This post is for anyone travelling on long distance buses in Argentina as there are some things that you should know!
Types of buses:
- You have a 'semi cama' which has a partial recline - you may get some snacks on these but you should also take your own;
- Then a 'cama' with a more substantial recline (in fact, sometimes these tilt 180 degrees) - you will probably get some form of snack on this one;
- And an 'executive' or 'suite' (1st class) which usually means a complete flat bed with your own TV and service staff who will bring you a hot meal and even wine (get in!).
Most of the buses will be double deckers, but some are single deckers.
If you can check out the buses beforehand then great, but each company seems to have a mixture of older and newer buses so you don't know what you are going to get. However, Andesmar seemed to have the nicer buses and I think if you go for Executive you should always get a decent bus. It is worth the upgrade to Executive on overnight buses...it doesn't cost too much more and it is a LOT more comfortable.
Buying tickets: You can use a website called Plataforma 10 (
http://www.plataforma10.com/en-US) who have all the bus times and details of what type of bus you will get, but note they don't accept Mastercard for payment, only Visa. However, if you use it to look at the details you can then usually go to the bus company's website and book directly. You will get an e-ticket so ask your hotel/hostel to print it off for you.
You could go to the bus station and book directly with the company or in most towns/cities the tourist info will tell you where the local booking centre is located.
Where to sit, up or down?: This one depends on the type of journey you're doing. If it's a scenic journey then the seats at the front at the top are great for taking photos. However, if you're doing a night journey on really twisty roads, downstairs is probably better as you won't get thrown about so much. And remember that it is always bumpy at the back.
Point to note - the toilets are always downstairs (near the door at the front on a double-decker and at the back on a single) but on some buses they have one upstairs too (at the back).
At the station: Don't think you can just turn up and get on the bus...that would be too easy!!
The info boards (if the station has any), will give info on arrivals and departures, however the departure board will have the final destination of the bus which is not necessarily the destination where you will be getting off the bus.
Also the platform info won't be on ticket so once you arrive at the station you need to find your bus company 'stand' and show them the ticket and they will give you a range of platforms and then you need to keep an eye out on that platform range for your bus.
Once it arrives, head straight for the luggage compartment to put your main luggage in the hold (see 'tips' below) and then queue to get on the bus.
Some buses operate a code share so go to the bus company stand who you booked the bus with and they will point you in the right direction of the bus company who you may be travelling with (if it's different).
Toilets: Remember to take your own toilet roll with you and some anti-bacterial hand gel as more often than not it won't be provided. The toilet doors are also often really hard to open so you have to give it a good yank...don't do what I did and try the door lightly and then stand there for ages waiting when there was never anyone in there in the first place!
The sign saying it's occupied isn't always right either so just listen out for the door opening and closing or if you're on the ground floor keep an eye open.
Overnight: If you are travelling overnight it is advisable to take ear plugs and an eye mask - sometimes the lights are switched off but not always. You are likely to be given a pillow and a fleecy sheet but you might want to take your own neck pillow (unless you are on a flat bed bus when it won't matter so much).
Tips: You are expected to tip the man who puts your bag on the bus (a couple of pesos) and also when they take it off again (including at country border crossings) - this is expected and if you don't they will ask you for it, so if you want to guarantee that your bag makes it to the other end, then the tip is advisable!!
Crossing country borders: This info is based on crossing the border into Chile.... You may want to consider whether you do an overnight journey into Chile as you will get woken up and may have to wait for hours at the crossing!
At the border you will have to 'leave' Argentina and 'enter' Chile....this might be in the same building or it might be a couple of miles down the road. But wherever it is, when you enter Chile you will be expected to get off the bus and take everything with you as all the bags have to be checked (hand luggage and main luggage).
You need to have your paperwork with you to get it stamped (passport/visa/country entry). On the bus you will be given a form to complete to confirm you are not bringing in any products to Chile. This includes all fruit and veg, flowers, meat and dairy products so you need to eat up your bananas and ham sandwiches if you have any in your hand luggage!
All buses and cars have to be checked so get ready for a wait....sometimes it's fairly swift (45mins or so) or it could take three hours (yes, we endured this on our way into Santiago). There will often be sniffer dogs, or xray machines or manual checks when you'll be expected to open your bag to be searched.
If you are travelling from Mendoza to Santiago, this is a great trip to do during the day as the view is awesome through the Andes. However we travelled from Cordoba to Mendoza overnight.
One final tip is to wear your seatbelt, even on a nightbus, as the driving can be really fast and you just never know!!
Enjoy your journey and have fun.
