Getting Around
Public Transport
The best way to get around Buenos Aires is to take the bus or Subte 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.
The easiest way to negotiate the area and avoid the motorised madness is to take the Subte (subway). This underground train service is operated by Metrovias (tel: (011) 4959 6800; e-mail: info@metrovias.com.ar; website: www.metrovias.com.ar) and comprises five lines – A to E – and a premetro system that links the end of Line E. The Subte costs $0.70 per journey. Pre-paid Subtecards or passes can be purchased from the ticket booths (boleterias) at each station in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 or 30 journeys. The Subte is open from 0500 Mon-Sat and from 0800 Sun. Last trains are around 2230 daily.
Colectivos (local buses) are also useful for travelling 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 it is best to consult a map and ask the advice of locals. Colectivos can be identified by the route number and main destination displayed above the windshield. Having boarded at the front, coins should be inserted in the automatic coin machine, which will print a ticket and give change. City-centre journeys mainly cost $0.80, although very very short journeys cost $0.75 and the fare rises to $1.25 for trips to the outskirts of the city. To exit, there is a buzzer by the back door, which should be pushed before the stop required. Visitors should watch their belongings in the crowds and be courteous to passengers looking more in need of a seat than themselves.
Urban train services are operated by Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA; tel: (011) 4317 4400; website: www.tbanet.com.ar), Metropolitano (tel: (011) 4018 0700/17; website: www.tms.com.ar) and Ferrovias (tel: (011) 4511 8833; website: www.ferrovias.com), 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. Tickets are cheap ($0.50-0.95) and can be purchased at stations. Trains run approximately 0500-0100 daily.
There are no combined public transport passes available.
Taxis
Yellow and black taxis are in plentiful supply and can easily be hailed on the streets. Generally, taxis are safe but there are some fake taxis in existence. If unlucky enough to hail one, visitors should not argue fares with the driver as he is likely to be armed. It is safer to telephone a radio taxi in advance. Reputable radio taxi companies include City Taxi (tel: (011) 4585 5544) and Radio Taxi Pidalo (tel: (011) 4956 1200 or 4932 2222). During the daytime, meters start at a minimum fare of $1.12, with $0.14 increments every 200m (656ft), but the rate increases at night. Tipping is not expected but leaving the change is appreciated.
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. Hotels can arrange remises (see Limousines below).
Limousines
There are no specific limousine providers but remises are cars with chauffeurs that will take you wherever you want to go and wait if required. Recommended providers for remises include: ABC (tel: (011) 4315 6070), Agencia Barrio Norte (tel: (011) 4811 1334), Annie Millet Transfers (tel: (011) 6777 7777) and Tres Sargentos (tel: (011) 4311 4832).
Driving in the City
There is little point in bringing a car to Buenos Aires. Traffic in the city centre (Centro) is hectic by city standards and the roads get 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 area (city centre) is off limits to traffic between 0700 and 2100.
Parquimetros (parking meters) control parking on streets in the macrocentro area (outer city zones) on weekdays 0700-2100. Tokens (fichas) for their use can be purchased from kiosks or coin machines. Another option is to use the numerous estacionamientos (car parks), which are usually marked by flag-waving dummies and cost from $2 per hour or $10 per day. Hotel parking is sometimes available at the more expensive hotels and costs upwards of $10 a day.
Car Hire
Although driving in Buenos Aires is not really recommended, a car may be useful for excursions and there are plenty of car hire companies in the city. Avis (website: www.avis.com) has five offices in Buenos Aires, including downtown at Calle Cerrito 1527 (tel: (011) 4326 5542) and at Ezeiza International Airport (tel: (011) 4480 9387). Hertz (website: www.hertz.com) has a main office on Calle Paraguay 1138 (tel: (011) 4816 8001) and a desk at Ezeiza International Airport (tel: (011) 4480 0054). Localiza (website: www.localiza.com.ar) has seven offices in the Buenos Aires area, including Calle Maipú 924 (tel: (011) 4315 8384) in the microcentro and Ezeiza International Airport (tel: (0800) 999 2999, within Argentina only).
Drivers must be a minimum of 21 years old but some companies state 25 years. A valid driving licence is acceptable but an International Driving Permit is recommended. Advance booking is recommended if planning to rent over the weekend or holidays. Car hire starts from around $90 per day for a basic car with unlimited mileage.
Bicycle Hire
Cycling the city centre streets of 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. Three-gear ‘Beach Cruiser’ road bikes can be hired from Bike Tours, 13th floor, Calle Florida 868 (tel: (011) 4311 5199; e-mail: info@biketours.com.ar; website: www.biketours.com.ar) for US$10 for the first day and US$8 on subsequent days. There is a safe cycle path and a racing track in Parque Manuel Belgrano, Jerónimo Salguero 3450 (tel: (011) 4807 7700), where all-terrain bikes can be hired for $5 and racers for $3.
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