Be ready for anything as hitchhiking can be testing and occasionally fun and exciting.

Here are ten quick tips to make your hitchhiking adventure more enjoyable and safe

1. Camping Equipment: A camp stove, tent and sleeping bag allow you to move and sleep anywhere. Always carry matches, a flashlight, a pen and other emergency supplies.

2. Food, Water and other necessities: Argentina is vast. Be sure to carry enough food and water on you for a couple days, just in case you get stranded somewhere without amenities.

3. Nutrition: It can be difficult to stay healthy on the road. Noodles or rice mixed with tuna make for good dinners—as long as you have a stove. Bread, cheese and salami, fruits and nuts make for good lunches. All can be purchased at any supermarket.

4. Service stations and truckers: Gas stations are the backbone of the hitchhiking world in Argentina. Truckers tend to stop at these stations, usually located on the outskirts of cities. Don’t be afraid to ask them where they are going and if you can join them. This is the best way to get rides.

5. A dedo: Using your thumb can be effective but having a sign makes you more noticeable. Don’t be afraid to be creative and humorous. Try to appear clean and friendly. White or bright clothing is ideal. Keep in mind that you are quickly judged based on your looks. The more you look like a serial killer, the lower your chance of getting a ride.

6. Patience: Have lots and lots of patience. It is the only skill required to hitchhike. It could take all day or it could take thirty seconds — you never know.

7. Safety: Realize that hitchhiking can be dangerous. Use common sense and be safe. Don’t stand close to the road’s shoulder and make sure there is a safe place for the car to pull over. Hitchhiking can be dangerous for women traveling alone.

8. Travel light: The more baggage you have the less likely you are to get a ride.

9. Speak Spanish: Communication is important. Many people who pick up hitchhikers like to talk. Sometimes it is the reason they pick you up. You can hitchhike without Spanish, but it can be a bit more difficult and awkward. Forget your ego and make the effort.

10. Have fun: There are hard moments on the road, but don’t forget why you are traveling in the first place.

→ Hitchhiking in Argentina: Gear, Patience, Safety

An Argentine trucker. photo: Ryan Rambo

→ More tips in Spanish on Autostop Argentina: Consejos para hacer dedo

Hitchhiking in Argentina is smelly, exhausting, wet, sweaty, cold, hot, windy, dry, uncomfortably awkward and highly rewarding. Thumbing rides in this huge, sparsely populated country can mean days in a variety of miserable conditions, from icy Patagonian wind to a tropical Andean heat.

Still nothing compares to a ride well earned, that sudden thrill of a vehicle slowing down and the fumbling moment when one gathers their belongings and sprints towards an open door.

In a country with steadily increasing bus prices, hitchhiking has become a popular form of travel for the modern day backpacker in Argentina. But don’t be fooled by the trend — it is difficult. The trick is to be prepared for anything.

Gear

A hitchhiker can end up in some uncomfortable places. A camp stove, tent and a sleeping bag make the back of a YFP service station a lot more accommodating.

The camp stove provides a way to sustain simple, but much needed nourishment. Just make sure to carry enough water for cooking and drinking, since you never know where you will find yourself. Unlike other South American nations, Argentina has potable water throughout most of the country.

A tent and sleeping bag enables you to camp wherever you want. You don’t have to make it somewhere with amenities; you can go anywhere. It’s nice to know you can get some sleep wherever you are, even though your dreams will probably be interrupted by the groan of a diesel engine.

It is completely possible to endure hitchhiking in Argentina without a tent, but it’s not optimal. No tent means staying up all night in a service station sipping coffee, or resting on a bench in a bus terminal, waiting for the sun to peak over the horizon until the moment you can throw a thumb in the air.

Service stations are the backbone of the world of hitchhiking in Argentina. They are where rides originate and end, where truckers sleep, where you will find yourself filling water bottles and buying chips.

The prime location to get rides are the gas stations on the outskirts of cities and towns, where the cars thin out and head in one direction. Inflated food prices make the grocery store a better option for sustenance, but these make ideal pit stops for everything else.

Patience

The ease at which someone can catch a ride depends more on serendipity than on any set of natural or developed skills. There are a few things you can do to improve the likeliness to get a lift though.

Truckers sleep in their trucks in service stations. They wake up early to their Gauchito Gil decals staring back at them under the red tassels that line their tinted windows. You can watch from afar as they emerge from their rigs to fill their hot water thermos for their morning mate, out of machines designed just for that purpose. This is the magic moment when you can hit them up for rides directly. Many truckers will claim that their employers prohibit drivers to pick up hitchhikers, so expect a lot of “no’s” but remember all that you need is that one “yes.”

