Trip Reports BA Transportation / Money experience from recent trip

[Justin]

We just returned from a week in Buenos Aires, and based on all the information we gathered from this forum before the trip, I wanted to provide a quick overview of our experience, focusing on money and logistics.

In general, we had an incredible time in Buenos Aires and are eagerly looking forward to going back. The city is stunning and very easy to navigate. People were fantastic, and we never encountered any issues or felt unsafe. There are many beautiful plazas and parks, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food and history.

Money:

• As discussed in other posts, the tourist rate with Visa worked well for us. We used our card multiple times and consistently received a rate that was approximately 5-7% lower than the current "blue" rate.
• Since we were a bit uncertain before our trip, we brought dollars and exchanged money several times (for cabs, some restaurants, restaurant tips, etc.):
  • Our hotel offered the "blue" rate at about a 10% discount compared to the 'Florida Street' rate, which we used upon our arrival.
  • There was a currency exchange place about a 2-minute walk from our hotel, reputable with an established office, offering a discount of around 3-4% compared to Florida Street.
  • We visited Florida Street once, exchanged money there, guided by someone we met on the street who took us to his store (a shoe store). It was a straightforward and quick process.
  • Overall, we mostly exchanged money at the place near our hotel for convenience, even though the rate was slightly lower.
  • We didn't opt for Western Union due to the tourist rate with Visa. We passed by a few Western Union locations (both standalone and part of other money services). Standalone ones had decent lines, perhaps 10-15 people, but they seemed to move efficiently.

Transportation:

• We primarily used cabs, which were very affordable. The cab drivers were friendly and easy to deal with. Our limited Spanish was not an issue; we simply mentioned the cross streets (Callao and Uruguay) or landmarks (Plaza Serrano), and they got us there.
• Uber was used a few times when cabs were unavailable . It was reasonably priced, with good availability, and the cars arrived quickly. The advantage is the certainty of the destination and the cost. Uber drivers were typically younger and relied on Uber/Google Maps for navigation.
• SUBE: Obtaining a SUBE card, necessary for the subway, proved challenging. Unless you plan to stay in BA for an extended period or are on a tight budget, it's probably not worth the effort, as cabs are abundant and reasonably priced. Despite being there over Christmas, we thought having a SUBE card might be useful if taxis/Uber were hard to find. We eventually found a SUBE card after trying various subway stations and many kiosks. We used the subway 5-6 times, and it was clean, fast, and easy to use.
• Traffic was generally not problematic, especially compared to other large cities we've visited. Occasionally, there were protests near Plaza Mayo or Avenida Julio 9th, causing some delays.

Airports:

• We flew in and out of EZE, a nice airport with numerous shops and restaurants. Upon arrival, the taxi stand at EZE had about a 30-minute wait, so we opted for Uber, which arrived in about 5 minutes and picked us up right outside the terminal. The cost was cheaper than the rate quoted at the cab stand.
• For a quick trip to Salta, we used AEP, a pleasant and less crowded airport than EZE. It's closer to where we stayed in Barrio Norte/Recoleta (about 20 minutes versus 45 minutes travel time). At AEP, when you want a cab, you go to the taxi line, scan a QR code, enter your destination, and then get your fare to show to the driver.
• If flying domestically with Aerolíneas Argentinas, be vigilant for flight changes. It may have been our luck, but about three days before departure, they moved us to a later flight (2 pm instead of our original 11 am). Then, the day before our flight, they moved us to an earlier flight (9 am). However, both flights took off on time, so, in general, it was a good experience aside from those changes.

I hope this proves helpful for anyone planning a trip.