Argentina spans 3,700 kilometers from north to south and contains infrastructure built during waves of European investment between 1880 and 1930, then neglected or inadequately maintained through decades of economic instability. The country has the largest railway network in Latin America by historical route length, though much of it ceased passenger operations between 1960 and 1993. Road quality varies from multi-lane highways near Buenos Aires to gravel ripio in Patagonia where 100 kilometers can require three hours. Distances defeat casual assumptions. Buenos Aires to Ushuaia measures 3,079 kilometers by Route 3. Buenos Aires to Mendoza spans 1,037 kilometers. Salta to Buenos Aires covers 1,590 kilometers. Internal flights become economical at distances beyond 800 kilometers when time holds value.
Aerolíneas Argentinas operates as the flag carrier with domestic routes connecting Buenos Aires to 37 cities. Flybondi and JetSmart entered the market in 2018 as low-cost carriers serving major tourist corridors. Aeroparque Jorge Newbery handles domestic flights within Buenos Aires city limits on the Río de la Plata shoreline, while Ezeiza international airport sits 35 kilometers south and serves international routes plus some domestic flights to Patagonia. Flight frequency concentrates on Buenos Aires as the hub. Direct flights connect Mendoza to Córdoba, Salta to Iguazú, and Bariloche to Ushuaia, but most other city pairs require connection through Buenos Aires. A Buenos Aires to Ushuaia flight takes approximately three hours and twenty minutes. Buenos Aires to Salta takes two hours and ten minutes. Fares fluctuate widely. A one-way Buenos Aires to Bariloche ticket ranges from 15,000 to 60,000 pesos depending on booking lead time and carrier, with low-cost options typically 30 to 40 percent below Aerolíneas Argentinas on identical routes.
Buses form the primary intercity transport mode. Companies operate on routes totaling over 700,000 kilometers with varying service levels designated as común, semi-cama, cama ejecutivo, and cama suite. Semi-cama seats recline to approximately 140 degrees with 90 centimeters of legroom. Cama ejecutivo provides 180-degree recline with 110 centimeters of legroom and service limited to 24 or 32 passengers per bus. Cama suite seats fully recline with 130 centimeters of pitch and capacity restricted to 18 passengers. Retiro Bus Station in Buenos Aires operates 75 platforms serving 142 companies with departures to every Argentine province. The Buenos Aires to Mendoza route by cama ejecutivo takes fourteen to fifteen hours overnight with tickets between 25,000 and 40,000 pesos. Buenos Aires to Bariloche spans eighteen to twenty hours with fares from 35,000 to 55,000 pesos. Buenos Aires to Salta requires twenty to twenty-two hours at 30,000 to 50,000 pesos. Companies like Andesmar, Via Bariloche, and Cata Internacional provide onboard meals, Wi-Fi of inconsistent functionality, and limited electrical outlets. Departure punctuality averages fifteen to thirty minutes behind schedule on long-haul routes.
Rail passenger service exists on limited routes after wholesale abandonment in the 1990s. Trenes Argentinos operates commuter networks around Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, and Tucumán primarily for suburban workers. Long-distance passenger trains include the Tren a las Nubes from Salta, which climbs to 4,220 meters through the Quebrada del Toro and across La Polvorilla viaduct, operating April through November on a tourist schedule. The service covers 217 kilometers in approximately fifteen hours round-trip at approximately 25,000 to 35,000 pesos. Tren Patagónico runs between Viedma and San Carlos de Bariloche covering 827 kilometers in eighteen hours, operating sporadically with service interruptions spanning months. The route traverses Río Negro province through arid plateau with limited scenery differentiation. Tickets cost approximately 8,000 to 12,000 pesos when operational. No passenger rail connects Buenos Aires to Mendoza, Córdoba, or Patagonian destinations despite historical routes built between 1885 and 1935.
Driving in Argentina requires adaptation to enforcement patterns and road conditions absent from government tourism literature. Route 40 runs 5,224 kilometers parallel to the Andes from Cabo Vírgenes near the southern tip to La Quiaca at the Bolivian border. Approximately 2,100 kilometers remain unpaved gravel as of 2024, concentrated in Santa Cruz and northern Salta provinces. Pavement quality deteriorates outside primary corridors with potholes expanding unrepaired for years. Route 3 from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia maintains pavement for its entire length but narrows to single-lane each direction through most of Patagonia with no shoulder and frequent high winds. Fuel stations along Patagonian routes space 150 to 250 kilometers apart. YPF stations dominate with Shell and Axion present in larger towns. Fuel prices in Patagonia run 15 to 25 percent above Buenos Aires rates. A liter of nafta súper averaged 580 pesos in Buenos Aires and 710 pesos in El Calafate in October 2024.
