Help a n00b get to his final destination – Córdoba/La Falda

[on the brink]

About extra suitcases on the bus: have a five-dollar bill handy for the driver, to expedite the process.
A five-hundred peso bill does the same.

 

[Big Swifty]

When in Rome.... Sounds like even the bus companies are saying any extra bags other than the one included with the seat are handled/paid for not at the counter, but at the bus itself. Good to know ahead of time.

Would that be a five dollar bill/500 pesos for all of the three extras I'd want to put in the storage area, or per bag? If the driver isn't one of the 1-2 people doing/supervising the loading, just tip whoever is, or should it be the driver?

Assumed that it wouldn't be worth getting a hotel in a decent part of town if I was only going to use it for a few hours, but with the prices I'm seeing it's starting to make more sense to me to do so. Nap after a red-eye flight, shower, relax. Cheaper than the $50 for VIP lounge, more comfortable than waiting at the airport all day.

 

[sts7049]

retiro terminal is not the kind of place i'd want to spend hours waiting. think of an airport built in the 60s but with even less modern conveniences.

you are better off waiting in EZE, but i think you won't be able to wait anywhere except the starbucks by the exit. unless they have opened it up more, that's the waiting/control area for the covid tests and i think the rest will be off limits. and you can't re-enter the airport i dont think without a ticket.

i would consider going over to the Sheraton hotel at plaza san martin, it's got a huge lobby area and perhaps you can just camp out in there. it happens to be across the way from the terminal, but i think i'd still ask for a taxi/uber to shuttle you over when it's time in lieu of walking across with all your bags and stuff.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

I arrived in Retiro bus station from Mar del Plata this past Sunday night. The bus was supposed to arrive in BA around 9:30 pm but because of the weekend traffic it arrived an hour later. The bus depot is right next to a slum. Some people who live there prey on tourist who are easy targets. I debated the whole trip whether I would take a cab home or wait for the # 9 bus. I took the bus. Nothing happened.
But while I was in the bus line I saw a young woman give chase to a young skinny guy who most probably had just robbed her.
The woman was wearing those big clunky shoes, no way she was going to catch him. If you’re going to “bust open your laptop“ you might as well hang a sign around your neck that reads “Rob me”. Have a nice trip. PS. I didn't see any luggage carts there. There’s no VIP lounge because VIP's don’t go to Retiro.

 

[on the brink]

Would that be a five dollar bill/500 pesos for all of the three extras I'd want to put in the storage area, or per bag? If the driver isn't one of the 1-2 people doing/supervising the loading, just tip whoever is, or should it be the driver?

That would be per person helping you, or handling the bags. If you can afford it, double that and make them very happy indeed. Those workers are poorly paid, and tips are much appreciated.

 

[Big Swifty]

I'm not at all surprised the bus companies would rather pay the lowest possible wages/minimize their employment and other tax obligations and pass off the whole excess baggage situation to employees/customers instead of charging extra for the service and handling it at the counter. I'd actually prefer paying any employees direct for the added service. Not sure of the validity of this, but I've always liked the definition of 'tips' as To Insure Proper Service.

Thanks for the info and clarification on how it all works.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Retiro is a very bad idea. To take taxis at Ezeiza too. Pay the Manuel Tienda Leon remise (taxi) and go to another bus terminal at Paramericana. There are 2 or 3 that are a lot safer than Retiro.
However, I do not understand why bus. Take a flight to Cordoba and then a bus or taxi to La Falda.

 

[Big Swifty]

I'd be up for a flight, but there aren't that many on the day I arrive and I'm carrying more and heavier luggage than the most expensive fare allows.

The overnight bus will take me all the way to La Falda, so I don't have to have family drive into to the city to pick me up. I'm guessing even with getting a hotel for a day the cost will be around 20% of the least expensive flight option.

Changed up my plan so that I'm going to get a hotel for the day, rest up after a red-eye flight/customs/migraciónes/etc, shower, seek out a good pizza (I'm a NYC pizza snob and the options I've lived with for the past 9 years in Perú are meh at best) and take a cab to Retiro to arrive at the recommended time before the bus leaves, minimizing my time at the airport and Retiro.

But I'll look into Terminal Panamericana as well. Using a few of the bus websites I haven't come across anything from that terminal going to La Falda, but I've got a month to figure it all out so I'll investigate. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[antipodean]

I'd be up for a flight, but there aren't that many on the day I arrive and I'm carrying more and heavier luggage than the most expensive fare allows.

The overnight bus will take me all the way to La Falda, so I don't have to have family drive into to the city to pick me up. I'm guessing even with getting a hotel for a day the cost will be around 20% of the least expensive flight option.

Changed up my plan so that I'm going to get a hotel for the day, rest up after a red-eye flight/customs/migraciónes/etc, shower, seek out a good pizza (I'm a NYC pizza snob and the options I've lived with for the past 9 years in Perú are meh at best) and take a cab to Retiro to arrive at the recommended time before the bus leaves, minimizing my time at the airport and Retiro.

But I'll look into Terminal Panamericana as well. Using a few of the bus websites I haven't come across anything from that terminal going to La Falda, but I've got a month to figure it all out so I'll investigate. Thanks for the suggestion.

Check flights from Aeroparque to Córdoba and not Ezeiza. You can take a Remise between airports or the Tienda Leon. You will be able to purchase additional suitcases beyond what the fare allows, usually you can do it all online before you fly to save time at the airport.
From Córdoba airport you can take another Remise to La Falda - it’s less than an hour drive. This way may not be the most economical but will no doubt be safer and more comfortable and you will be less of a zombie by the time you arrive.

If you know someone who can book your domestic flight inside Argentina using pesos, get them to do it. You then give them dollars at the blue and will enjoy 50%+ off your total purchase. A $200 flight plus extras becomes $100. Booking from outside is always more expensive since the fares are based on the official exchange rate even if stated in USD.

 

[Big Swifty]

On the 31'st there are no flights out of EZE. Everything I've seen (what little there is) is out of AEP. All of my searches have been on the Argentina version of the AA site and all prices quoted in pesos. Maybe they're basing pricing on my IP address and my wife'll have better luck over there? Also checked for first week of November and no flights out of EZE. Perhaps things will change in the coming weeks considering they're opening things up again 1 November?

I'm going to leave it up to my wife. One of my brother in-laws has lived in Argentina for over ten years, and the other for five, so they can easily book a flight for me. My one cuñado did last time I tried to go to Argentina in February when they had flights out of EZE, but my wife says she's not having luck with AA, even though it was supposedly a refundable ticket, or at least one that allowed a date change. If they can get me a reasonable fare and make the arrangements, great. If not, I really don't mind lazing around with a pizza on a Sunday afternoon and taking an overnight bus. At that point I'll just be happy to be in Argentina.