Medical emergency: 107
Tourist police: 4346 5748 or 0800 999 5000
Police: 101
Operator (phone numbers): 110
International operator: 000
National operator: 19
Airport: 5480 6111
Retiro bus station: 4310 0700
It’s not impossible to be a vegetarian in Buenos Aires, but it’s not easy. There are a few vegetarian restaurants, but only a few, and most platos del día at cheaper restaurants include meat of some variety. Nonetheless, the situation is not as desperate as it might seem. Large salads with a healthy mix of ingredients are not too difficult to find on any menu and it’s not unusual to come across milanesas de soja (breaded and fried soya); a la napolitana means it comes with cheese and tomato. Pasta al pesto or al fileto (with tomato sauce) is another possibility – also note that the stuffed pasta which is so popular in Argentina is more often filled with vegetarian options such as spinach, nuts and ricotta cheese than meat. Buenos Aires’ trilogy of favourite pizzas, napolitana (with fresh tomato), muzzarella (mozzarella cheese and tomato) and fugazza (with onions), are meat free, as is the classic accompaniment, fainá , a pizza-shaped Genovese speciality made with chickpea dough, whose fairly bland but agreeable flavour is a surprisingly good complement to the more assertive pizza. Another standby is tarta de acelga or espinacas (spinach tart) and tortilla española (omelette with potato and onion). You needn’t miss out on empanadas either; try queso y cebolla (cheese and onion) or humita (sweetcorn). If you do find yourself faced with a particularly meaty menu, it’s always worth asking if the restaurant can fix you something else – Porteño waiters are generally amenable and used to dealing with fairly demanding customers.
Restaurants
Abuela Pan
Bolivar 707 – San Telmo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Arte Sano
Mansilla 2760
Tel. 49-63-15-13
Bio
Humboldt 1899 – Palermo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bodhi
Chile 1763 – Centro
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Buen Gusto
Blanco Encalada 2722 – Belgrano
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dietética Córdoba
Av. Córdoba 1557
El Guiso
México 481 – Centro
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ever Green
Cadeia de bufês
Paraná 746
Sarmiento 1728 – Cabildo 1979 – Tenedor libre.
Évora
Esmeralda 370 – Centro
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fenix
Av. Belgrano 3331 – Centro
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Germinal
Mexico 424 – Centro
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Gopal
Av. Mitre 920 – San Miguel
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Govinda
Andonaegui 2054
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
TE: (011) 4523-4504/4232
Granix
Florida, 126 y 467
Bufê (tenedor libre).
Krishna veggie lunch
Malabia 1833
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
TE: (011) 4833-4618
La Esquina de las Flores
Córdoba 1599 – Medrano 632 – Almagro
Comida ótima. Loja de produtos naturais.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
La Esquina de las Flores
Av. Córdoba 1587 – Tel. 48-13-36-30
Gurruchaga 1632 – Tel. 48-32-85-28
La Reina Kunti
Humahuaca 3461
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
TE: (011) 4863-3071
Los sabios
Av. Corrientes 3733
Cap. Fed.
Buenos Aires Argentina
Fone: 4864-4407
Lotos
Av. Córdoba 1577
Tel. 48-14-45-53/52
Sendero vegetal
Av. Díaz Velez 4417 – Centro
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Siempre verde
Arribeños 2127 – Belgrano
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Soyarroz
Arribeños 2221 – Belgrano
Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Soy shu
Av. José de la Roza 223 (O)
Ciudad de San Juan
Provincia de San Juan
TE: 0264-4221939
Tulasi
Marcelo T. de Alvear 628, Loc. 30
Tel. 43-11-09-72
Ying yan
Paraguay 858 – Tel. 43-11-77-98 / 37-88
Echeverria 2444 – Tel. 47-83-15-46 / 47-88-43-68
Stores of natural products
La Esquina de las Flores
Córdoba 1599
10% of the amount of the check is usually left in cafeterias and restaurants. Doormen, porters, and ushers in cinemas and theatres are also generally tipped.
Banks and Exchange Bureaus: Mondays to Fridays from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Business Offices: generally from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Stores: in the big cities from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., although in the outskirts and the provinces they generally close at midday. Saturdays, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Cafés, cake shops and pizzerias: open most of the time except between 2.00 and 6.00 a.m.
