Bucquebus Ferry To Colonia

[caradoc]

I was at Buquebus terminal today because I want to go on a day trip to Colonia (actually because I want to renew my 90 day visa ). Many people told me this costs about $50 USD and I weighed up my options of updating my passport stamp officially in Argentina for $400 ARG (and long queues), taking the day trip for $50 USD or simply overstaying my visa and paying at Ezeiza airport for $300 ARG. I like to play clean and the day trip seemed a good idea.

Now for the reality.… The cost Is $153 USD. You can get a special deal Mon-Fri leaving 12:15 and returning 20:00 and it costs $98 USD. Usually this service is the 3 hour service but they are not running these ferries right now so it will be on the 1 hour ferry crossing. Furthermore… YOU CANNOT PAY IN LOCAL CURRENCY – you HAVE to pay in USD dollars. If you are a non US citizen and pay by credit card, they will convert from Pesso to US dollar to your local currency (2 exchanges). If I were to pay with my UK credit card, they actually could not tell me what the ultimate price would be. They told me this is a government led policy which came in at the beginning of the year. It is sheer madness and not advertised in any of their marketing. If you are a budget traveller they are virtually forcing your hand to overstay your tourist visa.

 

[internationalguy]

You can cross the street over to the Seacat office, you can pay less than half and still ask for their "big boat". Their big boat is really a Buquebus boat and you will de facto be getting the 1 hour boat for Seacat prices.

The USD thing is meh..... you can pay with the CC... it's just the way it is in Argentina. Just don't stress too much over it. Also, don't worry too much about how many "exchanges" you will be paying for.... you will end up paying like 43 dollars each way.... Keep in mind that doing this allows you to get USD cash and then enables you to get the blue rate.

 

[Chet]

Colonia express lets you pay in Peso, or at least they did last month. And it wasnt that expensive.
Seacat sounds interesting, I haven{t tried that one yet.

 

[caradoc]

You can cross the street over to the Seacat office, you can pay less than half and still ask for their "big boat". Their big boat is really a Buquebus boat and you will de facto be getting the 1 hour boat for Seacat prices.

The USD thing is meh..... you can pay with the CC... it's just the way it is in Argentina. Just don't stress too much over it. Also, don't worry too much about how many "exchanges" you will be paying for.... you will end up paying like 43 dollars each way.... Keep in mind that doing this allows you to get USD cash and then enables you to get the blue rate.

Thanks for your reply. I will look into the Seacat option (it it is just by the Buquebus terminal you say?) Their quoted USD exchange rate was 8.2. You think I can get a better rate than that if I exchange Pesso for USD in Florida Street? Thanks again....

 

[caradoc]

Colonia express lets you pay in Peso, or at least they did last month. And it wasnt that expensive.
Seacat sounds interesting, I haven{t tried that one yet.

Thank you. Where is the ticket point and ferry departure for Colona express? Cheers!

 

[internationalguy]

Thanks for your reply. I will look into the Seacat option (it it is just by the Buquebus terminal you say?) Their quoted USD exchange rate was 8.2. You think I can get a better rate than that if I exchange Pesso for USD in Florida Street? Thanks again....

No, sorry, I was talking about across the street from the Buquebus office on Cordoba. Cordoba, just a few blocks east of 9 de julio. As if you were walking to the Buquebus terminal from there. Near that spot you have sales offices for Buquebus, Seacat, and even Colonia Express (I don't recommend Colonia express... it's only a few bucks less than the Seacat option and inconveniences are huge).

 

[caradoc]

No, sorry, I was talking about across the street from the Buquebus office on Cordoba. Cordoba, just a few blocks east of 9 de julio. As if you were walking to the Buquebus terminal from there. Near that spot you have sales offices for Buquebus, Seacat, and even Colonia Express (I don't recommend Colonia express... it's only a few bucks less than the Seacat option and inconveniences are huge).

Thanks. I will go on Monday. This might seem like a silly question but are you allowed to take your own food with you (drink.. sandwiches etc). I want to keep costs down on this project

 

[nlaruccia]

Thanks. I will go on Monday. This might seem like a silly question but are you allowed to take your own food with you (drink.. sandwiches etc). I want to keep costs down on this project

It's not a silly question. You can't take sandwiches or anything that's not in a package, like crackers. Last time I went to Colonia a few months ago I brought a sandwhich, since the price of food in Uruguay is about three times as much as in Buenos Aires, and in customs the agent let it slide but told me not to bring anymore food with me.

 

[caradoc]

It's not a silly question. You can't take sandwiches or anything that's not in a package, like crackers. Last time I went to Colonia a few months ago I brought a sandwhich, since the price of food in Uruguay is about three times as much as in Buenos Aires, and in customs the agent let it slide but told me not to bring anymore food with me.

Thanks.. so in summary for it to be cost effective I need to go via Colonia Express, get the mid-day crossing, and eat a hearty breakfast. Fellow BAexpats your advice, as ever, has been top notch. Thank you.

 

[nlaruccia]

I think you can go to Colonia Express office on Av. Cordoba in microcentro and pay for the ticket with cash in pesos. Or you can pay online with a credit card. Make sure if you go with Colonia Express to photocopy the ticket. One copy they stamp on the way to Uruguay and the other one they stamp on the way back from Uruguay. They never tell you this until you get there, then you spend half the day looking for a place to photocopy the ticket in Colonia. There is a Kodak store on the main avenue, Flores, with a photocopy machine in Colonia.