Buenos Aires

WHEN TO GO

Situated on the banks of the wide, café con leche-colored Rio de la Plata and barely above sea level, Buenos Aires enjoys a mild, if sometimes muggy, coastal climate. The humid winters are cool but not severe (it never snows) and the transitional seasons are comfortably warm, making them the best times of year to visit. (October, however, is the rainiest month.) Avoid, if you can, the sticky Buenos Aires summer. Significant holidays (aside from Christmas, New Year's, and Easter) include April 2 (Malvinas/Falklands Day), May 9 (May Revolution Day), July 9 (Independence Day), and October 12 (Columbus Day).

HOW TO GET THERE

AIRPORTS
International flights arrive at and depart from Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini, better known as Ezeiza, the airport named after the outlying suburb in which it's located. Ezeiza is about 20 miles southwest of the city, so expect about a 45-minute ride by taxi or remise (car service) to get you downtown (60 minutes during rush hour). Note that flights to and from neighboring Uruguay and points around Argentina are routed via B.A.'s domestic airport, Aeroparque Jorge Newbury, which is located in the Costanera Norte district (about 10 minutes from downtown). Flight information for Ezeiza and Aeroparque: 54-11-5480-6111, www.aa2000.com.ar.

BY RAIL
Several passenger rail stations around Buenos Aires service the various regions of the country and the city's suburbs. The lines are run by private firms (much like the old-school U.S. system that was abandoned in the 1960s), so it can be a headache to run down fares and schedules.

Constitución
11 General Hornos, Constitución
Trains from Estación Constitución (in the barrio that shares its name) head south, with Metropolitano running service out to Ezeiza and other points in Buenos Aires province, and Ferrobaires running longer hauls to such coastal destinations as Bahía Blanca, Miramar, and Mar del Plata.
Metropolitano: 0800-1-2235-8736 (toll-free) or 54-11-4018-0700
Ferrobaires: 54-11-4305-0157 or 54-11-4306-7979

Federico Lacroze
4181 Lacroze, Chacarita
Metrovías runs trains north out of Federico Lacroze station along the Urquiza line to General Lemos (Buenos Aires province).
Metrovías: 0800/555-1616 (toll-free) or 11/4959-6800; www.metrovias.com.ar

Once de Septiembre
Avenida Pueyrredón at Bartolomé Mitre, Balvanera
Commonly known as Once, this station hosts Ferrobaires' service to Bragado and Santa Rosa in the La Pampa province, as well as the westward Sarmiento line run by Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA).
Ferrobaires: 54-11-4861-0043
TBA: 0800-333-3822 (toll-free) or 54-11-4317-4400; www.tbanet.com.ar

Retiro
1508 Ramos Mejía, Retiro
Estación Retiro—servicing points north and west—is actually a cluster of three stations in one (Belgrano, Mitre, and San Martín) across from Plaza San Martín. From Belgrano, Ferrovias runs to Villa Rosa; from Mitre, Trenes de Buenos Aires runs to Tigre; and from San Martín, Transportes Metropolitanos runs to Pilar.
Ferrovias: 0800-777-FERROVIAS (toll-free) or 54-11-4511-8833
TBA: 54-11-4317-4407 or 54-11-4317-4445; www.tbanet.com.ar
Transportes Metropolitanos: 54-11-4011-5826

BY BUS
Buenos Aires' bus terminal, or Estación Terminal de Omnibus (Avenida Ramos Mejía 1680), is located in the Retiro section of downtown, next to the Retiro train station. There are 80-odd buses that operate out of Retiro, heading out to every province of the country, as well as other points around South America. There are two levels of service: plebian común and diferencial (a.k.a. ejecutiva), which might include food and a little more comfort.
Passenger information: 54-11-4310-0700

BY FERRY
Passenger ferry service is available between B.A. and points in Uruguay (including Montevideo) at the passenger port of Dársena Norte in Puerto Madero (corner of Avenida Córdoba and Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo).

GETTING AROUND

Navigating Buenos Aires is a snap. Like most major metropolises, B.A. enjoys an extensive public transportation system, which, for the most part, is safe and functional.

