Getting around · Buenos Aires · Argentina
Getting around Buenos Aires
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ProtoplasmaKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Buenos Aires is a flat grid of long avenues, best explored on foot within each barrio and by Subte, bus or taxi between them. The Subte covers the centre, Recoleta, Palermo and Belgrano, colectivo buses go almost everywhere, and taxis and ride-hailing are a practical option for longer hops. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- EZE, AEP
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- SUBE card
Ways to get around
Metro
The Subte has six lines (A–E and H) radiating from the centre; Line D runs under Avenida Santa Fe to Palermo and Belgrano, and Line A, opened in 1913, was the first underground line in Latin America.
You need a rechargeable SUBE card, sold at kiosks and Subte stations, for the Subte, buses and suburban trains.
Bus
More than 100 colectivo lines criss-cross the city day and night, and map apps show which line to take for any trip.
Tell the driver your destination before tapping your SUBE card, as fares on many lines vary by distance.
Walking
San Telmo, Recoleta and Palermo are best explored on foot, but the distances between them are long — Plaza de Mayo to Palermo Soho is about 7 km.
Taxi
Black-and-yellow taxis are metered and plentiful; radio taxis or app-booked cars are a sensible choice late at night.
Ride-hailing
Uber, Cabify and DiDi operate across the city and are widely used by locals and visitors.
Cycling
Ecobici, the city's bike-share scheme, has docked stations across the centre and Palermo, linked by a large network of protected cycle lanes.
Train
Suburban trains from Retiro station run north to Tigre on the Mitre line in about an hour, and other lines serve La Plata and Luján.
Tickets and passes
SUBE card
The rechargeable card used on the Subte, city buses and suburban trains; buy it at kiosks or Subte stations and top it up there with cash.
From the airport
Ezeiza (EZE), about 35 km southwest of the centre, handles most long-haul flights; taxis, ride-hailing and airport coaches take about 45–75 minutes depending on traffic. Aeroparque (AEP), on the riverfront beside Palermo, handles domestic and many regional flights and is 15–30 minutes from Palermo and the centre.
Do you need a car?
No. Driving in Buenos Aires is aggressive and parking is scarce; the Subte, buses and taxis cover the city. Hire a car only for trips into the pampas or the wine regions.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Tigre and the Paraná Delta | About 1 hour by train | Mitre line train from Retiro |
| Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay) | About 1–1.5 hours by fast ferry | Ferry from Puerto Madero; an international crossing, so carry your passport |
| San Antonio de Areco | About 2 hours by bus or car | Bus from Retiro bus station, or car |
| La Plata | About 1–1.5 hours by train or bus | Train from Constitución, or bus |
| Luján | About 1.5–2 hours by train or bus | Train from Once with a change, or bus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Buenos Aires?
No. Driving in Buenos Aires is aggressive and parking is scarce; the Subte, buses and taxis cover the city. Hire a car only for trips into the pampas or the wine regions.
+How do you get from the airport to Buenos Aires?
Ezeiza (EZE), about 35 km southwest of the centre, handles most long-haul flights; taxis, ride-hailing and airport coaches take about 45–75 minutes depending on traffic. Aeroparque (AEP), on the riverfront beside Palermo, handles domestic and many regional flights and is 15–30 minutes from Palermo and the centre.
+What is the best way to get around Buenos Aires?
Metro: The Subte has six lines (A–E and H) radiating from the centre; Line D runs under Avenida Santa Fe to Palermo and Belgrano, and Line A, opened in 1913, was the first underground line in Latin America.