Public transportation

[jmhr]

I am trying to get an idea of how much it cost to ride the bus and the train in BA. Are there monthly passes, student discounts, etc? If so, what is the cost of public transportation in BA?

 

[NikBaires]

It cheap enough to consider it free....about a peso a ride.

 

[PhilipDT]

Buses are ARS1.25 across town. Maybe up to 3 if you're heading out to the suburbs. Trains are usually less than 2 unless you're going really far out of the city
Subways are 1.10 per ride and free combinations.

 

[Roxana]

The buses have machines to give you the ticket that only accept coins. Sometimes you need to go to the bank and wait for a while, to get some ARS$5 of coins. Banco Patagonia gives you ARS$20 in coins.

 

[jmhr]

Thank you that was very hepful!

 

[elhombresinnombre]

There is an art, quickly learned, of lying to shopkeepers when they plead, 'Please, don't you have anything smaller?' and of building up, and hanging onto a stash of coins for the transport system. I try to be ruthless but fair: big supermarkets can easily spare coins most of the time but small shopkeepers may be struggling just like me. Tip: if you regularly pay the same newsvendor in small notes and coins, he's likely to be helpful in return when you are really stuck and have nothing smaller than a AR$50.

 

[PhilipDT]

I spend about 20 pesos a week in monedas and I haven't had any problem with keeping my supplies up since they heaped all these new coins into circulation.

 

[mini]

I just pop into the bank when I see there is no one in there. Yes, it does happen and often. They used to give me 10 pesos in coins now I'm getting rolls of 25 1-peso coins.

 

[gsi16386]

Right, so buses are basically free as mentioned in a previous post, but knowing how to use the bus is a different story. There are different fares for different distances and you have to indicate what fair you're going to pay to the bus driver when you hop on board. The only fares that I've paid for are 1.10, 1.20, and 1.25 pesos. You can tell the driver whatever fare you want, but I think as long as you pay 1.25 you won't have any issues traveling anywhere.

I'm only inlcuding the following info in this forum because I wish I knew this information when I first came to BA....ALSO, the Guia T, which you can pick up at any News Stand, will show you which buses to take and where they go. Once you figure out the bus system, I guarantee you'll cut your cab usage down by 98% and save a ton of pesos/guita/mangos/plata! Good luck and have fun!!

 

[rihornos]

I have a card called Sube I got it in the subway and now I charge around 20 pesos per week and I don´t worry for coins, Sube card is of course for subway, buses and trains, it is free and can be charged in the subway stations or at many kioskos, many buses have the machine that read cards plus I don´t have to look for coins!!!