Restaurants: lunch is served as from 12.30 p.m. and dinner as from 8.30 hours. Fast-food menus are served in many restaurants at all times.
The time zone corresponds to GMT -03 and currently no change is made in the summer months.
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
All international car rental companies operate in Argentina. The following companies have offices In Buenos Aires: Ai Rent a Car International (Maipú 965, Tel. 4311-1000 www.airentacar.com.ar), Avis Rent a Car (Cerrito 1527, Tel. 4326-5542, www.avis.com ), Budget Rent a Car (Av. Leandro N. Alem 1110, 8th, Tel. 4311-7788 www.budget.com), Dollar Rent a Car (M.T. de Alvear 449, Tel. 4315-8800 www.dollar.com ), ), Hertz – Annie Millet Rent a Car (Paraguay 1138, Tel. 4816-8001 www.milletrentacar.com.ar), Localiza Rent a Car (Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1180, 2nd Floor, Off. 205 “Câ€, Tel. 4121-5600 www.localiza.com.ar), Thrifty Car Rental (Carlos Pellegrini 1576, Loc.24, Tel. 4326-0418 www.thrifty.com).
Don’t forget that Argentina is in the southern hemisphere so the seasons are reversed, December is in summer and June is in winter.
Quick guide:
- Winter (Jun, Jul, Aug) – cold (5º to 10º C);
- Spring (Sep, Oct, Nov) – pleasant (10º to 20º C);
- Summer (Dec, Jan, Feb) – dry desert type heat (20º to 30º C);
- Fall/Autumn (Mar, Apr, May) – pleasant (10º to 20º C).
Everyone, regardless of the passport they hold, can be treated under the Argentinean National Health service. It is not the best service in the world, but unless you get seriously ill or injured it will cover most of what you’ll need. If you are not then you can either take out a policy or extend your current policy for travel to Argentina or buy insurance when you get to Argentina . We have not listed companies in Buenos Aires here because, in general, your local health centre/hospital will offer paid medical coverage. It’s best that you find one locally and then sign up.
Travel/Health insurance
If you pay for your trip using a credit card, some type of medical cover is sometimes included. Check with your card issuing company.
Two worldwide companies that offer travel/health insurance are:
- Assist Card
- American Express (check with your local AMEX office for details)
Search for more
If you want to shop around some more then take a look at the Quotesmith site and start shopping for insurance.
Electric power in Argentina is 220 volt, 50-cycle alternating current. Power outlets have 2 cylindrical holes or 2 flat holes with ground connection. It is convenient to bring an adaptor for these outlets to use your electric devices without problems.
It is hard to walk more than a few blocks in Buenos Aires without passing an internet café or ‘locutorio’. Prices vary, but are generally U$S 0,75 or less per hour. There is little else to choose between them.
If you wish to rent a laptop or notebook, click here for further information.
Wi-Fi services are spreading throughout the city: Telecom de Argentina offers free access near its headquarters in the Puerto Madero district.
You should budget to spend between 500 US Dollars (spartan life) to 1,200 US Dollars (good life) a month.
ESTIMATED PRICE LIST
This is a general list (in argentine pesos), intended for informational purposes, since the price range is wide and the offer varied.
ACCOMMODATION
5 star hotel: double room: $ 850
4 star hotel: double room: $ 500
3 star hotel: double room: $ 180
2 star hotel: double room: $ 100
1 star hotel: double room: $ 65
Apart-hotel: $ 148 per appartment.
Inexpensive accommodation: $ 35 per guest.
MEALS
Pizza (8 servings): $ 5 to $ 30
Pasta: $ 5 to $ 20
Parrillada (barbecue) for two persons: from $ 15
Empanadas (small meat or other fillings pies): from $ 1 (per unit)
Ice creams: from $ 2; 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) between $ 8 and $ 30
Tenedor libre (all-you-can-eat restaurants): from $ 12 (per person)
Breakfast at a confitería (patisserie): from $ 3.50
TRANSPORTATION
Bus: $ 0.75 (minimum fare) and $ 0.80, within city limits
Subway: $ 0.70 (flat fare)
Taxi: basic fare of $ 1.80 + 0.20 each 200 meters (220 yards). Average trip lasting 8 minutes: $ 5 to $ 6.
