Getting There By Air:Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE) Tel: (011) 5480 6111.
Website:
www.aa2000.com.arEzeiza is situated 35km (22 miles) west of Buenos Aires and is the international gateway to Argentina. It is one of Argentina’s busiest airports and acts as a hub for flights to other South American cities, such as Santiago de Chile and Rio de Janeiro.
Airport facilities: Facilities include a bank and exchange facilities, ATMs
, duty-free and general shops, a tourist
information desk, a post office and car hire operators. There is also a shuttle bus connection to Jorge Newbery Airport for domestic flights.
Transport to the city: The least stressful way to travel from the airport to Buenos Aires is by taxi.
Manuel Tienda Léon (tel: (011) 4315 5115; website:
www.tiendaleon.com.ar) and
Transfer Express (tel: (011) 4852 6776) operate private car transfers as well as shuttle bus services to the city center, which take around 40 minutes. The local bus 86 to the city center is much cheaper but takes up to two hours. Municipal taxis are readily available.
Aeroparque Metropolitano Jorge Newbery (AEP) Tel: (011) 5480 6111.
Website:
www.aa2000.com.arJorge Newbery airport is situated just 4km (2.5 miles) from Buenos Aires city center, on the Costanera Norte beside the Rio de la Plata. It is the pivotal point of the country’s domestic flight system.
Airport facilities: Tourist information, banking and bureau de change, left luggage and car hire facilities are all available. There are also frequent connections to the International Airport.
Transport to the city: Buses 33, 37 and 45 pick up along the Constanera (coast road) at the front of the airport and make various stops as they travel downtown.
Manuel Tienda Léon (tel: (011) 4315 5115; website:
www.tiendaleon.com.ar) and
Transfer Express (tel: (011) 4852 6776) operate private car transfers and shuttle bus services to the city center and the International Airport. Municipal taxis are readily available and
Remises Universal (tel: (011) 4105 5555; website:
www.remisesuniversal.com) provides a private car service.
Approximate flight times to Buenos Aires: From London is 13 hours; from New York is 11 hours; from Los Angeles is 16 hours; from Toronto is 13 hours and from Sydney is 16 hours.
Getting There By Road:Driving in Argentina usually involves long distances and, apart from the main highways, roads are generally in poor condition. Checkpoints exist to prevent meat, vegetables and other food products entering into Mendoza, San Juan, Patagonia, Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán. The ’A’ roads are the
autopistas (motorways) and those labelled ’R’ are
rutas (roads) - tolls exist on all main roads. The maximum speed limit on motorways is 130kph (80mph) and on one-lane roads is 80kph (50mph), while the speed limit in built-up areas varies from 40 to 60kph (25 to 37mph). Traffic drives on the right and regulations, signs and conduct are similar to those in the USA or Europe. Drivers can be impatient and have little regard for lanes or the wearing of seat belts. The use of seat belts is, however, compulsory and fines are implemented for failure to comply with the law. The minimum driving age is 18 years, while the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%.
Insurance that covers third-party liability is required by law. An international driving license is rarely requested by car hire companies or police; your license from home will suffice, although it is a good idea to get it officially translated.
Emergency breakdown service: ACA (tel: (011) 4803 3333
or 0800 777 2894, in Argentina only).
Routes to the city: From Buenos Aires, Route 3 goes southwest to Bahia Blanca and then along the east coast of Argentina all the way to Rio Gallegos. It then travels to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, via Chile and a ferry ride across the Magellan Straits. Route 7 goes west to Mendoza and onwards to Santiago in Chile. Route 9 goes northwest to Rosario and Córdoba and connects with roads northwards to Salta or Puerto Iguazú. All roads coming into Buenos Aires connect with the A001 or Avenida General Paz, a semicircular
autopista that acts as the city’s ring-road. Several main roads run all the way into the heart of the city, such as Autopistas Leopoldo Lugones and 25 Mayo, which both connect with Avenida 9 de Julio in the city center.
Driving times to Buenos Aires: From Córdoba - 9 hours; Mendoza - 17 hours; Puerto Iguazú - 20 hours; Ushuaia - 30 hours.
Coach services: Numerous bus companies operate long-distance services from Retiro Terminal de Omnibus, Avenida Antártida Argentina (tel: (011) 4310 0700/07), next to the Retiro train station. Facilities at the modern and well-organized terminal include tourist information, cafes, left luggage, ATM, shops and Internet. International services operate between Buenos Aires and Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Getting There By Rail:Trains are no longer a viable option for getting to or around Argentina, as most passenger rail services have ceased. However, there are a number of urban rail services within and around Buenos Aires. Out-of-town services run from three main stations listed below, by various companies including
Trenes de Buenos Aires (tel: 0800 3333 822; website:
www.tbanet.com.ar) and
Ferrovias (tel: (011) 4511 8833; website:
www.ferrovias.com.ar).
