TRANSPORTATION ________________________________________________
	Valparaíso is a city in motion. Dependent on the coming and going of ships, it also has a thriving internal transport system.
	Ascensores  "In Valparaíso, port city, life unravels vertically by means of ascensores that work in a parallel and alternating fashion, without rest, to move a humanity that uses only impassible streets… to move from the maritime zone to the heights of natural amphitheater, constructed and very populated, that dominates the port." - Alejo Carpentier, 1967 Valparaiso's trademark is its ascensores, translated as funiculars or cable cars that run on tracks up the city's hillsides. The city has fifteen ascensores, the oldest built in 1883, and most about one hundred years old. They constitute the main form of transportation up and down the hills, as well as a city trademark and tourist attraction. To ride one, the passenger must pass through a turnstile, pay a fee, and wait inside the car until enough other passengers arrive. The ascensor creaks up the hillside, sometimes shaking and jerking, and almost always providing a spectacular view of the city and bay below. The fees are higher to go up than down, and also more expensive on weekends. They are powered by pulleys on a hydraulic or coal-burning system, and provide a relaxing alternative to the torturous hillside stairways.
	Map of ascensores
	Micro The most common way to travel around the city or between Valparaíso and surrounding towns is the microbus. Four major companies own the micros, which run 24 hours a day on fixed routes. There are no set stops on the routes, and one can wave down a micro from any curbside. The fares are the same for any trip within the city limits, and about double that for longer rides, with discounts for students and senior citizens. All types of people take the micro, from professionals to schoolchildren, to vendors and musicians who make their livings riding the micro. The most famous one is the "O" route, which crosses the ctiy's hilltops at high speeds and is nicknamed "the roller coaster." Colectivo The colectivo is a taxi with a fixed route that picks up passengers along its way. Its fares are similar to that of the micro, but do not include student or senior discounts. Colectivos routes cover both business and residential areas, often including the hilltops that micros may not reach. A slightly more exclusive type of transportation, the colectivo serves those who can afford to avoid the noisy, crowded micro. Train A commuter train line runs from Valparaiso's port north through Vina del Mar, then turns east, servicing towns further to the interior. The trains run every fifteen minutes at rush hours, and every 30 minutes at off-peak times, but are seldom on schedule. Service begins around 7 am and stops by 10 pm. The train primarily services business people and the middle classes, as its fares are more expensive than the micro's. It is, however, the fastest transportation between Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, as it bypasses the ever-present traffic jams on the main road. Cars Though many residents of Valparaiso do not own cars, traffic is always bustling. The high cost of gasoline, lack of parking, and narrow, twisting streets make cars a posession of the wealthy and those in outlying areas.