport, the driver license from the country where you live and a major credit card. Budget and Hertz are the main international rentals companies operating in Patagonia.

There are certain rules that you need to follow: the Seat Belt is mandatory for the passengers in the front seat and it is forbidden to smoke and talk on the cell while driving. the speed limit is 100 km/h and 60 km/h in urban areas. Law is strongly inforced in Chile so there is no way around it if you are stopped by the police.  

If driving long distances, be sure you fill up your tank as there are not many gas stations in certain areas, especially when leaving Punta Arenas. A note: gas is fairly expensive, about U$3.50 the gallon (fall '06). Also, take into account that some roads leading to natural attractions are unpaved, if you rent a car, you will need a 4 x 4.

There are long distance lines but they won''t get you to the national parks and hidden spots as they mainly service the towns and major villages. Buses service certain popular destinations such as Torres De Paine from Punta Arenas.