Hostel Colonial Buenos Aires

During 2010, the city of Buenos Aires is implementing the use of an electronic card that will allow people to use the whole public transportation system. The name of the card is S.U.B.E. (Spanish acronym for Sistema Único de Boleto Electrónico which means Electronic Ticket Unique System) and it can be found in every subway station and other authorized points. Its implementation will be progressive until august 2010, when it should be completed and fully functional in every transport of this city and surroundings.

This kind of system (that already works in cities like Hong Kong, London, Madrid, New York, Paris and Sao Paulo, among others) reduces travel times, as well as contamination and traffic jams, relieves passengers from the need for coins, increases security as they won’t be carrying cash, it has no additional cost and coexist with other payment options.

Nowadays, it’s working in the whole subway system (where you can buy and recharge your S.U.B.E. Card), in the Urquiza and Belgrano Norte railroads (to get to the north zone of Buenos Aires) and the buses number 5, 6, 8, 12, 20, 23, 39, 50, 57, 61, 62, 86, 88, 101, 102, 129, 150, 151, 168, 194 and 195. In subways and railroads, the card must check in the entrance to the platforms. In buses, there are special checking machines located near the driver’s cabin.

The minimum charge amount is 2 argentine pesos (50 dollar cents) and the maximum is 100 pesos (25 dollars, approximately). It has “emergency trips”, up to 2 free tickets if you run out of credit unexpectedly. The card is personalized by a special number that allows to block it in case of loss.

More information: www.sube.gov.ar (only in Spanish)

Versión en español: http://hostelblog.com.ar/

For a country whose development and expansion deep into the south was in part propelled by the railway, Argentina’s rail system is in a sorry state today.
Nationalized under goverment of Juan D.Perón in 1948 following decades of mainly British ownership, Argentina’s tracks slipped into disuse after the systems privatization in the 1990s, with many services reduced and the cut off altogether , leaving the door open for bus companies to flourish.
Today, long -distance travel by micro (coach) is the norm. but despite the limited functioning rail network, this underrated mode of transport remains relatively inexpensive in Argentina, depending on your preferences and budget. most companies offer seats in variations on the following classes:“turista, primera, pullman and camarote”, being the cheap seats for long-distance travel (and arguably for short-distances as well ), pullman or camarote are the way to go, still cheaper than bus or planes fare, the offer intimate travel in private sleeper compartments (camarotes); and the reclining seats in pullman are more spacious than those in turista and primera.

But where to go? A-24 hour long train ride to Tucumán, in northwest Argentina is one option, on a train that occasionally, unpredictably, takes even longer, and is thus strictly for those in no hurry.
For a short, more accessible hop to the seaside, to catch a breeze, for a dirty weekend or for the International Film Festival in November, Mar del Plata is the very place. A pullman ticket to the coastal town is a more than ideal option, whit a dining car and, lest the flat scenery should dissapoint , tv showing films throughout the trip.
Mardel’s population swells past the million mark in the summer, when half of Buenos Aires descends on the coastal resort. Out of season , there’s a chance to experience the life rhythm and attractions of this peaceful seaside city ,away from the midsummer madness trains leave from Constitución Station daily with Ferrobaires, and take approximately six hours. Prices range from AR $52 to AR $ 90 one way.
A bit further away and in the opposite direction, the up river city of Rosario is ideal for a three – to four day getaway by rail.
Waterfront strolls and shady parks and plazas, not to mention the famed beauty of Rosario women, make this a pleasant, undemanding break from Buenos Aires.
The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario boasts one of the most important collections of Argentinean art in the country, and don’t miss a boat trip around the Delta’s uninhabited islets, or a football match between the tow home team rivals Newell’s Old Boys and Rosario Central.
The journey takes approximately seven hours, and costs between AR $ 20 and AR$ 55 one way. Ferrocentral and Trenes de Buenos Aires, trains both depart from the station in Retiro, TBA once daily and Ferrocentral four times a week the same Ferrocentral service ends in Córdoba, a large, friendly provincial city that’s perfect for a week-long retreat.
Córdoba has some of the best examples of colonial architecture in Argentina, and a slower paced style than Buenos Aires. With an interesting mix of architectural styles set against a backdrop of mountains and lakes, the city will keep you busy for days with its museums, churches and historic buildings.
Don’t miss the elaborated ceiling frescoes in the Cathedral , and consider a trip out to a smaller pueblo for a taste of country life. The 15 hour trip from Buenos Aires costs between AR $ 30 and AR $ 300(one way ) or from AR $ 22 to AR $ 69 for the eight hour trip from Rosario.
The government has announced its intention to re-establish long distance passenger trains between major cities including the continent’s first high velocity bullet train.
Wich would connect Buenos Aires to Rosario in 85 minutes, and Rosario to Córdoba in 90. No one is holding their breath for the arrival of the bullet train, not for the much needed restoration of run down tracks nationally.
But for train enthusiasts, travellers short of cash and those looking for a little adventure, it’s a relief to discover, in the meantime, that news of the death of Argentina’s railways has been, as ever exaggerated.