Trains: $ 0.50 (minimum fare)
Car rental per day: $ 90 to $ 200
1 litre of gasoline (0.2 gallons): $ 1.84
GOING OUT
Movies: $ 7.50 to $ 11. On Wednesdays, all through the day and in all theaters, tickets cost half the price. Some theaters offer reduced prices on other days as well, and there also special theaters with tickets at around $ 5.
Concerts and music shows: $ 6 to $ 50 or more for performances by internationally acclaimed artists.
Fee for Colón Theater: $ 5 to $ 140
Fee for a soccer match: between $ 15 and $ 30 (local matches); $ 20 to $ 50 (international matches)
Admission to museums: free or fee ranging from $ 1 to $ 3.
Argentina’s currency is know as the Peso. It’s symbol is the same as the US Dollar so don’t get confused. 15$ is 15 Pesos, 15 US$ or U$S is 15 US Dollars. There are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 notes and 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.10 and 0.05 cent coins.
To find out your currency’s current exchange rate, please use this currency converter
If you have a tri-band phone – BRING IT.
Rent a phone for free in Argentina. Click here for more information.
The country code for Argentina is 54 and the area code for Buenos Aires is 11
In Buenos Aires the most frequent problems involve bag snatching. Be alert: con-men have robbed tourists while an accomplice pretends to help remove ketchup or mustard which has been “accidentally” sprayed on them. Another common occurrence is the slitting of handbags in crowded places. Be particularly attentive in popular tourist areas, such as San Telmo or Florida street. You should avoid carrying too much cash or wearing ostentatious jewellery.
Avoid isolated or poorly lit areas at night. Hail moving taxis rather than those waiting at the kerbside, or use a radio taxi.
When travelling on local buses and trains, remain alert at all times. Pickpockets are rife. If you are robbed, you should inform the local police; a police report will be required by your insurers and by the Embassy if you need a new passport. In Buenos Aires, a 24-hour police helpline in English has been opened, on telephone number 101, to help victims. There is also a new multi-lingual free phone number for tourist assistance: 0800 999 5000. This goes through to the Tourist Police Station.
Passports should be left in a safe/security box except when being used for identification purposes eg. expensive purchases, cashing travelers checks. Keep a photocopy of the details page of your passport with you at all times. Passports are required as identification for internal flights.
No vaccination certificate is required to enter the country.
PASSPORT
Passport valid for 6 months required by all except nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay who, for journeys that do not go beyond Argentina and these five countries, may use their national ID cards. While you are in Buenos Aires, we recommend you to keep your passport in a safe place and take a photocopy. Losing a passport is not the end-of-the-world, but it will be a problem, since the procedures for being issued another are often very time consuming.
VISA
Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and US for stays of up to 90 days;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) for stays of up to 90 days;
(c) nationals of Hong Kong (British Nationals Overseas), Jamaica and Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days;
(d) transit passengers holding confirmed onward or return tickets for travel provided continuing their journey within 6 hours and not leaving the airport.
Note: Visa exemptions mentioned above are for tourist and business purposes only. However, business travellers are advised to contact the Argentinian Consulate before departure.
Visa Extensions
Upon entering the country visitors receive a tourist visa stamp valid for 90 days, which can be renovated for 90 days more once the first term is over. This must be done through the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (Immigration) or at the address: Av. Antártida Argentina 1355, Capital Federal. Tel: 43170200.
If you are under 21
In Argentina, people over 21 years old are considered of legal age, therefore, any person less than 21 years of age wanting to enter the country alone or with a person that is not a legal guardian must present a written authorization signed by their mother, father, or guardian endorsed by the Argentine consul in the place of origin. The document can be included in the minor’s passport.
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Argentina Embassy in your country for information on what
documentation you may require to enter Argentina.
Aerolineas Argentinas, Southern Winds, LADE, Austral and LAN Argentina operate domestic flights. Domestic flights and flights to Uruguay depart from Jorge Newbery Airport, normally referred to simply as “Aeroparque” -around six kilometres north of the city center, besides the Río de la Plata. Airport taxes range from $ 7.05 to U$S 8.
