Work on the new Pichachén border complex, in the municipality of Antuco, has reached 88% of its structural phase and should be completed in the first quarter of 2027, the Biobío regional secretary of Public Works, José Piña, told [BioBioChile](https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-del-bio-bio/2026/10/28/obras-del-nuevo-paso-internacional-pichachen-llevan-un-88-de-avance-es-el-unico-en-el-bio-bio.shtml) on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Work resumed after the winter and is now in the finishing stage: roofing, painting, maintenance and fitting out rooms.
For anyone planning to cross into Argentina this summer, the key fact is different: the opening date of the pass for the summer season is still under review, said Biobío's provincial presidential delegate, Juan Pablo Mellado, according to Publimicro, which added that it depends on conditions and on coordination with Argentina. Pichachén is the only international border crossing in the Biobío Region.
Progress on the Pichachén border complex, in figures
| Date | Reported progress | Source |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | About 35% | Meganoticias, May 20, 2025 |
| October 2025 | 36.45% (almost 40%, according to the Undersecretary of Public Works) | Ministry of the Interior, Oct. 23, 2025 |
| October 2026 | 88% of the structural work | Biobío Regional Public Works Office, via BioBioChile, Oct. 28, 2026 |
| Expected completion | First quarter of 2027 | Biobío Regional Public Works Office |
Sources: Meganoticias, Ministry of the Interior and BioBioChile. In 2025 the plan was to open at the end of 2026; the current timeline is the first quarter of 2027.
What the new Pichachén pass complex will look like
| Feature | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Municipality of Antuco, Biobío Region | Ministry of the Interior |
| Connects with | El Cholar, Neuquén province (Argentina) | Meganoticias |
| Investment | More than 22 billion pesos (22.6 billion according to the Public Works Architecture Department) | Ministry of the Interior and Meganoticias |
| Floor area | 3,080 m² | Ministry of the Interior |
| Control model | Joint control with Argentine officials, and two buildings: one for entering and one for leaving Chile | Ministry of the Interior |
| Services | Immigration, customs, and plant and animal health controls; office and accommodation modules; dog kennels | Ministry of the Interior and Meganoticias |
| Self-sufficiency | Its own drinking water, wastewater treatment and power generation | Ministry of the Interior |
| Today | Five container-type modules without the minimum conditions to operate | Ministry of the Interior, 2025 |
The official goal, according to the Ministry of the Interior, is for the new complex to allow continuous year-round operation, unlike the current crossing, which opens only seasonally. The project is the largest investment by the Interior Government in Biobío, according to the Presidential Delegation cited by Meganoticias.
Do you offer lodging or tours in Antuco, Los Ángeles or the Upper Biobío? Reach the Argentine and Chilean travelers planning their summer.
See advertising optionsWhen the Pichachén pass opens and what to know before crossing
Pichachén is a seasonal crossing. Media in Neuquén have reported that on the Argentine side it opens from February for as long as the weather allows, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., according to LM Neuquén, and that it closes between late March and early April depending on the snow, according to Río Negro. Official statistics show that last season there were also crossings between October and December 2025. These figures are from previous seasons: the 2026-2027 dates and hours have not yet been published.
- Do not plan around a fixed date: the 2026-2027 summer opening is under review, according to the Biobío Provincial Presidential Delegation (October 28).
- The Argentine road is unpaved, one of the reasons the crossing is seasonal, according to Río Negro.
- Check the status of the pass on the same day through the official channels of the Delegation and the Highway Department (Vialidad). On October 28, snow-clearing work was reported in the area after the latest storm.
- Carry your car documents and a notarized authorization if the vehicle is not yours, as at any crossing into Argentina.
Why the Pichachén pass matters for tourism in Biobío
Official arrival statistics show that Pichachén is a small crossing, but one that grew strongly in 2025. This is how it compares with the southern crossings through which the most foreign tourists entered:
| Border crossing | Region | Foreign tourists 2024 | Foreign tourists 2025 | January to August 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardenal Antonio Samoré | Los Lagos | 283,712 | 397,994 | 166,245 |
| Pino Hachado | La Araucanía | 134,333 | 193,145 | 73,504 |
| Puesco (Mamuil Malal) | La Araucanía | 126,735 | 176,423 | 85,997 |
| Icalma | La Araucanía | 35,474 | 62,251 | 24,251 |
| Pichachén | Biobío | 1,876 | 7,251 | 2,287 |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, "Cuadro por Paso Fronterizo" sheet of the foreign tourist arrivals data (PDI figures, October 2026 release). In 2025, 79% of arrivals through Pichachén came between January and March. The 2026 figures run through August and cover only the January-April season, when 2,287 tourists entered, compared with 6,063 in the same months of 2025.
In the 2025 season, 8,446 Argentine tourists crossed through Pichachén, the highest figure on record, according to the Presidential Delegation cited by Meganoticias in May 2025. That is a different figure from the one in the table, which measures foreign tourists per calendar year using PDI data. The municipalities expected to benefit from the new complex are Antuco, Quilaco, Quilleco, Santa Bárbara, Los Ángeles and Concepción. The pass is the gateway to the Andean area of Antuco, home to the volcano of the same name, and an alternative to the busier southern crossings such as Cardenal Samoré.
If you plan to cross at another pass this summer, check the border crossings with the most tourists in Chile and the status of the Cristo Redentor pass. And if your trip includes the area, the Biobío Region is home to the Saltos del Laja and things to do in Concepción.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Pichachén pass?
In the municipality of Antuco, Biobío Region, and it connects with El Cholar, in the Argentine province of Neuquén.
When does the Pichachén pass open in the 2026-2027 summer?
There is no date yet. As of October 28, 2026, the Biobío Provincial Presidential Delegation said the summer opening is under review.
When will the new border complex be ready?
The Biobío Public Works office expects to finish the work in the first quarter of 2027. As of October 28, 2026, the structural work was 88% complete.
How much does the new Pichachén complex cost?
More than 22 billion Chilean pesos, according to the Ministry of the Interior; the Public Works Architecture Department cited 22.6 billion pesos in 2025.
