Buenos Aires: practical answers

Question 1

How do I get a mobile SIM or eSIM in Buenos Aires?

Accepted Answer

Argentina has three main mobile operators: Claro, Movistar and Personal. Visitors usually take a prepaid tourist SIM or an eSIM. A physical SIM normally needs your passport, and guides advise buying it in the city, in a carrier store, rather than at the airport (to confirm). Personal sells eSIMs through its website or app and sends a QR code to install it; Claro is described as the easiest to set up and Movistar as weaker outside the cities (single-source blog reports, to confirm). Plans, data amounts and prices change often, so check the carrier site for the current offer before you buy.

Question 2

How do I pay for the subte and buses in Buenos Aires? Do I need a SUBE card?

Accepted Answer

Buses, the subte and suburban trains work with the SUBE card, a rechargeable transport card. It is sold at most subte and train stations, lottery kiosks and post offices, and the official site argentina.gob.ar/sube sells it online. Topping up is the awkward part: many street kiosks no longer do it, so look for official SUBE points, or use the Bento app or the on-bus "carga a bordo" option (reports differ, to confirm). Since December 2024 the subte has also accepted contactless debit and credit cards and phone wallets, and some city bus lines opened to contactless in 2025, so a visitor may be able to skip the card inside the city (check the official site for what applies now; suburban lines outside the city still use SUBE, to confirm). Fares go up often, so look up the current fare.

Question 3

What is the best way to get money in Argentina: cash, ATM, card or exchange houses?

Accepted Answer

For years the informal "blue" dollar rate paid visitors far more pesos for cash than banks did. Reports from 2026 say that gap has almost closed (roughly 1-4 percent), so cash dollars no longer give the big advantage they once did, and the choice between a card, an ATM and an exchange house matters much less (to confirm, sources differ on the exact numbers). Rules for foreign cards and the rate they use have changed several times, so check the current rate on a rates site and the fees your own bank charges before you rely on one method. Carry some pesos in small notes for kiosks, taxis and small shops, and use licensed exchange houses or banks rather than street offers.

Question 4

Is Buenos Aires safe, and which areas and habits need care?

Accepted Answer

Most visitors have no trouble, and the usual advice is the same as in any big city. The central tourist barrios such as Palermo and Recoleta are described as the calmer end of the city, though phone theft from outdoor cafe tables is reported there too. The most common street risk is phone or bag snatching by someone passing on a motorbike or on foot, mostly on quiet streets or when you are looking at your phone: keep the phone away from the curb side and do not leave it on a table. Crowded places such as the Sunday San Telmo market and busy subte lines at rush hour are pickpocket spots. Guides advise extra care, and not going without a clear plan after dark, in La Boca outside the tourist streets, Retiro, Once and the informal settlements. At night, a ride-hailing app such as Uber or Cabify is the usual advice over a street taxi (single-source reports, to confirm). Emergency number: 911.

בואנוס איירס: תשובות מעשיות

How do I get a mobile SIM or eSIM in Buenos Aires?

How do I pay for the subte and buses in Buenos Aires? Do I need a SUBE card?

What is the best way to get money in Argentina: cash, ATM, card or exchange houses?

Is Buenos Aires safe, and which areas and habits need care?