If begging face-to-face makes you feel like a bum, use the age-old method of a thumb in the air and a cardboard sign. A sign creates attention, and as a hitchhiker you want people to notice you, so be creative.

Give a smile and a wave, even if they pass by. Keep in mind that truckers talk to each other on the CB radio. If they are aware you have been in the same spot for hours, they may take pity on you and pick you up.

Whatever you do, do not be discouraged if you are having bad luck. Eventually someone will give you a lift; patience is the only skill a hitchhiker needs.

The length of any one ride depends on the destination of the driver. Sometimes a ride with a family can be 20 kilometers and sometimes a trucker will haul you 1,000 kilometers — you never know.

Argentines are very proud of their country and like to teach you about their culture. Hitchhiking is a great way to get to know the society on a more personal level than merely staying in hostels, riding on buses, and going on tours.

Speaking Spanish can make a car ride much more interesting, especially in Patagonia where drivers dazzle with Malvina (Falkland) war stories, spin tales about their numerous romantic conquests and instruct you on how to make the perfect asado.

Safety

photos: Benjamin Peter Jones

There is always an element of uncertainty with hitchhiking, which makes it initially attractive for the adventurous, but unfortunately dangerous. Sleeping in the back of service stations or in a field on the side of the road can be frightening, loud and miserable, but it is not your only option. You can always hitchhike to cities and stay in hostels.

Overall Argentina is a safe country in which to hitchhike, but bring a friend. It makes it safer and the bad times better. Women shouldn’t attempt extended trips alone — in 2004 Swiss traveler, Annagreth Würgler (link in Spanish) disappeared after accepting a ride in La Rioja. The fact that the case received so much media attention in Argentina demonstrates that it was a very unusual case.

Use common sense. If you decide to hitchhike, realize you are taking a risk. Don’t hitchhike in sparse areas of Patagonia in winter or the tropical north in summer.

Argentine drivers are notoriously reckless and often exceed high speeds due to the lack of radar enforced roads outside of Buenos Aires, so do not stand too close to the shoulder.

Most Argentines who pick up hitchhikers tend to be eccentric, lovely people, offering rides altruistically. Aside from rural routes where one’s car serves as a ‘community vehicle,’ most drivers will not even ask for money.

So when you are looking down the gray asphalt and the cold rain makes you pine for a warm hostel bed and a nice sized bife de chorizo, remember the next person who picks you up will probably be friendly, they will have a nice warm car and maybe will even give you cookies. Just be prepared to serve a lot of mate.

— Zach W. Watson

→ Ten Tips for Hitchhiking in Argentina

The buses of Buenos Aires are like old men in a bar – loud, smoky, rough around the edges, but dependably, they always show up –usually sooner rather than later.

The buses, called colectivos, or bondis in the local lingo, lunfardo are quite reliable, inexpensive and comprehensive, moving six and half million passengers a day. According to the Urban Public Transport page, Los Colectivos, the buses of Buenos Aires travel the equivalent to 3000 trips around the world each month.

The entire Buenos Aires’ system contains 110 bus lines, most functioning 24 hours a day. Although considered a public system, the buses in Buenos Aires are privately owned by dozens of companies, so while the service is generally good, each company can vary. Thanks to high ridership, Buenos Aires’ buses are economical even though the companies that run them receive virtually no government subsidies.

Obviously which bus you need depends on your location, but some lines, such as the 60, are particularly useful. The 60 is sometimes referred to as, ‘The International’ because its ten different routes pass by many top landmarks from La Boca Juniors stadium, Constitución train station, Plaza Italia, the U.S. embassy in Palermo all the way to the tourist office in the leafy northern suburb of Tigre.

Another bus line that hits a lot of the tourist hotspots is the 152, which passes through La Boca, San Telmo, Plaza de Mayo, Recoleta and Palermo.

Those who stay in Buenos Aires for a while begin to figure out what bus lines are dependable and which ones aren’t. Many, such as the 10, 17 and 29 are dependable and come by very frequently, as often as every seven minutes in the central parts of the city. Others such as the 75 tend to be notoriously undependable and yet others, such as the 24, can be dependable during the day and seem to leave you waiting a while at night.

It’s worth noting that after midnight buses are suppose to stop for any passenger who flags them down, even if the passenger is not at a bus stop. It doesn’t always work, but they will often stop if flagged, particularly for single women.

A basic Buenos Aires bus fare starts at AR$1.10 for less than three kilometers and goes up depending on the distance traveled. Most fares around the city cost AR$1.20, which can only be paid in coins.

