The Buenos Aires Colectivo

Colectivos (public buses) are a way of life in Buenos Aires. Whether it’s a parade of 15 number 12s bombing down Santa Fe, or a lone number 111 belching its way noisily down a narrow street in Microcentro the colectivo is integral to the daily life of your average Porteño.

64 On Santa Fe

For the average visitor to Buenos Aires however, buses are an incomprehensible, confusing and archaic system. There is no daily travel card, you need to ask the driver, in Spanish, for your ticket. Can I pay with a note? How much is it? Where do I get on? Where do I get off? The list of cons is seemingly far greater than the pros, especially when the Subte (metro system) is easy to understand, and failing that every vehicle that isn’t a bus is a taxi. So, who needs the bus?

However, I believe that to visit Buenos Aires without experiencing a colectivo is to miss one of the main attractions that the city has to offer. You get to see the city from a completely new angle, to see it as Argentines see it. OK, the Subte whisks you from Palermo to Plaza de Mayo in 15 fun-free, crowded, dark minutes but it’s not like you’re in a hurry!

Our “Pay What You Want” tour takes you on a bus ride and along the way we will:

• reveal the secrets of the Guia T city map
• unlock the mysteries of how much a trip costs
• give you tips on how to make sure you always have enough coins to pay
• tell you how to plan a trip, where to get on, where to get
• show you some of the main sights (and much more) of Buenos Aires as you have never seen them before
• save you money in the long run – you’ll never need to take a taxi again the whole time you’re here!