Subte: The Buenos Aires subway—known as the Subte—opened in 1913, making it the oldest underground rail network in South America. Now operated by Metrovías, the Subte might not be as poetic as the Paris Metro, but its five lines—A, B, C, D and E—can get you around. One drawback is that four of the five lines (A, B, D, E) fan out from El Centro to outlying barrios, so connections between them can be problematic. Cospeles (tokens) are a mere 75 centavos and take you anywhere in the system. Magnetic card tickets for multiple journeys can be purchased at the stations. Metrovías 0800-555-1616 (toll-free) or 54-11-4959-6800, www.metrovias.com.ar

Buses: The typical B.A. bus—or colectivo—cuts a retro figure as it careens around the city, belching vintage, pre-environmentalist fumes and often coming close to mowing down unwitting pedestrians. With more than 140 lines running multiple routes throughout the city and frequent 24-hour service, the bus remains a popular choice for getting from point A to point B. The typical fare is 75 cents; slightly more for the high-end, air-conditioned servicio diferencial. Bus maps and guides are available at most newsstands. Bus information: 0800-333-0300 (toll-free).

Taxis: The black-and-yellow B.A. taxi is a familiar sight on the town's calles and avenidas. Look for ones marked "radio taxi" with a red libre light on in the front window. Drivers are generally friendly (and some can tell you all you ever wanted to know about, say, opera or thoroughbred racing), but since the economic crisis, there's been increased paranoia about taxi-related scams. Accordingly, most restaurants and hotels will be eager to phone a taxi for you, and you may feel more comfortable letting them make the arrangements than flagging one down yourself. The astonishingly cheap fares make radio taxis a first-choice for visitors looking to maximize time and minimize hassle: The initial fare is only $2.20, with 23 cents for each minute of waiting time or one-eighth of a mile of travel. Remises operate like a New York car service: There's no meter, and you call ahead to agree on a fare and arrange a pickup.
Radio taxis (Mi Taxi, 54-11-4931-1200; Siglo XXII, 54-11-4633-4000) Remises (Remises Blue, 54-11-4777-8888; Remises Recoleta VIP, 54-11-4801-6655)

Car Rental: To rent a car in Buenos Aires, if you're so inclined, you'll need to be over 17, with a passport, credit card, valid driver's license, and nerves of steel. Porteños—and actually all Argentineans—drive as if they're harboring NASCAR fantasies. If you're not willing to exceed the speed limit, aggressively tailgate, and change lanes without warning, driving in Argentina might not be your cup of maté. Among the larger chains, Avis can be found at both airports (Ezeiza, 54-11-4480-9387; Aeroparque, 54-11-4776-3003) and Dollar downtown (449 Marcelo T. de Alvear, 54-11-4315-8800).

On Foot: With its picturesque calles, green plazas and wide, Haussmann-inspired avenidas, Buenos Aires is ideal for strolling, especially around Palermo Viejo, Recoleta, and San Telmo. Palermo's extensive parks, in particular, merit a rambling paseo (walk). In El Centro, around the Plaza de Mayo and the pedestrian-only Calle Florida, conditions can be unpleasantly bustling at rush hours and lunchtime. After nightfall, exercise caution on La Boca's side streets.

TOURIST INFO

There are several tourist info centers around Buenos Aires that provide maps and bilingual advice. Information can also be found at www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/gestion_turismo.

Florida
Avenida Roque Sáenz Peña at Florida
54-11-4313-0187

Puerto Madero
Alicia Moreau de Justo 200 - Dique 4
54-11-4313-0187

Recoleta
Avenida Quintana at Ortiz
54-11-4313-0187

Retiro
Terminal de Ómnibus
Avenida Antártida Argentina at Calle 10
54-11-4311-0528 - x4310-0700 (bus station #93)

San Telmo
1250 Defensa
54-11-4313-0187

Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación
833 Avenida Santa Fe, Retiro
54-11-4312-2232; 54-11-4312-5500
0800-555-0016 (toll-free)

View Argentina Factsheet