Newcomer Moving to BA and Essential Apps to use

[mayer]

Hi everyone! I just moved to Buenos Aires a few weeks ago. I'm currently living in Palermo and would like to know the best apps for getting around BA or finding out about events and news, etc.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Spend Thrift]

Google Maps works very well here. I'm not sure if there are any public transportation apps that are better. I haven't taken a bus or subway since moving here a few months ago. I walk a little but mostly take Ubers or taxis. I have a bad knee so can't walk too much but BA is a walkable city.

My App list for Buenos Aires is

1. Uber (Rideshare)
2. Didi (Rideshare)
3. Cabify (Rideshare)
4. Google Maps
5. Rappi (Food and store delivery)
6. PedidosYa (Food delivery)

 

[Betsy Ross]

Google Maps works very well here. I'm not sure if there are any public transportation apps that are better. I haven't taken a bus or subway since moving here a few months ago. I walk a little but mostly take Ubers or taxis. I have a bad knee so can't walk too much but BA is a walkable city.

My App list for Buenos Aires is

1. Uber (Rideshare)
2. Didi (Rideshare)
3. Cabify (Rideshare)
4. Google Maps
5. Rappi (Food and store delivery)
6. PedidosYa (Food delivery)

These are essential Apps. Another MUST have app is WhatsApp as everyone uses that here to communicate. Even stores and shops use it to communicate. They prefer that vs. phone calls. It will probably be your most used App here. Another will be Google Translate if you don't speak Spanish.

Some others that are used by many are BA Como Llego (public transport app), Moovit (some like it better than Google Maps). BA Turismo. You can rent bikes with BA Ecobici. Other apps will depend on your interests and also if you have a DNI or not. Probably not if you don't have residency but an essential app is also Mercado Libre as it's the Amazon.com of Argentina but you can't sign up without DNI.

 

[Flamingo]

All of these are good that Betsy and Spend mention. I also use hoy Milonga to see which milongas are open. I like Maps.me better than Google Maps which is glitchy sometimes for me. But Google Maps is key for restaurant reviews which I always read before going to a new place.

You may want to use Moovit if you use public transport. I like it better. I used to use Como Llego which was from the city government but I don't know if they update it and not so reliable. I use Moovit instead which sends alerts for strikes and stuff. If you take the trains a lot you can download Trenes Argentinos.

Like Betsy mentioned, Mercado Libre is a must! Any of your friends you meet will be happy to order for you or maybe ask your Airbnb owner. The convenience of having stuff ordered and most stores have next day delivery. Too convenient not to have.

 

[VINO]

Thanks for the great list. I didn't know about some of them. If you are a wine lover (which I am) you have to download the Vivino app. You can scan labels at grocery stores or even restaurants and see the reviews of them and description of the wines and also what it might cost back home. Many have many reviews so you can see what they are rated and the flavor profile of the wines.

Airbnb is also great to have so you can always see what might be available if you need to move around. I've found that Airbnb is essential if you're here for the long haul before you find a long term lease.

I also like to use TripAdvisor to read restaurant reviews as well as Google Maps.

 

[earlyretirement]

All fantastic must have Apps for Buenos Aires. A few others that I use are the Ambito Dolar App so you can instantly see in real time all the various exchange rate (especially Blue and MEP). And also the Western Union app is fairly essential here. Many restaurants don't have website but Instagram instead so IG is good to have as well.

I also use the Speedtest App to see what wifi speeds are like in the place I'm at. Sometimes my signal with my cellphone provider will be much faster than wifi so I'll just see.

For Google Maps it's a good idea to pre-download Buenos Aires so you can use it in offline mode if you don't have good signal you will already have it downloaded to your phone.

 

[Vero]

Hi everyone! I just moved to Buenos Aires a few weeks ago. I'm currently living in Palermo and would like to know the best apps for getting around BA or finding out about events and news, etc.

Thank you in advance.

All these mentioned are essential Apps but I also posted some information on websites for things going on.

Upcoming events and things to do in Buenos Aires

Here is a great website for upcoming events and things to do in Buenos Aires You can use Google Chrome and just translate to English. https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/es/article/que-hacer-esta-semana Also for music lovers, Lalapalooza is coming in March 15/16/17, 2024 Sam Smith, Limp...

www.expatsba.com

 

[Melibaires]

Hi Mayer! Welcome! Here's a list of apps that will be useful for you:

Moovit and Cuando Subo

There you can find bus schedules and directions on how to get somewhere. These are in addition to google maps.

BA Subte
Here you can find the status of the subway service and its timetables.

You can download these apps from your phone's app store, and they are free.

Regarding events, here is the official BA website where gastronomic and cultural events, among others, are published:

Qué hacer esta semana en Buenos Aires

¿Estás pensando en viajar a Buenos Aires? La Ciudad te espera con muchas propuestas culturales, gastronómicas y artísticas. Como siempre, la semana en un clic.

turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar

 

[Larry]

Fantastic. I thought I knew about all the apps to use but I learned of a few new ones. Thanks @VINO! I had no idea about that wine app.

 

[Jenn]

What a great list! Downloading all of them now. Is cellphone service strong all over the city? I use TMobile in the US and have free coverage outside of the USA and Argentina is one of the countries. Does anyone have experience with this? Will I need to get a local # or will service be fine with TMobile?

 

[mayer]

Hi, welcome! What part of Palermo? Are you planning on staying in CABA for a while?

I don't know if this is the type of info you are looking for but I found this page useful:

Festivals and events

A guide to what's happening in Buenos Aires throughout the year.

turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar

I'm near Santa Fe and Scalabrini Ortiz. Initially, I plan to stay for 6 months, but they say this city is enchanting, right? Thank you all for your answers, you help me a lot, sincerely.

