How Do I Get From The Airport?

To make matters just the tiniest bit confusing, there are two airports in Buenos Aires. The Ministro Pistarini International Airport commonly known as Ezeiza (EZE on your ticket) where all of the international flights arive/depart and and Aeroparque Jorge Newberry (AEP) where the domestic flights arrive/depart (except on those days when they want to confuse you and either arrive or depart from EZE). If you have a connecting flight in Buenos Aires, double check your ticket to determine if you need to change airports. Allow at least an hour after clearing customs to transfer between the two.

If you are arriving at EZE, you have two safe choices for efficient independent travel (meaning not arranged by your hotel or travel agency and not involving public buses or shuttle buses) from the airport: a private car (known as a remise) or Radio Taxi Ezeiza. The private car will cost you just about 100 pesos (or more, prices keep going up) or about 10 pesos more than the taxi and will greet you just outside of customs.

There are three remise companies that I am familiar with that have booths directly outside of customs: VIP, World Car, and Manuel Tienda Leon. They are directly to your left as you exit customs. I use both VIP and World Car -- both are excellent and lower priced than Manuel Tienda Leon.

There are times when there are waits for cars. So those who prefer not to risk a wait (20 to 30 minutes) should make a reservation:

VIP Car
Telephone 5480 4590

World Car
Telephone: 5480-1226 or 5480-1215
http://www.world-car.com.ar/
reservas@world-car.com.ar

To dial from the U.S. dial: 011-54-11-xxxx-xxxx (use Vonage or a phone card unless you want to pay your phone carrier's crazy international rates -- a $5 phone card purchased here in the US will give you like 6 hours of talking time to Buenos Aires).

Radio Taxi Ezeiza has a large booth in front of customs after you exit. You stand in line at the booth, prepay for your taxi, then wait to be assigned to a taxi.

For those on a budget (and staying close enough to the one-stop it offers to make it worthwhile to wait for the bus, change transportation, etc) Manuel Tienda Leon offers a shuttle bus to the city that makes one stop at "Terminal Madero" -- then you'll need to get to your final destination. For the truly adventurous you CAN take a public bus into the city. There is one that I know of that goes to/from the airport into the more touristed parts of the city: Line 8 which has a route of Liniers > Central Marketplace > Congreso > Plaza de Mayo > School of Engineering (UBA) > Paseo Colón. The fare is 1.35 PESOS. I do NOT advise this if you have anything more than a carry on bag/knapsack -- the public buses are very crowded (often standing room only) and there is no place to store your bags.

4 comments:

Brad P said...

Do you have any suggestions on how to get from one airport to another? Just take a cab?

Brad P said...

also, according to this post, it seems like it is possible to buy a SIM card here in the US that can be used (cheaply) down in Argentina?

Anonymous said...

I love your blog b/c it is sooo informative! thanks so much.

Anonymous said...

thank you so helpful in planning!