Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Phonecards
Telephone calling cards are sold at nearly all
kioskos
and make domestic and international calls far cheaper
than calling direct. However, they must be used from a fixed line such as a home or hotel telephone
(provided you can dial outside the hotel). They cannot be used at most pay phones. Some
locutorios
allow
you to use them, and although they levy a surcharge, the call is still cheaper than dialing direct. When pur-
chasing one, tell the clerk the country you will call so that they give you the right card.
Time
Argentina is three hours behind GMT and generally does not observe daylight-saving time (though this situ-
ation can easily change). Many
porteños
use the 24-hour clock to differentiate between am and pm.
Toilets
Public toilets in BA are generally decent and usually stocked with toilet paper (carry some anyway), but
soap and towels are rarer. If you're looking for a bathroom while walking around, note that the largest shop-
ping malls (such as Galerías Pacífico) always have public bathrooms available, but in a pinch you can al-
ways walk into a McDonald's or large cafe. Changing facilities for babies are not always available.
Some may find bidets a novelty; they are those strange shallow, ceramic bowls with knobs and a drain,
often accompanying toilets in hotel bathrooms. They are meant for between-shower cleanings of nether re-
gions. Turn knobs slowly, or you may end up spraying yourself or the ceiling.
Tourist Information
The
Secretaría de Turismo de la Nación
( 4312-2232;
www.turismo.gov.ar
; Av Santa Fe 883;
9am-7pm Mon-Fri) dispenses information on Buenos Aires but focuses on Argentina as a whole.
The
tourist police
(Comisaría del Turista;
0800-999-5000, 4346-5748; Av Corrientes 436;
24hr)
can provide interpreters and helps victims of robberies and rip-offs.
There's a tourist kiosk at
Ezeiza airport
(Ezeiza airport; 24hr) and another one at
Retiro bus station
(Retiro bus station; 7:30am-2pm Mon-Fri) near Puente 3 on the main floor, across from bus slot 36.
There are several tourist offices and kiosks in Buenos Aires. Note that hours vary depending on the sea-
son and number of volunteers. The official tourism site of Buenos Aires is
www.bue.gov.ar
and the govern-
ment site is
www.buenosaires.gov.ar
.
Plaza San Martín
(cnr Av Florida & MT de Alvear)
Florida
(cnr Av Florida & Diagonal Roque Sáenz Peña)
Puerto Madero
(Dique 4)
Recoleta
(Av Quintana 596)