 

[Uncle Wong]

What a great list! Downloading all of them now. Is cellphone service strong all over the city? I use TMobile in the US and have free coverage outside of the USA and Argentina is one of the countries. Does anyone have experience with this? Will I need to get a local # or will service be fine with TMobile?

@Jenn you won't have any issues at all. I am also on TMobile and I didn't have any problems at all. It's not the fastest but didn't have any problems at all with any apps or websites or WhatsApp. You can get a eSIIM if you want but I didn't have any issues. You won't need a local # for anything. People used my WhatsApp # fine. Everyone and their brother uses WhatsApp there.

I'm near Santa Fe and Scalabrini Ortiz. Initially, I plan to stay for 6 months, but they say this city is enchanting, right? Thank you all for your answers, you help me a lot, sincerely.

You will love that area. Not far from Alto Palermo shopping mall. It was easy to walk around and nothing was too far away. BA is a great walkable city and my Airbnb was not far from that intersection and was very central.

 

[Blockchain]

Hey thanks everyone. I am using most of these but learned about some including current exchange rates. I was just going to a website but nice to have a dedicated App so will download Ambito Dolar for my iPhone!

I am loving the city. I already extended my stay. I was staying in an Airbnb in heart of Soho and location is convenient but very touristy. But I find it completely safe here. I read the reports about cellphone theft but I haven't seen any crime and use my iPhone all the time with no problems. Lots of people here have iPhones too.

I am going to try Recoleta next. There aren't as many bars and restaurants there compared to Soho/Hollywood it seems like but wow it is very upscale. I went to the Cemetery area and walked into the Alvear Palace Hotel for afternoon tea and high end! That definitely has to be the nicest neighborhood. My favorite so far. Very clean there compared to Soho.

 

[earlyretirement]

Hey thanks everyone. I am using most of these but learned about some including current exchange rates. I was just going to a website but nice to have a dedicated App so will download Ambito Dolar for my iPhone!

I am loving the city. I already extended my stay. I was staying in an Airbnb in heart of Soho and location is convenient but very touristy. But I find it completely safe here. I read the reports about cellphone theft but I haven't seen any crime and use my iPhone all the time with no problems. Lots of people here have iPhones too.

I am going to try Recoleta next. There aren't as many bars and restaurants there compared to Soho/Hollywood it seems like but wow it is very upscale. I went to the Cemetery area and walked into the Alvear Palace Hotel for afternoon tea and high end! That definitely has to be the nicest neighborhood. My favorite so far. Very clean there compared to Soho.

Soho is ok for a few days or a week. If you're just on vacation most people enjoy being close to the action in Soho or Hollywood but I think you will enjoy Recoleta better. I lived in Recoleta for 9 years right on Avenida Alvear less than half a block from where you went for tea. It's a fabulous area. My office was a few blocks down on Callao and I think Recoleta is fabulous for living. When I move back to BA, full time I'll most likely move to Recoleta again. It's not as requested as Palermo but much cleaner, upscale, and convenient. Anything I needed I could find within a few blocks of my apartment. Let us know how you like it @Blockchain.

 

[fetch rover]

Soho is ok for a few days or a week. If you're just on vacation most people enjoy being close to the action in Soho or Hollywood but I think you will enjoy Recoleta better. I lived in Recoleta for 9 years right on Avenida Alvear less than half a block from where you went for tea. It's a fabulous area. My office was a few blocks down on Callao and I think Recoleta is fabulous for living. When I move back to BA, full time I'll most likely move to Recoleta again. It's not as requested as Palermo but much cleaner, upscale, and convenient. Anything I needed I could find within a few blocks of my apartment. Let us know how you like it @Blockchain.

We used many of these Apps while we were in Buenos Aires. We stayed at the Park Hyatt hotel which is right in this area and absolutely loved the area. It was very upscale. I can't think of a nicer area to stay in.

 

[RN in BA]

What a great list! Downloading all of them now. Is cellphone service strong all over the city? I use TMobile in the US and have free coverage outside of the USA and Argentina is one of the countries. Does anyone have experience with this? Will I need to get a local # or will service be fine with TMobile?

Jenn I also use TMobile and didn't have any issues. Worked perfectly. These are a great list of Apps. I used many of them but will install some others I didn't know about for my trip later this year.

 

[Jeep]

I'm near Santa Fe and Scalabrini Ortiz. Initially, I plan to stay for 6 months, but they say this city is enchanting, right? Thank you all for your answers, you help me a lot, sincerely.

Great neighborhood. You'll love it.

 

[Calgary Foodie]

Thanks for the great list. I didn't know about some of them. If you are a wine lover (which I am) you have to download the Vivino app. You can scan labels at grocery stores or even restaurants and see the reviews of them and description of the wines and also what it might cost back home. Many have many reviews so you can see what they are rated and the flavor profile of the wines.

Airbnb is also great to have so you can always see what might be available if you need to move around. I've found that Airbnb is essential if you're here for the long haul before you find a long term lease.

I also like to use TripAdvisor to read restaurant reviews as well as Google Maps.

Great recommendation for Vivino. I use that all the time wherever I go to scan wine bottles. Surprising how great coverage is as almost every label I scanned I got information on.

 

[JonJLA]

GREAT list of essential Buenos Aires apps. I have a folder on my iPhone for BA and most of these apps are already in them. I added a few that you all mentioned. Very helpful.

 

[Colin]

Thank you all for sharing your top Apps.