Is it possible to live in Buenos Aires without a driver's license?

[Kiki]

How reliable and convenient is public transportation in Buenos Aires? Is it realistic to live in the city without a driver's license?

 

[Hero]

In fact, living without a car in Buenos Aires is often easier than with one. Parking spots are hard to come by! The city has an excellent public transportation system, including buses that run all day, as well as trains and the Metro, making it very convenient to get around.

 

[Kira]

Absolutely! Public transport is fantastic, although it does have the occasional strike. I didn’t have a car for about 4 years and was totally fine. Public transportation and taxis were my go-to. It's incredibly convenient for getting around, and honestly, having a car is more of a hassle in the city with traffic and parking issues.

 

[Darksider415]

I just got my local license about a month ago, after being here two and a half years. I've driven maybe 4 times (locally) since I've been in Argentina, including the driving exam. You really don't need a car in CABA

 

[Bett]

Just type your destination into Google Maps and select the bus option for directions. You'll get the bus number, time, and location. It's truly one of the best systems in the world. The only thing is, you’ll need to hunt around for a SUBE card, but you can easily find one at kiosks, lottery agencies, and even at kiosks in the airport.

 

[Maxx]

I’ve never had any trouble getting around the capital area using public transport. The subways and buses are frequent and affordable (by Australian standards). Be sure to get a SUBE card from a kiosco, as it can be reloaded at many kioscos and most subway stations. You can also pay subway fares using a credit card or Apple/Google Pay at the designated turnstiles in most stations. However, you’ll still need the SUBE card for buses and trains. I use the Moovit app to navigate the bus routes, and it’s usually very accurate. Additionally, you can find all the subway and train schedules and routes on the official websites for easy reference.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Tu Guía de Transporte Público

Viaja en transporte público en Buenos Aires, Argentina: obtén indicaciones con Moovit a los principales destinos de Buenos Aires. Mira tiempos de llegada de bus, mapas del metro y ruutas de tren.

moovitapp.com

Horarios del servicio de Subte de Buenos Aires

Todos los horarios de las líneas del Subte de Buenos Aires. Conocé el horario del último tren desde cada estación cabecera.

emova.com.ar

Trenes Argentinos

Averiguá cuándo llega el próximo tren a la estación y enterate de las alertas del servicio. [Ver términos y condiciones](https://www.argentina.gob.ar/transporte/trenes-argentinos/terminos-y-condiciones){.btn.btn-link}

www.argentina.gob.ar

 

[gammer]

Getting around Buenos Aires is much easier by public transport than by car, especially in the capital. The city has an extensive network of buses, trains, and the subway, making it very convenient to travel without needing a vehicle.
Recently, the government has been replacing ticket machines across the metro, buses, and trains to allow payments with credit and debit cards, including virtual wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Hopefully, this means that in the near future, the SUBE card won’t be necessary, eliminating the hassle of having to top it up before using public transportation. However, for now, the SUBE card is still required for most buses and trains, so it’s a good idea to get one at kioscos and lottery agencies.

 

[earlyretirement]

I just got my local license about a month ago, after being here two and a half years. I've driven maybe 4 times (locally) since I've been in Argentina, including the driving exam. You really don't need a car in CABA

Did you end up buying a car @Darksider415?

In fact, living without a car in Buenos Aires is often easier than with one. Parking spots are hard to come by! The city has an excellent public transportation system, including buses that run all day, as well as trains and the Metro, making it very convenient to get around.

You can easily get around with BA without a car. I owned a car when I lived in BA but I almost never used it and probably would drive even less now. I mostly used it to go to my house in Punta del Este on some weekends as rental cars there were very expensive. In Buenos Aires, parking is super expensive now in the city and @Hero is right that parking is not always easy to find. Ubers and taxis aren't much and much easier to not have a car, IMHO.

 

[Darksider415]

Did you end up buying a car @Darksider415?

Not yet, but part of it is that it's not a necessity, so I'm taking my time and looking for the perfect one.

 

[Digital Nomad]

Not yet, but part of it is that it's not a necessity, so I'm taking my time and looking for the perfect one.

Do you travel around a lot out of the city? Or need it for work? I am trying to figure out why someone would want a car here? My ex-girlfriend has a car but it always seems like a hassle with parking. Garage spaces seem like they for around $150 bucks a month so not too bad but a few of her friends had their cars broken into and all of them seem like they get dinged. I literally watched a guy parallel parking his way into a spot with not enough room. Just hitting the cars in back and front.