Buying Bus Tickets

[BAwithkids]

We're planning a trip to Iguazu, and thinking we'll take one of the long-haul buses (a little daunting with small children...). A few questions:

* Buying tickets - I read that there's a 10% surcharge for using a credit card. Is that right? If so, is this only if you buy tickets online, or if you buy them at Retiro as well? ALSO, will we need the passports for all four of us when buying tickets (if we buy at Retiro)?

* Will there be opportunities on the bus to get out, walk around, buy drinks, etc.?

* Food - what are they likely to serve (we're planning on cama suite or ejectivo)? Should we bring water, or can we get it on board? Recs for bus companies also welcome!

* Noise - is it true that the overnight buses often have movies/music on loudly all night? Any chance, if this happens, of getting them to turn it down so my kids will sleep? [I don't want to be difficult, but it's not going to serve ANYONE on that bus well if my kids don't sleep...]

* Any thoughts on how younger kids will react to this kind of trip? Ways to make the trip easier for them? The flights are just SO expensive!

* Finally, any recommendations? Places to stay? Things to do? We're hoping to be there three full days and a couple partial days...

Thanks!

 

[sesamosinsal]

1. I've bought tickets with a credit card. I never noticed a 10% surcharge. You may need your passports, you may not. My partner travels quite frequently, and they never ask him for his DNI.

2. I've taken two buses to Iguazu. They were direct. No stops (other than to pick up other passengers en camino).

3. Some companies play movies until maybe 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. I think you're just going to have to deal with it.

4. Bring stuff for them to do? It's a long bus ride. Bring snacks and water.

5. Iguazu for three full days would be too much for me. We only needed one day to see the falls, and the next day we flew out. (I bused it there on Thursday night, saw the falls on Friday, and flew out on Saturday mid-day.) Other than the falls, I guess you could go see the tri-border area? I didn't do it, though. Bring your sunscreen. We stayed in a motel that was offered to us in the bus terminal (a tourism office). We had hostel reservations, but the motel was only a bit more costly and we (my partner and I) had our own space. You might want to go for that?

 

[BAwithkids]

1. I've bought tickets with a credit card. I never noticed a 10% surcharge. You may need your passports, you may not. My partner travels quite frequently, and they never ask him for his DNI.

Thanks for the helpful response! Where did you go online to buy the tickets? The site I went to would only take Argentine credit cards...

 

[jontyjago]

1. If you're in Buenos Aires, the best thing to do is go to a Plataforma 10 booth - there's one in Abasto Shopping and one in Palermo Alto. You can check times out on plataform10.com in advance and buying there is a lot simpler than Retiro and they sell tickets for all the lines, so no need to hop from booth to booth checking prices. They take credit cards and there is no surcharge. You probably won't need passports (other than for credit card ID) but in my experience you will need the PP number of each traveller.

2. You may have time to get off and buy something when you stop at a town in between. This is not guaranteed and changes from trip to trip, so plan as if you're not getting off - take water and snacks. The evening meal is usually passable, but breakfast is almost always sweet - lots of alfajores.

3. They certainly don't play music all night. I went Ejecutivo to Iguazu with ViaBariloche and each seat had personal screens with headphones so there was no sound played in the bus. Don't know if they have this every time though. I have always found ViaBariloche and AndesMar good quality.

 

[sesamosinsal]

I echo the recommendation for Plataforma 10. Not all of the buses have personal screens. Some are TVs turned on without sound, but places to put headphones. Others are just TVs with sound.

I used my CapitalOne card with Via Bariloche. I think their sister company is Tigre Iguazu or something. You can check out schedules online at http://www.omnilineas.com/

FYI, the hotels/motels listed online are all very expensive -- at least when I did my search. If you can wait until you get to the bus terminal, that might be a better option, although I certainly understand wanting to plan ahead. I'm like that myself.. usually. I wish I could remember the name of the motel where we stayed, but I can't. It was significantly cheaper than the stuff listed online, and we were located near the city center -- good for eating, buying groceries, etc.

 

[Tangerine]

The Jesuit Ruins are a pass. A very long ride on a bus out there and back. Maybe if they were 30 minutes from town but not the ~4 hours each way.
Rent the movie “The Mission” with Robert Dinero. The mine at Wanda is also a pass ..... ZZZ x2 and $$$ gift shop.

The boat ride into the mist of the Falls gets Two thumbs Up..... Snag a towel from the hotel, and put it in your back pack to dry everyone off a little after the ride.

Having your passport(s) makes things easer than explaining for 20 minutes....
You will be asked for if you take the bus zzz ride to Wanda and or the ruins and probably asked for it on the return trip to BA .

 

[Roxana]

you can buy your tickets on line with plataforma 10, at www.plataforma10.com

 

[BAwithkids]

Thanks for the tip. If we buy them there, how do we get the actual tickets? Also, how long before a bus departs should you get to retiro? Earlier if you bought your ticket online?


Also, recommendations for the best seats to get? I was thinking the front seats on top would be ideal, but maybe they're too bright at night?

 

[French jurist]

I read last week in Clarin that -two ?- of the pedestrian bridges that lead to the waterfalls are broken/destroyed (will take easily like 1 month+ to fix I guess).

http://www.clarin.com/sociedad/Cataratas-gran-caudal-arrastro-pasarelas_0_542945809.html

 

[Magis]

We went to Iguazu a few weeks ago. Loved it!

Tickets: Went to Retiro Omnibus station and bought tickets for "Crociera del Norte sp?" Bus was clean/comfortable/safe and I'd book with them again. Booked a week in advance and made sure we were on top level front window seats. This might be fun for the kids as they can look out the windows at all of the cows and livestock on the road up north for the first couple of hours. + You/They can also watch the sunset out of the left window at night. FUN!
Bus was very clean and the service was great. Did not mind Left at 3pm and arrived around 8am or so the following day.

There was not a surcharge for using credit card. In fact, I received a discount because I booked in advance. It was a pretty good discount too. Yes you need passports for all 4.



Bus: You can definitely walk around on the bus as there aisle is open at all times. The bus does stop and a few big stations along the way to pick up people but I noticed this happening mostly at night when we were "sleeping." We booked the cama suite and felt it was great. Had no problems sleeping at all. Especially when you book up front and have nobody in front of you

Food:
We brought our own empanadas on the bus and avoided the bus food. Whereas it is fresh, we didn't want to risk it. They offered whiskey/water/sodas also on the bus.
Food is typical food you'd expect on a plane. Ham/Cheese sandwich, pastries, etc plus dinner which appeared to be a milanesa hot sandwich thing. I'd stick with buying empanadas and bring them along.

Noise: They shut the tv's off at about 10 or 11pm and the place was dark and quiet for the entire night. Very comfortable ride.




Kids: You really just have to keep them entertained from about 3pm until bedtime. I think they will enjoy the seats and the views out the windows for those few hours. As mentioned above, it was fun to see all of the cows and animals on the farms driving up.

Hotel: My fiancee responded to guyinba's post about this. Highly recommend Jardin Iguazu. It is a short walk from the bus station that will be your central hub getting to and from the falls.