Chile on a Swedish Licence — IDP Recommended, 0.03 Limit, Atacama Driving

For a Swedish driver, Chile is one of the easier long-haul self-drive trips: you already drive on the right, the main highways are good, and your home licence is accepted. The catches are smaller and more specific than the paperwork worry most people start with.

Can a Swedish licence holder drive in Chile?

Yes. Driving in Chile on a Swedish licence is fine for a tourist stay, and an International Driving Permit is recommended — not because the law always insists on it, but because rental desks and the Carabineros (traffic police) prefer to see one clipped to your passport. Sort the IDP at home before you fly; you cannot get one once you arrive. Keep your Swedish licence, the IDP and your passport together in the car.

No side switch — but the alcohol limit is tighter

Coming from Sweden you keep driving on the right, so there is no left-to-right adjustment to unlearn. The rule that catches Scandinavian drivers off guard runs the other way: Chile’s blood-alcohol limit is 0.03, marginally higher than the 0.02 you live with at home, but still strict enough that “one beer” is not worth it. Treat it as zero. Enforcement is real, and the penalties go well beyond a fine.

The real challenge is the geography

Chile is absurdly long and thin. The Pan-American highway down the spine is well surfaced and quick, with a motorway limit of 120 km/h, rural roads at 100 and towns at 60. But the north is the Atacama — the driest desert on earth — where fuel stops, mobile signal and water are spaced far apart. Plan refuelling deliberately, carry water, and do not rely on your phone for navigation between towns. Santiago itself is the busiest driving you will meet, with heavy commuter traffic.

A speeding ticket of around 10 km/h over runs to CLP 38,000-70,000 (≈ EUR 35-65), so pace yourself on the open desert roads where it is easy to drift over. The emergency number is 131 for an ambulance; fuel sits near $1.35/litre.

Confirm your paperwork on the Chile driving guide, check the IDP rule for your trip with the Driving Permit Checker, and estimate any ticket using the Speeding Fine Calculator.