Domestic flights schedule from Buenos Aires to:
Puerto Iguazú: 1 hr 45 mins
Posadas: 1 hr 30 mins
San Salvador de Jujuy: 2 hrs 10 mins
San Miguel de Tucumán: 1 hr 50 mins
Salta: 2 hrs
Córdoba: 1 hr 15 mins
Mendoza: 1 hr 50 mins
San Carlos de Bariloche: 2 hrs 20 mins
Trelew: 2 hrs
Mar del Plata: 45 mins
Río Gallegos: 2 hrs 55 mins
Ushuaia: 3 hrs 20 mins
El Calafate: 3 hrs 15 mins
Buenos Aires is served by an extensive, cheap and – generally – efficient public transport service. The easiest part of this system to come to grips with is undoubtedly the underground railway or subte which serves most of the city centre and the north of the city. Really to get around, however, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with a few bus routes; buses are the only way to reach the outlying barrios or the south of the city. Taxis are also plentiful and reasonably priced.
Subway
The first in Latin America, Buenos Aires’ undergound railway, or subte (short for subterráneo , or underground), was also one of the first in the world to be privatized: the network was taken over by Metrovías in 1994. It’s a reasonably efficient system – you shouldn’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes during peak periods – and certainly the quickest way to get from the centre to points such as Caballito, Plaza Italia or Chacarita. The main flaw in the subte’s design is that it’s shaped like a fork, meaning that journeys across town involve going down one “prong” and changing at least once before heading back up to your final destination.
Using the subte is a pretty straightforward business. There are five lines (A, B, C, D, and E and shortly H line will e also working), plus a so-called “premetro” system which serves the far southwestern corner of the city, linking up with the subte at the Plaza de los Virreyes, at the end of line E. Lines A, B, D and E run from the city centre outwards, whilst line C, which runs between Retiro and Constitución, connects them all. Check the name of the last station on the line you are travelling on in order to make sure you’re heading in the right direction; note also that directions to station platforms are given by this final destination. You need to buy “cards†to use the subte; these cost AR$ 0.70 and are bought from the boleterías or ticket booths at each station – you don’t need to have the right change to buy them. Unfortunately, the only thing you will save by buying these cards in bulk is your time, and there are no special deals for weekly or monthly travel.
Even if you use the subte only once during your stay in Buenos Aires, you really shouldn’t miss the chance to travel on Line A, which runs between Plaza de Mayo and Caballito. It’s the only line to preserve the network’s original carriages and travelling in one of the rickety and elegantly lit wood-framed interiors is like being propelled along in an antique wardrobe
Buses
Peak hours excepted, Buenos Aires’ buses are one of the most useful ways of getting round the city – and indeed the only way of reaching many of the outlying barrios. The most daunting thing about them, from a tourist’s point of view, is the sheer number of routes – almost two hundred bus routes wend their way around the capital’s vast grid of streets. Invest in a combined street and bus-route map , however, and you shouldn’t have too much trouble. There’s a AR$ 0.75 fare for very short journeys; all other trips within the city cost $0.80. Tickets are acquired from a machine, which only accepts coins and gives change for coins: as you get on, you need to state your fare to the driver before inserting your money in the ticket machine. Once in Gran Buenos Aires, fares increase slightly – so if you’re travelling beyond the city boundaries (to San Isidro, for example, or Ezeiza) it is easier just to state your destination.
The bus system is a generally safe way of getting around the city – though, as always, keep your eyes on your belongings when buses are crowded. Most services run all night. Argentinians are generally very courteous bus passengers and never hesitate in giving up their seat to someone who looks like they need it more – don’t be shy of doing the same.
If you are spending more than a very short period in the city and you plan to make full use of the extensive bus network a combined street map and bus guide such as Guía Lumi or Guía “T” widely available in the newspapers stores you can find in the streets.
Taxis and remises
The sheer volume of black and yellow taxis touting their business on Buenos Aires’ streets is one of the city’s most notable sights and – other than during sudden downpours, when everyone in the centre of town seems to decide to take one at once – it’s rare that it takes more than a few minutes to flag down a cab. The meter starts at AR$ 1,80 (charges increase at night) and you should calculate on a ride costing around $6 per twenty blocks.
Remises are radio cabs, plain cars booked through an office.
Central Buenos Aires is a great place to tour on foot, but like all capital cities it is large, so if you want to go further afield use the public transport.
Public transport in Buenos Aires is generally safe and efficient, the “Subte” (Subway/Underground) is the easiest to use. It serves the city centre and northern areas. To reach the rest of the city or go outside it’s best to use the bus service. There are also plenty of taxis which, surprisingly for a capital city, are not very expensive.
You can easily get to our Spanish course by public transport.
