Getting around a new city can be a daunting task, but in Buenos Aires, it’s an adventure waiting to happen. From the colorful streets of La Boca to the charming cafes of Palermo, there’s no shortage of things to explore in Argentina’s capital. The way people get around a city is part of the very essence of the city that gives it its character and charm and makes it unique. So, how do you get around Buenos Aires? That’s where this guide comes in. In this post, I’ll share my tips to help you navigate this incredible city without getting lost in translation, so you can spend less time worrying about transportation and more time enjoying everything Buenos Aires has to offer.
Here’s a comprehensive list of ways to get around Buenos Aires ranked from the worst to the best. Stick to the end for my ultimate recommendation!
6. Renting a Car
I personally did not a rent a car in Buenos Aires since I didn’t leave the city, but when one of my friends visited, he did to drive to Bariloche. Car rentals are a great option for a road trip or a day/weekend trip from the city, but while you’re staying in Buenos Aires, there’s really just no need to rent a car.
Pros
- You can leave whenever you want
- You can get anywhere you want
Cons
- Most expensive way to get around
- Need to find parking
- Need to deal with car rental services
- Just isn’t necessary unless you want to leave the city
5. Train
The train is a great way to get out of Buenos Aires, but you they aren’t useful for getting around to the heart of the city. If you’ll want to take a day trip to places like El Tigre, which is a bit further out of Buenos Aires, hopping on a train is your best bet. Buenos Aires trains run every approximately 7-20 minutes. There are five train stations in the city, the largest of which is the Retiro station, so if you do get train tickets and decide to go, make sure that you’re going to the right one! If you want to learn more about trains in Argentina, here’s a really helpful article.
Pros
- Cheap
- Fast
- Frequent
- Good for get further out of the city to places such as El Tigre or Mar del Plata
Cons
- Not suitable for travel inside the city
4. Walking
This is pretty self explanatory. You use your feet and a map, and walk around city streets in Buenos Aires to get where you need to go. It’s a great way to see certain neighborhoods of the city, however I wouldn’t recommend walking as your main way of getting around. Although Buenos Aires is generally safe, there are certain areas that you wouldn’t want to walk around, especially at night. Check out my blog post about local safety tips for Buenos Aires here.
Pros
- Good for when you’re staying local to a neighborhood
- Costs no money
Cons
- Buenos Aires is not the most walkable city in my experience. You won’t be able to see everything you want to, just by walking. Don’t be fooled by the map, you’d be spending hours getting from place to place although it might look like it.
- More subject to pickpockets
- Certain areas are not safe
- Have to be extra careful at night
3. Public Transportation
Buenos Aires has two main modes of public transport: the bus system, and the subway system, called the subte network. Regarding the buses, you can get virtually anywhere in the city with the extensive amount of bus lines that come fairly often.
How to get a sube card
In order use the bus or the subway in Buenos Aires, you will need to get a SUBE card. These rechargeable cards allow you to ride the public transportation in the city. When I was in Buenos Aires in the start of 2023, these were pretty hard to come by.
To quote my sister-in-law, “Don’t lose my sube card. It’s almost impossible to get another one.”
Unlike NYC metro cards, you can’t purchase one of these at subte stations or bus stops. As far as I know, you are able to get one at the airport once you land, but do not bank on getting one in Buenos Aires itself. Normally, you can purchase a sube card at most kiosks or corner shops in Buenos Aires, but for some reason not many places hold them anymore so they are harder to come by.
Some public transport tips:
- Get your sube card at the airport
- Make sure to flag down the buses so the bus driver will stop for you.
- Be careful on the bus and watch your things. A common form of robbery on Buenos Aires public transport is that when the bus driver stops at a bus stop and opens the door, the thief will snatch something off of you and run out.
- Make sure you get on the right bus! Check both the number of the line as well as the letter. 92A is not the same as 92B.
Pros
- Very cheap, when I went (2023) it’s less than 10 cents (USD) per ride.
- Many bus and subway lines that come very often.
- The subte (subway) is quick.
Cons
- It’s hard to get a SUBE card, the Buenos Aires equivalent of a Metrocard which you use to pay for the buses and for the Subte (subway).
- You have to be wary of bus pickpockets, especially in crowded buses and during rush hour.
- You have to know when to get off either by being with your phone or asking people around you.
2. Bicycle (BA Ecobici)
BA Ecobici is the Buenos Aires equivalent of New York Citi Bikes. According to the Buenos Aires website, you can rent the bikes for up to one hour at a time on weekdays and up to two on the weekend. But don’t worry, you can re-rent the bikes after a five minute wait. If you want to scourge Buenos Aires by bike, read more about how to use the BA Ecobici bikes here.
Pros
- Accessible
- You can use them whenever you want
- You can get anywhere you want in the city (within the restrictions of the app)
- Not affected by traffic
- Dedicated bicycle lanes
Cons
- You need to know how to ride a bike
- Not as good for long distances
1. Taxis or Taxi Apps like Uber
Drumroll please! The best cheap and efficient way to get around Buenos Aires today is via taxis. Due to the economic crisis in Argentina and the high inflation, you’ll realize many things here will be cheap for you. One of those things are the black and yellow taxis here, which are super convenient because they are the safest, most reliable way to get from point A to point B quickly. Although taxis are more expensive than walking or public transport, to foreigners the taxis are super cheap due to the economic crisis. When I travelled to Argentina in Jan-Feb 2023, taxis cost us at most around 4.00 USD a ride.
Buenos Aires Taxi Tips 101:
- You can know if a taxi is free by the red “LIBRE” light in the front window.
- Make sure that your taxi drivers turn on the meter so you get an accurate price for the ride, and if it’s possible make sure you navigate to your desired location so they don’t take you “the long way”.
- If you speak Spanish, from my experience, you should be ok in a taxi, however beware that as a foreigner there are known taxi scams that happen to tourists! This has never personally happened to me, but sometimes taxi drivers will tell you one of your bills is fake and then take another and not give it back to you.
- There are a number of taxi apps like uber that you can use as well.
Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Convenient and easy
- Fast
- Safe: You don’t need to worry about pickpockets, crowds, going home at night
- Cheap for foreigners
- Cons
- Some known taxi scams to watch out for (switching the bills) this is usually to tourists
- More expensive than the public transport in Buenos Aires
In Conclusion
I highly recommend exploring Buenos Aires by taxi. As a tourist, this will be the safest way for you to get to where you wanna go. That being said, don’t be scared to rent a bike or go around by foot during the day. Just make sure to use Google Maps to know where you are going!
If you need some inspiration for your trip to Buenos Aires, check out this post where I outline virtually everything you can possibly do in the city to help you craft an itinerary.
Until next time,
Take a shans!
