How do I get around Buenos Aires?

The SUBE card runs everything. Buses, Subte, commuter trains, no card, no ride. Pick one up at any kiosko for around 3,000 ARS and load it with cash right there; some Subte stations have charging machines too, but the kiosko line is always shorter. The Subte has six lines cutting through the centre. A ride currently costs around 650 ARS: pocket change in any other currency. Línea D takes you from Plaza de Mayo up through Recoleta and into Palermo. Línea B heads west to Federico Lacroze. The system shuts down around 11pm on weeknights, though, which is roughly when porteños start thinking about dinner. After that you're on buses or ride-hail. Mind you, some Línea A trains still run the original 1913 wooden carriages. The creak of those bench seats and the warm smell of old lacquer make one ride worth it for the novelty alone, though the newer stock on Línea H is smoother and air-conditioned.

Colectivos are the real transit system. Over 150 routes, running 24 hours, reaching neighborhoods the Subte doesn't touch. The catch: no route maps at the stops, no announcements, and the drivers brake like they're being chased. Download BA Cómo Llego before you arrive: it's the city's official trip planner and it works well. You tap your SUBE at a reader near the driver, tell them your destination or at least the cross street, and they charge the correct zone fare automatically. Rides run 400–650 ARS depending on distance. The 152 from Retiro through San Telmo to La Boca is one visitors end up on constantly. Grab a window seat on a warm evening and you'll catch diesel fumes mixing with smoke from every corner parrilla: that charred-fat smell follows you through half the city.

Black-and-yellow taxis are everywhere and they use a meter: the reloj. Make sure it's running. If a driver claims it's broken, get out and flag the next one; there's always another cab within thirty seconds. Flagfall sits around 1,200 ARS with roughly 120 ARS per 200 meters after that. A ride from Palermo to San Telmo runs about 8,000–12,000 ARS depending on traffic. Uber and Cabify both operate here, though the legal situation has been murky for years. Drivers sometimes ask you to sit up front so the car looks less like a ride-hail, just go with it. Fares tend to be 15–25% lower than metered taxis, and you skip the cash-or-card question entirely. For airport runs, Tienda León shuttles leave every 30 minutes for both Aeroparque and Ezeiza, or book a remis through your hotel for a fixed fare straight to the door.

Walking is how you'll get to know the place. Buenos Aires is flat, the blocks are short, and neighborhoods like Palermo Soho, San Telmo, and Recoleta reward you for having no plan at all. The sidewalks, though: that's another story. Tree roots have buckled the tiles across half the city, and after rain the loose ones become little geysers that soak your ankles when you step wrong. Wear shoes with decent grip and watch your footing after dark, when street lighting gets thin south of Avenida de Mayo. Autumn and spring temperatures sit around 15–20°C most days: comfortable for long walks if you've got a light jacket for the river wind that picks up once the sun drops.