Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Normally you need to pay this fee online via credit card; see
www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles
and click on 'Pay your Reciprocity Rate'
on the left column. Ideally you'll be reminded of this fee when you buy your air-
plane ticket. At border crossings, you may or may not be able to pay on the spot -
ask around ahead of time for current rules.
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To change money at Ezeiza, don't use the cambios(exchange houses) there -
their rates are generally bad. Better rates are found at the local bank branch; after
exiting customs, pass the rows of transport booths, go outside the doors into the
reception hall and make a U-turn to the right to find Banco de la Nación's small of-
fice. Its rates are identical to downtown offices, there's an ATM and it's open 24
hours, though long lines are common. There are other ATMs at Ezeiza, too.
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There's a tourist information booth just beyond the city's 'Taxi Ezeiza' stand.
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Shuttle buses and taxis frequently run from Ezeiza to the center;
Click here
for
details.
»
When flying out of Ezeiza, get there at least two to three hours before your inter-
national flight. Security and immigration lines can be long, and be aware that traffic
is often bad getting to Ezeiza - it can take an hour or more to go the 35km from
downtown BA. Also, even when you get past main security there may be bag
checks at the gate, and neither food nor liquids may be allowed onto airplanes. Eat
and drink up before boarding.
Bicycle
If you dig cycling your way around a country, Argentina has potential. You'll see the land-
scape in greater detail, have far more freedom than you would if beholden to public trans-
portation, and likely meet more locals.
Road bikes are suitable for many paved roads, but byways are often narrow and sur-
faces can be rough. A
todo terreno
(mountain bike) is often safer and more convenient,
allowing you to use the unpaved shoulder and the very extensive network of gravel roads
throughout the country. Argentine bicycles are improving in quality, but are still far from
equal to their counterparts in Europe or the USA.
There are two major drawbacks to long-distance bicycling in Argentina. One is the wind,
which in Patagonia can slow your progress to a crawl. The other is Argentine motorists:
on many of the country's straight, narrow, two-lane highways, they can be a serious haz-
ard to cyclists. Make yourself as visible as possible, and wear a helmet.
Bring an adequate repair kit and extra parts (and the know-how to use them) and stock
up on good maps, which is usually easier to do once you're in Argentina. Always confirm
directions and inquire about conditions locally; maps can be unreliable and conditions