Rental cars are available from international chains including Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Europcar plus local companies like Localiza and Alamo Argentina. A compact car rents for approximately 35,000 to 50,000 pesos per day with unlimited kilometers and basic insurance in Buenos Aires. The same vehicle costs 45,000 to 65,000 pesos daily in Bariloche or El Calafate. Rental agreements prohibit driving on unpaved roads, a restriction violated universally and seldom enforced until damage occurs. Four-wheel-drive vehicles rent for 70,000 to 110,000 pesos daily. Rental companies require credit cards and minimum driver age of 21, sometimes 23. International driving permits accompany home-country licenses as required documentation, though enforcement focuses on license validity rather than permit presence. Insurance deductibles range from 400,000 to 1,200,000 pesos with collision damage waiver adding 15,000 to 25,000 pesos per day.
Traffic enforcement concentrates on speed cameras installed on highways entering and exiting cities and random checkpoints for document verification. Speed limits post at 130 kilometers per hour on autopistas, 110 on rural highways, and 40 to 60 in urban areas. Cameras photograph license plates at speeds exceeding limits by 10 kilometers per hour, generating fines mailed to registered owners or rental companies. Fines range from 30,000 to 180,000 pesos depending on excess speed. Rental companies add administrative fees of 8,000 to 15,000 pesos per infraction when processing fines. Right turns on red lights are prohibited nationwide. Seatbelts are mandatory for all passengers with fines of 40,000 pesos. Driving behavior in Buenos Aires involves lane changes without signaling, disregard for painted lines, and blocking intersections during congestion. Parking enforcement in tourist cities like Mendoza and Bariloche uses painted zones requiring payment via apps or street attendants at 500 to 800 pesos per hour.
Taxis in Buenos Aires use meters starting at 650 pesos with increments of approximately 82 pesos per 200 meters or per minute when stationary. A ride from Palermo to San Telmo covering 8 kilometers costs 4,500 to 6,000 pesos depending on traffic. Radio taxi companies including Pidalo and Radio Taxi Premium charge 10 to 15 percent above street taxis but offer telephone or app booking. Tipping rounds to the nearest 500 pesos or adds 10 percent. Uber, Didi, and Cabify operate in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, and Mendoza with pricing typically 20 to 30 percent below taxis and advance fare quotation. Driver availability concentrates in affluent neighborhoods. Remises are private car services booked by telephone or app with fixed prices quoted in advance, commonly used for airport transfers at 18,000 to 28,000 pesos from Ezeiza to central Buenos Aires.
Subte, the Buenos Aires metro, operates six lines designated A through E plus H, covering 62 kilometers with 90 stations. Line A opened in 1913 making it the first metro in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere. Trains run from 5:00 to 22:30 on weekdays with extended hours to 23:00 on Fridays and reduced schedules on weekends. Single-ride fares cost 650 pesos paid via SUBE card, a rechargeable contactless card purchased for 500 pesos at kiosks and metro stations. The SUBE card also functions on city buses, Premetro light rail, and commuter trains. Trains arrive every 3 to 8 minutes during peak hours and 8 to 15 minutes off-peak. Line D connects to both Retiro and Palermo stations serving long-distance buses and commuter trains. Stations lack consistent elevator access with many requiring stair navigation.
Buenos Aires operates 150 bus routes called colectivos with 18,000 vehicles carrying 4.6 million passengers daily. Route numbers range from 1 to 195 with some numbers unused. Buses display route numbers and major destination neighborhoods on front and side signage. Fares vary by distance traveled from 650 pesos for under 3 kilometers to 920 pesos beyond 12 kilometers, paid via SUBE card tapped on a reader beside the driver. Drivers do not announce stops and electronic displays function intermittently. Passengers request stops by pressing buttons mounted on vertical poles. Google Maps provides route planning with real-time bus locations of variable accuracy. Buses operate 24 hours with reduced frequency between midnight and 5:00. Peak-hour frequency reaches buses every 3 to 5 minutes on major routes, extending to 15 to 30 minutes overnight.
Ferries cross Río de la Plata between Buenos Aires and Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, and Montevideo, Uruguay. Buquebus operates high-speed catamarans completing Buenos Aires to Colonia in one hour and Buenos Aires to Montevideo in two hours and fifteen minutes. Colonia Express and Seacat provide competing service. One-way fares range from 45 USD to 85 USD for tourist class depending on booking timing and season. Departures from Terminal Buquebus in Puerto Madero occur 4 to 8 times daily. Passengers clear Argentine exit immigration and Uruguayan entry immigration at terminals. Foot passengers predominate though vehicle transport is available on slower ferries at 180 to 280 USD per car one-way with five-hour crossing time to Colonia.