If you are travelling to Buenos Aires by bus from other points in Argentina, or on international services from neighbouring countries, you will arrive at Buenos Aires’ huge main long-distance bus terminal, known as Retiro , on Avenida Antártida and Ramos Mejía. There are good facilities at the terminal, including toilets, shops, cafés and left luggage. Unlike the majority of the country’s bus terminals, Retiro is located very centrally. Taxis are plentiful and the Retiro subte station is just a block away, outside the adjoining train station. There are also plenty of local buses leaving from the myriad stands along Ramos Mejía, though actually finding the one you want might be a rather daunting first taste of local bus transport. Bus 5 or 50 will take you to Congreso and the upper end of Avenida de Mayo, a good hunting ground for accommodation if you don’t have anything booked.
Few tourists arrive in Buenos Aires by train these days; the only long-distance services arriving in the capital are from Tucumán, Santa Rosa in La Pampa Province, Rosario and various cities in the province of Buenos Aires. Trains from the Atlantic Coast, Tandil and Sierra de la Ventana and La Plata, in the province of Buenos Aires, arrive at Constitución , in the south of the city at General Hornos 11 (Ferrobaires for Buenos Aires Province tel 011/4304-0038; Metropolitano Línea Roca for La Plata tel 011/4959-0783); those from Mercedes and Lobos in the province of Buenos Aires and Santa Rosa at Once , in the west of the city at Avenida Pueyrredón and Calle Bartolomé Mitre (TBA for Mercedes and Lobos tel 011/4866-5181; Ferrobaires for Santa Rosa tel 011/4861-0043). Retiro – actually composed of three adjoining terminals – is located on Avenida Ramos Mejía, just to the east of Plaza San Martín, and is the arrival point for trains from Rosario (TBA tel 011/4317-4407) and Tucumán (TUFESA tel 011/4313-8060). All three terminals have subte stations (Constitución, Plaza Miserere and Retiro, respectively) and are served by numerous local bus routes: 60 from Constitución to Avenida de Mayo, Plaza del Congreso and Avenida Callao; 9 from Constitución to Retiro, via Brasil, Piedras, Esmeralda and Avenida Santa Fe; 5 from Once along Calles Bartolomé Mitre and Libertad to Retiro; 86 from Once along Calle Hipólito Yrigoyen to Plaza del Congreso, Plaza de Mayo and San Telmo.
All airlines flying to Argentina arrive mainly at Ministro Pistarini Airport or – as it is actually referred to by everyone – Ezeiza , in reference to the outlying neighbourhood in which it is situated, which is 37 Km (21 miles) away from the City of Buenos Aires. You can reach the city by Teniente General Ricchieri freeway. You can take the airport transfer our school offers, a taxi, an express bus or a bus.
- Airport transfer of the school: It costs U$S 50 from airport to your accommodation.
- Taxis: go to the official taxi stand in front of the exit into the main hall. A ride downtown will cost about 300 Pesos and you have to pay up-front. You will then be taken to your taxi by an official. DO NOT go with people who walk up to you and offer you a taxi, they are not licensed and not insured to take passengers.
- Express bus service: Buses are run by Manuel Tienda Léon. They leave every thirty minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 00:45 a.m. They are a quick, reliable and cheap way to get downtown. The buses drop you at the company’s central office on the corner of Avda. Madero and Calle San Martín. You will then need to take a taxi from the bus terminal to your accommodation.
- Bus service: there’s the local bus 86 which runs between Ezeiza and La Boca, entering the city via Rivadavia and continuing past Congreso, Plaza de Mayo and San Telmo; there’s a seating-only service ( diferencial AR$4), which leaves from the terminal car park, and a standard service, which takes considerably longer and takes standing passengers en route (AR$1.35), which leaves just beyond the entrance to the airport. Make sure you have change for the ticket machines, as notes are not accepted, and be warned that the standard service can become very full and bulky suitcases or backpacks may cause serious inconvenience for other passengers.
Traveling to Buenos Aires is easy as there are plenty of flights available from all of the worlds major cities.
You will have to arrange your own transportation from your home country. Buying Airpass Visit Argentina in your own country, you will obtain more economical prices for flights within Argentina.
Here there is a list of student and discount travel services.
AESU
Council Travel
Expedia
Last Minute
STA Travel
Student Universe
Travelcraft USA
Travelocity