If you’re a confident driver, you shouldn’t find Buenos Aires too daunting to tackle by car – indeed, once you’ve got the hang of the street system, the city can feel like a straightforward place to zip around. With a few exceptions – notably Avenida 9 de Julio and Avenida del Libertador – the streets are one way, with the direction (which alternates street by street) marked on the street signs with an arrow. Traffic tends to move quickly, with split-second hesitation at green lights punished by a wall of impatient honking. Heavy congestion during the rush hour is the norm, however, and slows traffic down to a painful crawl.
The local technique for crossing the city’s numerous traffic-lightless intersections at night is to slow down and flash your lights to warn drivers of your approach. Be prepared to give way if the other driver looks more determined and never take it for granted that a speeding bus will respect your trajectory..
Parking within the area bounded by Avenida Pueyrredón, Belgrano, Avenida Huergo and Libertador (known as the macrocentro) is controlled by parking meters ( parquímetros ) on weekdays between 7am and 9pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. Tokens ( fichas ) can be bought from kiosks. Your other option is in one of the ‘estacionamientos’ , or car parks, which are numerous throughout the city centre; look out for the flag-waving dummies marking the entrance. The area known as the microcentro , bounded by Avenida de Mayo, Avenida L.N. Além, Avenida Corrientes and Avenida 9 de Julio, is closed to private traffic between 7am and 9pm