The buses of Buenos Aires are without a doubt more comprehensive than the subway, reaching every corner of the city. In short – though generally slower than taxis and the subway, the buses will get you to every nitty gritty corner of Buenos Aires.

For help figuring out which bus you need, click here.

For instructions on how to take a bus in Buenos Aires, click here.

Here are the steps to take a bus in Buenos Aires:

1. Figure out your route

First you’ll need to figure out which bus you need using the Guía T or the internet. Look at this post to help you figure out what bus you need.

2. Find the bus stop

Once you know which bus to want to take, another challenge can be figuring out where the bus stop actually is located. On major streets such as Corrientes and 9 de Julio they are well marked. The bus stops are every two-and-half to three blocks, and usually marked with the numbers of the lines that stop there as well as a list of major stops. Just walk along the avenue or street until you see a stop. Sometimes the bus stops are not well marked in residential areas and you will need to ask someone: ‘¿Donde esta la parada para el 24?’(Where is the stop for the 24?)

Store and newsstand owners are accustomed to answering questions about the buses because no one knows where the bus stops are if they are not familiar the area. During the day there will often be a line of people waiting for the bus, you can ask them as well. If you don’t speak Spanish well you can also point to your bus number in the Guía T and offer a perplexed look to be pointed in the right direction.

3. Make sure you have change to pay the fare

Most importantly, before getting on any bus in Buenos Aires make sure you have change to pay the fare — the buses don’t take bills. The standard fare costs AR$1.25. The city has been promising to install a card system to pay for bus fares and reduce the need to hoard coins, but as with many things in Argentina, the initiative is delayed.

4. Get in line

Aside from rush hour on very busy avenues, there is usually just one line of people for all the buses that go by any particular stop. Get in line. When you see your bus coming along, identified by its number above the windshield, put out your hand to indicate that you would like to get on the bus – each stop handles several buses, so if no one in line flags the bus, it will speed on by. Sometimes it will speed on by regardless – chalk it up to the inner complexities of the Buenos Aires bus driver.

5. Tell the conductor where you are going

Once you are on the bus you need to tell the conductor where you are going so he can charge you the appropriate fare. Simply name the cross street or location where you plan to get off, for example: ‘hasta Cordoba, por favor’. Many passengers, accustomed to taking the same route everyday, just tell the conductor how much to charge them. Most fares around the city, from three to six kilometers, cost AR$1.25. If you prefer you can also tell the driver: ‘Uno veinte y cinco, por favor.’

6. Pay your fare

After you’ve indicated your stop to the driver, put your coins into the automated ticket dispenser behind the driver. You will be issued a ticket and your change. Hold on to the ticket, although it is rare that someone comes through to check them, but it does occasionally happen.

7. Hold on tight!

Once on board, the elderly, pregnant women and anyone with kids obviously has priority seating so if you don’t have the good fortune to get a seat take a steady stance and hold on tight! When you want to exit the bus push the button located on the pole by the back door. Be careful exiting the bus — sometimes the buses don’t quite get to the curb and barely stop. If you are let off into the street, look back before jumping off to make sure there are no bicycles or motorbikes coming from behind.

For help figuring out which bus you need, click here

At first figuring out Buenos Aires’ complex bus system can seem like a harrowing task. There are 110 bus lines; each with their own complicated routes crisscrossing the city. Get your hands on a Guía T, a guide to the bus system that can be bought in a handy portable version at any newsstand for AR$5 and you will begin to decode the matrix that is the Buenos Aires’ bus system.

The Guía T is a low profile, local’s way to figure out how to get around the city and is also abundantly useful to pedestrians.

There are three sections in the Guía T. In the front of the book, there is an alphabetical index of all the streets in Buenos Aires subdivided with various address ranges, each pointing you to a page with the appropriate map. The body of the Guía T is made up of tiny maps of the entire city with a list of the corresponding buses on the opposite page.  In the back of the book are all the various buses listed in numerical order with the details of their routes and pictures of the buses to demonstrate the color scheme of each line.

How to Use the Guía T

1. Look up your address

Just look up the address you are traveling from in the front of the book, the index gives a page number and co-ordinates, such as 16-A4, page 16, quadrant A4. On that page you will recognize a map of your location divided into a grid. On the left hand page is a corresponding grid with a list of buses that pass by that location.

2. Look up your destination
Secondly, look up the destination you are trying to reach as you did in step one.  Flip back and forth between the two pages to compare the bus lines listed in the grids for the two locations. If you are not traveling too far, there will almost always be a bus that goes by each location. If not, look at the surrounding quadrants to see if there is a corresponding bus.

