To book a ferry from Puerto Ibáñez to Chile Chico, first check which vessel and operator serve your travel date. The crossing connects the northern and southern shores of General Carrera Lake, but the booking channel depends on the service you choose.
Updated on 8 October 2026. La Tehuelche is currently operated by Naviera Austral. Transal operates special and replacement services with Ferry Chelenco when a schedule has been confirmed.
Which ferry should you book?
For La Tehuelche, check the route and current booking instructions with Naviera Austral, its current operator. An older article mentioning Transal does not mean that La Tehuelche tickets are still sold through Transal.
For Ferry Chelenco, use Transal’s ticket booking site to check the departures offered for your date. The confirmed replacement operation runs until 19 October 2026. After that date, Chelenco’s service on this route will pause until new dates are requested by Chile’s Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT).
Read the Chelenco service notice, in Spanish. Do not assume that the same departures are available every day or that a displayed departure still has space for your vehicle.
How to check a Puerto Ibáñez–Chile Chico booking
- Select Puerto Ibáñez as your departure point and Chile Chico as your destination. Reverse them when checking your return journey.
- Choose your date and enter the passengers and vehicle you intend to take.
- Declare the vehicle’s actual dimensions, including any trailer or other extension requested by the operator.
- Check the vessel, departure time, passenger and vehicle availability, and total price shown for that trip.
- Read the booking conditions before paying and keep your confirmation for boarding.
A timetable is not a reservation. Check the return crossing separately and leave enough time between the ferry and your next road journey or activity.
Boarding a Transal service
Transal’s conditions require passengers to arrive one hour before departure and vehicles two hours before departure. Read the Transal booking and boarding conditions, in Spanish, and the instructions in your confirmation. Other operators have their own requirements.
Bring the required identification and your booking confirmation. Follow the crew’s instructions when boarding and during the crossing. Weather or operational conditions may change the departure or sailing time; check current notices before leaving for the terminal.
Planning the rest of your lake visit
Chile Chico and Puerto Ibáñez are different starting points for exploring the lake. Use our General Carrera Lake map, in Spanish to locate the towns and our Chile Chico access guide, in Spanish to compare the ferry crossing with the road route.
Keep the ferry reservation, your accommodation and any local excursion as separate parts of your itinerary. Confirm each service directly with its provider.