Rail services: In the south of the city, Estación
Constitucion, Calle General Hornos 11, receives trains from Mar del Plata (journey time - 6 hours), Sierra de la Ventana (journey time - 9 hours 30 minutes) and Tandil (journey time - 7 hours 30 minutes). To the west of the city, Estación
Once, next to Plaza Miserere on Avenida Pueyrredon and Calle Bartolomé Mitre, handles both long-distance and suburban trains. Estación
Retiro, Avenida Ramos Mejia, serves trains from north of the city, including the suburbs of San Isidro (journey time - 20 minutes) and Tigre (journey time - 45 minutes).
Getting Around:Public TransportThe best way to get around Buenos Aires is to take the bus or
Subte (subway) to an area and then explore it on foot. The city’s transport service is extensive, inexpensive and efficient. It is worth investing in a good street and transportation map if planning to stay more than a few days.
To avoid the motorized madness, take the
Subte (subway), the underground train service operated by
Metrovias (tel: 0800 555 1616; website:
www.metrovias.com.ar). It comprises six lines (A to E and H) and a premetro system that links the end of Line E. You can buy pre-paid Subtecards or passes from the ticket booths (
boleterias) at each station in denominations of one, two, five, 10 or 30 journeys.
Colectivos (local
buses) are also useful for traveling within the city limits and many services operate 24 hours a day. No one company is responsible for the bus system in Buenos Aires but routes are detailed on the
Los Colectivos (website:
www.loscolectivos.com.ar). Routes and numbers can be confusing, so consult a map and ask the advice of locals.
Colectivos can be identified by the route number and main destination displayed above the windshield.
Urban
train services are operated by
Trenes de Buenos Aires - TBA (tel: 0800 333 3822; website:
www.tbanet.com.ar) and
Ferrovias (website:
www.ferrovias.com.ar), and can be a useful way of getting to outlying residential districts.
TBA runs the most comprehensive service with useful routes to Palermo, Belgrano, San Isidro and Tigre. You can buy tickets at stations.
Combined public transport passes are not available.
TaxisYellow and black taxis are in plentiful supply and you can easily hail them in the street. Generally, taxis are safe but it is advisable to telephone a radio taxi in advance. Reputable radio taxi companies include
Premium (tel: (011) 5238 0000; website:
www.taxipremium.com.ar) and
Radio Taxi Pidalo (tel: (011) 4956 1200).
Remises are fixed-fare taxis or minicabs booked in advance. They can generally offer fixed rates that are cheaper than standard taxis, especially for airport runs and longer journeys. Recommended providers include
ABC (tel: (011) 4315 6070),
Remises Universal (tel: (011) 4315 6555) and
Annie Millet Transfers (tel: (011) 6777 7777; website:
www.amillet.com.ar).
Driving in the CityThere is little point in bringing a car to Buenos Aires. Traffic in the city center (
Centro) is hectic and heavily congested during the rush hour. The grid system is reasonably easy to master. Arrows indicate the directions on street signs. Drivers are generally determined and have a low tolerance level for hesitant or slow drivers. Accidents are common - one tip is to slow down and flash the vehicle lights when approaching cross intersections without traffic lights at night. The
Microcentro (financial center of the city) is off limits to traffic between 0700 and 2100.
Parquimetros (parking meters) in the
Macrocentro (outer city) on weekdays are in use from 0700 to 2100 and take tokens (
fichas) purchased from kiosks or coin machines. Numerous
estacionamientos (car parks) or
playas (parking bays) are usually marked by flag-waving dummies. Hotel parking is sometimes available at the more expensive hotels.
Car HireAlthough driving in Buenos Aires is not recommended, a car may be useful for excursions and there are plenty of car hire companies in the city.
Avis,
Calle Cerrito 1527 (tel: (011) 4326 5542) and Ezeiza International Airport (tel: (011) 4480 9387; website:
www.avis.com),
Budget, Avenida Leandro N Alem 1110 (tel: (011) 5031 0199; website:
www.budget.com.ar),
Dollar, MT de Alvear 449 (tel: (011) 4315 8800; website:
www.dollar.com.ar),
Hertz, Calle Paraguay 1138 (tel: (011) 4816 8001) and Ezeiza International Airport (tel: (011) 4480 0054; website:
www.hertz.com), and
Localiza, Rivadavia 1126 (tel: (011) 4382 9267) and Jorge Newbery domestic airport (tel: 0800 999 2999, in Argentina only; website:
www.localiza.com.ar), are all safe options.
Drivers must be a minimum of 21 years old but some companies state 25 years. A valid driving license is acceptable but an International Driving Permit is recommended. You should book in advance if planning to hire over the weekend or holidays.
Bicycle HireCycling in Buenos Aires is generally not a good idea as the traffic is hectic and drivers have little regard for cyclists. Cycle lanes are rare but the number of designated routes is growing and there are some good cycle paths in the city’s parks and alongside some stretches of the river. You can hire three-gear road bikes and tandems from
Bike Tours, 14th floor, Calle Florida 868 (tel: (011) 4311 5199; website:
www.biketours.com.ar).
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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