For those of you planning a bus excursion to the utterly extensive Argentine countryside, you must first run the Retiro gauntlet. Within the confines of the Capital, there’s only one way out of this city. Purchasing the desired bus pass, tracking down your vehicle, and everything in between can be quite overwhelming for first time travelers. So here’s the scoop…
Arriving to Retiro
The bus station is located downtown in one of the few places in this city that actually resembles Latin America: Retiro. Despite the countless city colectivos that zoom in and out of this area, your best bet is via subway or train. If you’re in the Palermo/Belgrano zone, there’s a train station at Ministro Carranza that partners up above the D-line. But pretty much any station will suffice; all tracks begin and end in Retiro. The same goes with the subway’s C-line. Get on at any point going away from Constitución and the last stop is Retiro.
Once you’ve landed in Retiro, walk outside and you should notice a mini Big Ben (a deserving homage since the British pretty much single-handedly built all the railroads) straight ahead. Once you’ve found the target, hang a left and begin bobbing and weaving your way amongst the masses towards the bus terminal.
If you haven’t been privileged enough to try an Argentine choripan (sausage sandwich- the most traditional and prevalent street food item) or a Paraguayan chipá (donut-shaped cheesy bread), this my friends is the place to do so. Your two block journey is littered with street stands selling everything from undergarments to sizzling hot dogs. Peppered with people of all nationalities, you’re just as likely to bump into a Bolivian or Brazilian as you are a local. Be sure not to stray from this street because nearby is Villa 31, the city’s most notorious shanty town (this also means no exposed iPhones and the like!).
After passing a separate train station to your left with the Big Ben Plaza on your right, just 200 meters walk will land you in the Bus Terminal. A Goliath of a building with an extended walkway, the Terminal de Omnibus de Retiro is impossible to miss.
Purchasing Tickets
Follow the herd and you’ll come to a spacious opening with escalator options. Upstairs are the ticket booths, but before proceeding make sure to stop by the information stand. There happen to be approximately 150 different ticket booths with a myriad of bus companies that cover infinite destinations. Tell the information clerk where you’re headed and he or she will jot down several numbers on a slip of paper that correspond to the ticket booth number that will provide you with the bus you need.
Direct yourself upstairs to the numbered ticket booths (1-150) and find one that matches one of the numbers on your paper.There are various seat categories ranging from semi-cama, to cama-suite. The cama-suite are fully reclined seats that come with seat dividers, complimentary headphones and food service, and make for quite a comfortable over-night journey. Once you’ve arranged the quantity, price, and time of departure, just present your passport and decide which seat(s) you so desire. If you’ve got an overnight, the lower deck is recommendable for easy bathroom access. If it’s a day trip, however, try and snag the top front seats, assuring an optimal view.
Most buses won’t sell out until the day of departure. Prices can vary according to availability though, so it’s a good idea to purchase tickets several days in advance.
Here are a few of the bus companies we recommend by region.
- Northwest (Iguazú): Andesmar – Nuevo Expreso
- Northeast (La Catamarca, Jujuy, Rioja, Salta): Vía Bariloche – El Rápido
- Pampeana (Cordoba, Santa Fe, Tandil): Chevallier – El Rápido – El Rosarino – Plusmar
- (San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza): Vía Tac- Nuevo Expreso – El Mendocino – Cata
- Patagonia (Bariloche, Calafate, Ushuaia): Andesmar – Flecha Bus – Vía Bariloche – Cata
- International (Brasil – Paraguay – Bolivia): El Rápido Internacional – Chevallier Paraguaya – Cata
Departing
It’s probable that your bus will be late, but try and arrive 30 minutes early because this city is constantly presenting unforeseen obstacles. Head right back to the Terminal de Omnibus but stay downstairs and walk past the information stand and escalator this time. Careful examination of your bus pass will give you all the clues necessary to getting on the right bus in the right place.
On your left outside are the buses. Just as multitudinous as the ticket booths, each bus parking space (andén ) is numbered and diagonally intersects the corridor. Your ticket will indicate which andén you will depart from- kind of. The ticket will say something like ”Andenes 45-55”, which means you need to be hovering between these parking spaces and keeping a careful eye out for which bus is yours. One give-away is the bus line that sold you the tickets. If you purchased from Chevalier, then look for the bus with that company name.
Also, in the bottom left corner of the front windshield will be the name of the final destination (Bariloche for example). Bear in mind that most buses will make several stops and one of these could be your very own. Your ticket, however, will indicate the final destination (NOT your ACTUAL destination), so match that up with the windshield indicator.
If you enter panic mode because it’s five minutes until departure and your bus is nowhere in sight, there is a large screen hanging from the ceiling inside that lists all departures and corresponding andenes. And if you’ve got a decent command of Spanish, tune into the loud speaker that announces the same thing.
With all of these clues and indications, you can peacefully observe the bus terminal chaos, stare down the hoards of hurried travelers, and and be on your way to explore all that Argentina has to offer.
Will Betton
LPBA Staff
