How to hire a van to take us from BA to Cordoba?

[Spixe]

Could someone lend some advice on how I might go about finding a taxi/van/transport service to take my wife and I, as well as about 8 suitcase (thus a van, not a car) from the airport (EZE) to Cordoba?

We used the website https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Buenos-Aires/Córdoba-Argentina#r/Taxi/s/0 to determine the charge would be around $100, but as we don't speak Spanish (yet!), we can't call up the listed phone numbers to book a taxi, much less use apps - plus we'd like to arrange one in advanced so we won't be searching or waiting after we arrive. My wife found some local expats who offered this service but they were charging around $500 USD (reason was they prefer to drive from other cities to BA, not the other way around), which is a bit out (a lot) out of our budget.

What would a reasonable rate for this kind of trip be? Is that website quote of around $100 fairly accurate (naturally I'm sure we'd have to add a lot more for a van instead of a taxi but 500% more is a bit much)? Could anyone recommend a service/person who could do this?

Appreciate any advice!

 

[jlynch]

$100 does not sound realistic. its 700km one way and fuel costs for a journey/return journey would cost that alone....unless a van was running off gas and youd be stopping every 100km to refill gas. but you also need space for driver and two passengers.

 

[sts7049]

100 dollars for nearly a 7 hour drive (14 if you include their return time) sounds massively underestimated.

a taxi from EZE to the city center is probably around 30-40 USD. so yeah, you need to up your budget

 

[Reply Guy]

$500 doesn't sound so bad, maybe you'll find someone for $400, I don't know.

$100 won't even get you to Rosario in a small taxi.

 

[carride]

Could anyone recommend a service/person who could do this?

Appreciate any advice!

I used Kangoo Tours twice from Eze to downtown when I had extra bags and once with oversized sporting gear. A kangoo is a small utility van, so may not be big enough for 8 bags unless they have a roof rack. I do not recall. They have a few different vehicles and other tourist services, but still a small company. Some English spoken, and will email in English. I do not know if they will go to Cordoba. Twitter profile lists more contact info and website

https://twitter.com/kangootours

35 original Tours in Buenos Aires - 35 Tours únicos en Buenos Aires

35 Buenos Aires customized guided tours. Stop anywhere, add attractions. Airport transfers / 35 Paseos únicos en Buenos Aires. Baje donde lo deseé. Traslados ..

kangootours.wixsite.com

Also TiendaLeon is the big company with car service (remise) and vans from the airports. I do not know if they will go to Cordoba.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

I'm sure there's a good reason why you and your baggage aren't simply through ticketed to Cordoba from wherever you start your journey but we are where we are so let me ask: is there any reason you wouldn't want to use the encomienda services of one of the many bus companies that serve the Buenos Aires to Cordoba route?

 

[Spixe]

K, sounds like that site was wayyyyy off base and severely distorted my price expectations - so $100 will barely make it out of BA. Really appreciate all the answers and explanations.

I used Kangoo Tours twice from Eze to downtown when I had extra bags and once with oversized sporting gear. A kangoo is a small utility van, so may not be big enough for 8 bags unless they have a roof rack. I do not recall. They have a few different vehicles and other tourist services, but still a small company. Some English spoken, and will email in English. I do not know if they will go to Cordoba. Twitter profile lists more contact info and website

https://twitter.com/kangootours

35 original Tours in Buenos Aires - 35 Tours únicos en Buenos Aires

35 Buenos Aires customized guided tours. Stop anywhere, add attractions. Airport transfers / 35 Paseos únicos en Buenos Aires. Baje donde lo deseé. Traslados ..

kangootours.wixsite.com

Also TiendaLeon is the big company with car service (remise) and vans from the airports. I do not know if they will go to Cordoba.

Thanks a ton for this, very useful, I'll give them a go and see if they can beat the offers we got so far (which doesn't sound so terrible now that I've heard everyone's feedback, thanks again all).

I'm sure there's a good reason why you and your baggage aren't simply through ticketed to Cordoba from wherever you start your journey but we are where we are so let me ask: is there any reason you wouldn't want to use the encomienda services of one of the many bus companies that serve the Buenos Aires to Cordoba route?

Correct, there's a good reason. Needless to say if it were that easy we'd just do that.
No, there's no reason I don't want to use encomienda services. Actually, it's not that we don't want to use it, rather it's because I don't know what it is and have never heard of it before - your post being the first time I've ever seen it mentioned. So may I ask, what is it? A van service that drives customers to other cities perhaps? Please forgive my ignorance, that's why I am here asking afterall. Any details would be appreciated.

 

[Macanudo]

https://www.tiendaleon.com can take you in two different cars from EZE to Retiro Bus Terminal for around 30k pesos. From there you should be able to get a bus to Cordoba for around 10K pesos each. If you are interested in that option, you would have to contact https://www.centraldepasajes.com.ar/empresas-de-micro/flecha-bus.html to see if they have baggage limits and the cost of 10 large bags.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Encomienda is the parcels service operated by the bus companies to use up space in their luggage lockers and make the route more profitable. Some buses even tow a freight trailer. You take the consignment to the start terminal and the recipient (in this case you) collect from the destination terminal. As @Macnudo says, Retiro is the big bus station in Buenos Aires and you can get you and your stuff ferried there from EZE by Tienda Leon. The bus company freight offices are mostly together on a lower level at the back of the building, behind the regular ticket offices. I have only ever used encomienda to ship stuff from Buenos Aires to Paraguay so I've no personal recommendation regarding Cordoba. I suggest you do your research then pre-book your consignment with the company of your choice so that they will be prepared for you when you roll up with the luggage. Hope this helps. All the best!

 

[Reply Guy]

Not a bad idea, but I feel like this might be complicated for new arrivals with limited Spanish