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Travellers Essentials
Passport
Passport valid for 6 months is required by all except nationals
of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay,
Travelers who do not go beyond Argentina and these five countries,
may use their national ID cards.
Visa
Visa is required by all except the following countries:
(a)Nationals of Andorra, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel,
Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua,
Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia,
South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City,
Venezuela and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) for stays
of up to 90 days.
(b)Nationals of Hong Kong (British Nationals Overseas), Jamaica
and Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days.
(c)And transit passengers holding confirmed onward or return
tickets for travel provided continuing their journey within
6 hours and not leaving the airport.
Social Conventions
The custom of hand- shaking greetings is more common in Argentina
than in European countries. Dinner is usually served late,
between 2100 and 2200 hour, and properly dressed is expected.
The people of Buenos Aires are renowned for being fashion
conscious and consequently take great pride in their appearances.
Smoking is not allowed on public transport or in cinemas
and theaters. People may be sensitive regarding the Falklands/Malvinas
war so avoid casual discussion on this topic. Do not take
pictures of any military or police establishments.
Credit cards
Diners Club, American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
Check with your credit card company for details of merchant
acceptability and other services that may be available.
Currency Exchange:
While the US Dollar is generally accepted in Argentina, foreign
currencies can be exchanged in banks and other authorised
cambios (bureaux de change), which are widely available in
all the major cities.
Banking hours
Banking hours are open from 1000 to 1500 hour, from Monday
to Friday.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Argentina without
incurring customs duty:
(a)200 cigarettes and 25 cigars, 1 litter of alcohol, 2kg
of foodstuffs, goods value of US$150 (if arriving by land)
and US$200 (if arriving by air or sea).
(b)400 cigarettes and 50 cigars, 2 litters of alcohol, 5kg
of foodstuffs, and goods to the value of US$300.
Prohibited items
The items are:
(a)Animals and birds from Africa or Asia (except Japan) without
prior authorization, parrots and fresh foodstuffs, particularly
meat, dairy products and fruit.
(b)Explosives, inflammable items, narcotics and pornographic
material.
(c)All gold must be declared. It is advisable to arrange
for Customs clearance for expensive consumer items (cameras,
typewriters, etc).
Health care:
Medical insurance is recommended as there are no reciprocal
health agreements. Medical facilities are generally of a high
standard.
Getting There
By Air:
Argentina's national airline is Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR).
Other airlines serving Argentina includes Aeroflot, Air France,
Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines,
KLM, Lufthansa, South African Airlines and United Airlines.
By Sea:
The main ports are Buenos Aires, Quequen and Bahía Blanca.
There are ferry connections down the Parana River from Paraguay
and ferries and hydrofoils link Buenos Aires with Montevideo
in Uruguay.
By Rail:
The major direct international route is from Buenos Aires
to Asuncion in Paraguay. There are also direct rail links
with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. The timetables and
journey times are often disrupted and delays can be expected.
By Road:
Argentina has a network of aproximately 217,762km. There are
well-maintained road routes from Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay,
Bolivia and Chile. Coach: Direct daily services between Buenos
Aires, Puerto Alegre, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Getting Around
By Air:
Domestic flights from Jorge Newbery and Cordoba to destinations
throughout Argentina are run by Aerolíneas Argentinas, Austral
and LAPA. Air travel is the most efficient way to get around,
but the services are very busy and can be subject to delay.
You are advised to book in advance for all flights. Aerolíneas
sells a 30-day 'Visit Argentina Pass', with 4-8 coupons for
flights within the country.
By Rail:
Due to severe underfunding of State railways and recent privatisation,
all longhaul services have been disrupted, although some suburban
lines have been greatly improved. The domestic rail network
extends over 43,000km, which makes it one of the largest in
the world. Children under three travel free and children aged
3-11 pay half fare. There are three classes: air-conditioned,
first class and second class. There are restaurant and sleeping
facilities for first-class passengers. Low-class rail travel
is a good value. Rail travelers are warned that once out of
Buenos Aires information is very hard to come by.
By Road:
Major privatisation programs have resulted in many trunk roads
being upgraded. Expect tolls on motorways. Rural roads, composed
of packed dirt, become impassable after rain. Nonetheless,
buses are considered to be a more reliable form of long-distance
transport than trains are. Traffic drives on the right.
Urban:
The metro services in Buenos Aires operate from early morning
to late at night on a fixed fare basis, tokens can be purchased
at booking offices. Bus services are provided by minibuses
operating 24 hours a day on an inexpensive flat fare. However,
these are often crowded, particularly at rush hour, but are
usually pompt. There are extensive bus services in other towns,
including trolleybuses. Taxi's are also available in most
cities and large towns, they are usually recognisable by their
yellow roofs.
Best Time to Go
If you are going to the far south of Argentina, November to
January, is the best time, otherwise anytime from October
to May will be a pleasant and warm journey for you, with the
very best features of Buenos Aires.
What to Bring
Loose, comfortable clothes, at least a 16 SPF sunscreen and
a wide- brimmed hat if you are planning to travel south so
thatyou won't get serious sunburn. Argentina is a very photogenic
country, so take twice as much films with you.
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