Buenos Aires Travel Guide

Getting There By Air

Airlines operating flights to Buenos Aires from the UK include British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia, Air France and Aerolíneas Argentinas.

Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE)
Tel: (011) 5480 6111.
Website: www.aa2000.com.ar

Ezeiza 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; 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.

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.

Aeroparque Metropolitano Jorge Newbery (AEP)
Tel: (011) 5480 6111.
Website: www.aa2000.com.ar

Jorge 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 Argentina'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; 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; www.remisesuniversal.com) provides a private car service.

Getting There By Road

Driving in Argentina usually involves long distances and, apart from the main highways, roads are generally in poor condition. Traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on one-lane roads and 40 to 60kph (25 to 37mph) in built-up areas. Regulations, signs and conduct are similar to those in the USA or Europe, although drivers can be impatient and have little regard for lanes or the wearing of seat belts. Checkpoints exist to prevent meat, vegetables and other food products entering into Mendoza, San Juan, Patagonia, Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán. 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 services
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 semi-circular autopista that acts as the city's ring-road. Several main roads run all the way into the heart of Buenos Aires, such as Autopistas Leopoldo Lugones and 25 Mayo, which both connect with Avenida 9 de Julio in the city center.

Driving times to the city
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, next to the Retiro train station. Travelers should keep a good grip on their belongings, as bag snatching and pickpocketing are quite common. International bus services operate between Buenos Aires and Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Getting There By Rail

Rail Services
While trains are no longer a viable option for getting to or around Argentina, as the mainstay of passenger rail services have ceased, there are a number of urban rail services within and around Buenos Aires.

Rail Operators
Out-of-town services are run by various companies including Trenes de Buenos Aires (tel: 0800 333 3822; www.tbanet.com.ar) and Ferrovias (tel: 0800 777 3377; www.ferrovias.com.ar). There are three main train stations in Buenos Aires. In the south of the city, Estación Constitucion, Calle General Hornos 11, receives trains from Mar del Plata, Sierra de la Ventana and Tandil. 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 - 50 minutes).

Connections
From Mar del Plata – 6 hours; Sierra de la Ventana - 9 hours 30 minutes; Tandil - 7 hours 30 minutes.

Getting Around in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Public Transport

The cheapest way to get around Buenos Aires is by bus (www.loscolectivos.com.ar) or on the underground, known locally as Subte (www.subte.com.ar). Pay for buses with coins once onboard – many operate 24 hours a day. For the 6-line Subte, buy pre-paid Subtecards from boleterias (ticket booths) at each station. Trains are operated by Trenes de Buenos Aires (tel: 0800 333 3822; www.tbanet.com.ar) and Ferrovias (tel: 0800 777 3377; www.ferrovias.com.ar) and are a good way of getting to nearby towns.

Taxis

Yellow and black taxis can be easily hailed from the pavement. An extra safe option is to telephone a radio taxi; a reputable company is Radio Taxi Pidalo (tel: (011) 4956 1200). Remises – fixed-fare taxis booked in advance – generally work out cheaper, especially for airport runs. Trusted companies include ABC (tel: (011) 4315 6070) and Remises Universal (tel: (011) 4315 6555).

Driving in the City

Traffic in the city center is heavily congested, but the grid system is reasonably easy to master, with arrows indicating the directions on street signs. Accidents are common - one tip is to slow down and flash the vehicle lights when approaching cross intersections without traffic lights at night. Microcentro (the financial center of Buenos Aires) is off limits to traffic between 0700 and 2100. Parquimetros (parking meters) operate 0700-2100 on weekdays in the Macrocentro (outer city), 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.

Car Hire

Car hire companies in Buenos Aires include Avis (tel: (011) 4378 9640; www.avis.com.ar) and Budget (tel: (011) 4314 7717; www.budget.com.ar). Drivers must be at least 21 years old but some companies state 25 years. A valid driving license is acceptable but an International Driving Permit is recommended.

Bicycle Hire

A new Buenos Aires cycle scheme means those who register at www.mejorenbici.gob.ar have free, two-hour use of yellow city bikes found at various points around Buenos Aires. For longer jaunts, road bikes and tandems can be hired from Bike Tours, 14th floor, Calle Florida 868 (tel: (011) 4311 5199; www.biketours.com.ar).