Transportation around Patagonia requires accepting time consumption or budget allocation to flights. El Calafate to El Chaltén spans 213 kilometers on Route 40 with bus service by Cal-Tur, Chaltén Travel, and Taqsa taking three hours at 8,000 to 12,000 pesos one-way. Buses depart El Calafate at 8:00, 13:00, and 18:00 with return trips from El Chaltén at 7:30, 13:00, and 18:00. Puerto Madryn to Península Valdés requires rental car or tour as public transport does not reach wildlife viewing areas. Organized tours from Puerto Madryn cost 35,000 to 50,000 pesos including Punta Tombo penguin colony or Valdés Peninsula right whale viewing from June through December. Ushuaia offers no public transport to Tierra del Fuego National Park 11 kilometers west. Taxis charge 15,000 pesos one-way. Tour companies provide transfers with park entry for 25,000 to 35,000 pesos.
Bariloche public buses operated by Ómnibus 3 de Mayo, Ómnibus Vía Bariloche, and others serve the city center and nearby areas including Cerro Catedral ski resort 19 kilometers south. Bus 50 and 51 routes connect downtown to Catedral at 1,200 pesos one-way during ski season from June through September with departures every 30 to 45 minutes starting at 8:00. SUBE cards function in Bariloche with cards from Buenos Aires retaining their balance. Taxis within Bariloche center cost 3,000 to 5,000 pesos for typical trips. The Circuito Chico, a 60-kilometer scenic loop, attracts cyclists and tour buses but lacks public bus service. Bicycle rentals cost 8,000 to 12,000 pesos for full-day with tour agencies offering Circuito Chico bus tours at 18,000 to 28,000 pesos.
Salta city buses operate on 23 routes covering the city and nearby areas. Fare is 600 pesos paid via SAETA card, a local contactless card separate from Buenos Aires SUBE, purchased for 300 pesos. Cards are not interchangeable between cities. Buses to San Lorenzo village 11 kilometers northwest depart from Avenida San Martín every 20 minutes at 600 pesos. The Tren a las Nubes departs from Salta station with bus components for portions where track is damaged. Rental cars access Cafayate 183 kilometers south via Route 68 through Quebrada de Humahuaca in three hours. Buses from Salta to Cafayate operated by Andesmar and Aleman depart twice daily at 10:00 and 16:00, taking four hours at 6,500 to 9,000 pesos.
Mendoza operates trolleybus and bus networks on 42 routes with fares at 700 pesos via Red Bus card, another city-specific contactless card costing 400 pesos. Buses reach Chacras de Coria, Maipú, and Luján de Cuyo wine regions though schedules favor commuters over tourists with limited weekend service. Wine tours booked through agencies cost 40,000 to 70,000 pesos for full-day visits to three or four wineries including transportation and tastings. Bicycle rentals in Mendoza city cost 6,000 to 10,000 pesos daily with flat terrain enabling access to Maipú wineries 15 kilometers south, though summer temperatures exceeding 38 Celsius limit cycling appeal from December through February.
Córdoba operates buses on 78 routes under Red Bus Córdoba with fares at 680 pesos via Red Bus card purchased for 350 pesos. The city lacks metro or light rail. Taxis use meters starting at 600 pesos with increments similar to Buenos Aires rates. Córdoba serves as a hub for buses to Jesuit Estancias including Alta Gracia 36 kilometers southwest, reachable by Sierras de Calamuchita buses departing hourly at 1,400 pesos.
Iguazú Falls access from Puerto Iguazú town 18 kilometers away uses Río Uruguay bus company departures every 40 minutes from 7:00 to 19:00 at 1,800 pesos one-way, 3,000 pesos round-trip. Buses stop at the national park entrance where admission costs 8,000 pesos for Argentine residents and 16,000 pesos for foreigners as of 2024. Tour agencies sell packages combining transport and entry for 22,000 to 32,000 pesos. Internal park trains called Tren Ecológico de la Selva are included in park admission, running from central station to Garganta del Diablo viewpoint every 30 minutes.
Hitchhiking occurs along Patagonian Route 40 where traffic volumes average 10 to 40 vehicles per hour outside summer high season. Wait times of two to four hours are common. Drivers are often Argentine tourists or overlanders from Chile. This practice carries standard personal risk considerations.
Domestic baggage policies on buses allow one suitcase up to 25 kilograms checked underneath and one carry-on. Bicycles boxed or unboxed incur fees of 5,000 to 8,000 pesos on long-distance routes. Aerolíneas Argentinas permits 15 kilograms checked baggage on economy domestic tickets with additional bags at 25,000 pesos per item. Flybondi includes no checked baggage in base fares, charging 9,000 to 15,000 pesos per checked bag depending on route and booking timing.
Currency for transport purchases uses Argentine pesos with credit cards accepted by airlines, major bus companies, and rental agencies. Small bus companies and provincial routes require cash. ATM withdrawal limits of 40,000 to 80,000 pesos per transaction create challenges for purchasing long-distance bus tickets or rental car deposits. United States dollars are widely accepted at informal exchange rates 20 to 40 percent above official rates as of late 2024, though this practice exists in legal ambiguity.