Getting around · Mendoza · Argentina
Getting around Mendoza
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Cerro de la Gloria, Mendoza · Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Central Mendoza is a flat grid that is easy to walk, with buses and the Metrotranvía light rail for longer hops. Wineries and the mountains are spread out, so most visitors join tours, hire a driver or rent a car for those days. Not for the city or Maipú.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- MDZ
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- SUBE card
Plan a trip to Mendoza
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Ways to get around
Walking
The centre, the satellite plazas and the Quinta Sección are all walkable, with shady tree-lined pavements; watch for the deep acequia channels at street edges.
Tram
The Metrotranvía light rail runs through the centre and links it with Godoy Cruz, Las Heras and Maipú, useful for reaching the Maipú bike-and-wine area.
Buses and the Metrotranvía are paid with a rechargeable SUBE card.
Bus
City buses cover the metropolitan area, including Chacras de Coria and Luján de Cuyo; long-distance buses leave from the main terminal east of the centre for the Andes and other cities.
Ride-hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in the city and are a practical way to reach wineries closer to town or come back from Arístides Villanueva at night.
Car
Car hire gives freedom for the Uco Valley and the Andes road, though the designated driver cannot join tastings.
Argentina has strict drink-driving limits; hire a driver if you plan several tastings.
Cycling
Bike rental shops in Maipú supply bikes for winery circuits, and the city has bike lanes and a large park to ride in.
Tickets and passes
SUBE card
A rechargeable contactless card used to pay for city buses and the Metrotranvía; buy and top it up at kiosks.
From the airport
Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ), also called El Plumerillo, is about 10 km north of the centre, roughly 20–30 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing app. City buses also serve the airport road.
Do you need a car?
Not for the city or Maipú. A car or private driver is useful for the Uco Valley and Luján wineries, but tours cover most routes and avoid driving after tastings.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Uco Valley | About 1.5 hours by car | Car, private driver or organised wine tour |
| Aconcagua and the High Andes | About 3–3.5 hours each way | Organised Alta Montaña tour or car on Ruta 7 |
| Potrerillos | About 1 hour by car | Car, bus or rafting tour |
| Termas de Cacheuta | About 45 minutes by car | Car, bus or tour |
| Villavicencio Nature Reserve | About 1 hour by car | Car or tour |
| San Rafael and the Atuel Canyon | About 3 hours each way | Long-distance bus or car; overnight recommended |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Mendoza?
Not for the city or Maipú. A car or private driver is useful for the Uco Valley and Luján wineries, but tours cover most routes and avoid driving after tastings.
+How do you get from the airport to Mendoza?
Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ), also called El Plumerillo, is about 10 km north of the centre, roughly 20–30 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing app. City buses also serve the airport road.
+What is the best way to get around Mendoza?
Walking: The centre, the satellite plazas and the Quinta Sección are all walkable, with shady tree-lined pavements; watch for the deep acequia channels at street edges.