There is no transfer system between the different bus lines, so you may have to walk a few blocks. On the rare occasion that you need two buses, you will have to pay twice but since taking two buses is rather impractical, consider taking some other form of transportation such as the subway, taxi or a bus and brisk walk combo.

3. Map your route

Once you figure out the bus you need, look up that bus line listed in numerical order in the back of the book to see what streets it travels on – since many streets are one way, the buses often travel on slightly different routes on the going and return trips.

You will see both the ‘ida’ and ‘vuleta’ (going and return) listed street by street, as well as a little picture that shows the color and design of the bus.  There are no times listed for the buses –they come when they come but because of the high volume, most buses come by at least every 15 minutes during the day.

Figure out which intersection you will be getting off at – you will need to tell the driver anyway to pay your fare. Check this post for more instructions on taking a bus in Buenos Aires.

Websites and Telephone Info

In addition to using the Guía T, you can also use Spanish language websites such as Como Viajo to figure out the bus system. On the left hand side of the website, simply put in the starting and ending destinations press enter and the site will tell you which bus lines to take and an approximate journey time.

Los Colectivos is a website that gives the phone numbers for the various lines and lists the frequency of the buses in minutes, useful information that the Guia T doesn’t provide. X Colectivo is another website that is a bit hard to navigate but it also has the major bus lines listed as well as lists of buses that pass by important sites.

Additionally those who understand a bit of Spanish can call 131 toll free for bus information. The line is often busy, but if you have a telephone it’s worth a shot.

For information on how to take a bus in Buenos Aires once you’ve figured out your route, click here.

Onda Verde
4867-0000

Radio Taxi Pidalo (air-conditioning a bonus with this one)
4956-1200/4932-2222

Radio Taxi Tango
4862-2222

Premium
This is one of the big companies, you can even call a car through their website.
4374-6666
5238-0000

Radio Taxi Siglo
This company also services the suburbs of Buenos Aires
4633-4000

New Taxi
4551-1110
Nextel: 190*2523

To summon a taxi on the street, look for cabs that have the red light turned on that says ‘LIBRE’ in the corner of the windshield. Make sure you are on the right-hand side of the avenue and try to select a place where the taxi will have room to stop safely —it’s best if you’re not in front of a bus stop.  Always hail an ‘official’ Radio Taxi, which can be distinguished by the words ‘radio taxi’ on top and stickers on the back and front doors. These are taxis that work for a company instead of working independently, meaning if there is any dispute with the driver you can call the company to complain.  The fact that they work for a company also makes them less anonymous than ‘freelancers’, hence a much safer option.  It’s even safer to call and order a Radio Taxi, because then his cab number and your pick up address are registered on a computer.

Before getting into a taxi you’ll want to make sure that you have small bills to pay your fare. Finding change in Buenos Aires is a big problem and a taxi driver may not have change for a 100 or 50 peso note. Occasionally the driver may take the note and switch it out with a counterfeit note if you try to pay him with a large bill. If you are taking a ride across the city that will cost 20 or 30 pesos, you may be able to get away with paying with a 50 peso note, but make sure you ask the driver if they have change before you get in the cab. Tipping cab drivers is not customary in Buenos Aires, although most passengers round up to the nearest number.

Once you get into the cab make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter. In Buenos Aires the meter starts at AR$4.60 and increases $.46 every 200 meters, or 30 seconds of idle waiting time. Occasionally a cab driver may take a route that seems illogical or drive you into the middle of a traffic jam and act like he had just no idea that a protest would be blocking the street. The more you know where you are going and how to get there, the less this will happen. Feel free to suggest a preferred route to the driver to prevent getting an unintentional ‘city tour.’  Even if you don’t know the route, you can at least pretend that you do.  Often the driver will ask you whether you want to take one street or another, for example, “Corrientes or Rivadavia?”.  Instead of saying that you don’t know, answer with a firm, “Corrientes!” The two routes are likely to be fairly similar in distance so the price won’t change much if you choose the longer option, but at least you will give the impression that you know your way around, and he’s less likely to take you on a ‘gringo tour’.

The most common way locals give directions to taxi drivers is by naming the street and the nearest cross street, rather than a street number.  It’s often easier to tell the driver “Vamos hasta Uruguay y Santa Fe” (Let’s go to the corner of Uruguay and Sante Fe streets), rather than telling him “Uruguay 1245″, for example.  It leaves less room for ‘confusion’.

If you speak Spanish you will probably find Buenos Aires cab drivers to be rather entertaining and opinionated conversationalists — get them going on football or politics for a good laugh or to learn some new Lunfardo.

Click here to see a list of Radio Taxi companies in Buenos Aires