When visiting any foreign country, there are several things that you’ll want to plan for in advance. From ensuring that you can get into the country, power your things (don’t want your cell phone or camera going dead on ya), and buy something, to get some of the basics you’ll need to be comfortable. We’ll cover all of the common questions about traveling to Argentina here.
How do you report an Emergency while traveling in Argentina?
| General emergencies Buenos Aires City and Province | Tel: 911 |
| Police | Tel: 101 |
| Fire | Tel: 100 |
| Medical Emergencies | Tel: 107 |
| Tourist Police (English Spoken) | Tel: 0800-999-5000 or 0800-999-2838 |
| Civil Defense | Tel: 103 |
| Environmental Emergency | Tel: 105 |
| Emergency at Sea | Tel: 106 |
Is Argentina safe?
The US State Department ranks the safety of visiting countries on a 4-point scale, with Argentina being the lowest risk 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions. You can learn more about why they rank it and the security risks on the US State Department website.
Although there is a reasonable risk of petty crime such as theft or pick-pocketing, most commonly at places such as bus or train stations or other crowded areas. Demonstrations, usually non-violent, occur in some of the bigger cities and should be avoided whenever possible. There are also numerous scams involving taxi drivers trying to demand additional payment.
We traveled throughout Buenos Aires both during the daytime and nighttime. I never felt like we were in any real danger and had no attempted thefts or scams during our two weeks in the country. We were more aware of our surroundings and belongings than we might be at home. Remember to always exercise caution when traveling.
Looking for activities to do while in Argentina? Here’s our list of the 12 Best Day Trips from Buenos Aires.
Where is Argentina located?
Another common question about traveling to Argentina is where is it located. Argentina is located in South America, on the most southern tip of the continent. It includes the most southern city in the world, with the most southern post office in the world, known as the “Post Office at the End of the World.”
Argentina is located just south of Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, and between Chile and Uruguay. Buenos Aires, Rosario, and Bariloche are among the cities in Argentina. The two largest airports in Argentina are Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini Airport– AKA Ezeiza (international flights) and Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport (domestic flights.) About 45% of all air passengers in Argentina travel through one of these two airports.
What type of plug do you need while visiting Argentina?
Argentina uses 220 Volts across the entire country. US Products are designed for 110 – 120 Volts, but some are dual voltage and will work for up to 220 – 240 Volts. You’ll want to confirm that before you plug anything into an outlet in Argentina or it could overheat and fail or catch fire. NOTE: USB Outlets follow a universal standard, so if your item has a USB Charging Cord, any plug adapters with a USB outlet will work.
Argentina generally uses a Type I plug across the country. US outlets are either Type A or B and will not work in Argentina. You’ll need either a country-specific converter or an international converter.
What Language Do They Speak In Argentina?
The official language of Argentina is Spanish, you’ll hear it as the primary language spoken. In the larger cities that have a lot of tourists, it’s common that hotel staff, restaurant staff, and especially tourist locations will have some English-speaking staff. The Spanish in Argentina is a little bit different than in many other Spanish-speaking countries, but they could still generally understand my Spanish.
Where you’ll struggle is that many signs or restaurant menus are exclusively in Spanish, so using the Google Translate app may be necessary if you can’t read Spanish. Small local shops or ride-share-type drivers may not speak English but generally were patient and friendly with tourists to help them despite the language difference.
Do I Need A Passport To Visit Argentina?
One of the most common questions we get about traveling to Argentina is about visa requirements. You must have a valid passport that is valid for the entirety of your expected stay in Argentina. You must have at least one blank column for passport stamps. Although they didn’t stamp our passport at the airport upon arrival or departure, they did stamp it when coming in via ferry after a day trip to Uruguay.
For US citizens to visit for tourism or business, no visa is required for stays of less than 90 days. Expect to have your photo and fingerprints taken at immigration both upon arrival and departure at airports or ferry terminals.
For more information on passport/visa requirements, see the US State Department Website.
What Kind Of Money Does Argentina Use?
Argentina uses the Argentine Peso as the primary currency. Currently, the value fluctuates daily, but primarily in favor of the US Dollar. Some businesses also accept the US Dollar, and there are generally lots of places to convert your money, potentially at a better rate than the official rate. For more information on the “unofficial rate” (known as the Blue Dollar), and for the official bank rate, head to this website (https://bluedollar.net/). To convert any other currency into Argentine Pesos, head to this site (https://themoneyconverter.com).
TIP: There are many ways to convert your USD to Blue Dollars in Argentina. If you head to Calle Florida you’ll hear people openly offering to convert your cash. You can also head to the lobby of your hotel and convert cash with staff at the hotel. If you have an international transaction fee-free credit card, they will convert it using the official conversion rate. Many places will prefer pesos in cash over cards, taxis will not take cards at all.
What Important Stores Should I Know About While Visiting Argentina?
Pharmacy (OTC Medications & Basic Medical/First Aid Supplies):
- Farmacity – Although expect that you’ll need to talk to a pharmacist (or other staff) to get over-the-counter medications, including those you might normally find on the shelf in US pharmacies.
Grocery (Food, Beverages & Groceries):
Is Argentina Worth Visiting?
Argentina is absolutely worth visiting. So much so, that we wrote an entire article about why we recommend visiting here; Is Buenos Aires Worth Visiting? Now that we’ve answered some of the common questions about traveling to Argentina, we hope you’ll book a flight as well. Although the flight is long, it’s generally overnight, so don’t let that deter you. A safe country with lots of amazing culture and history, friendly locals, and great food, it’s absolutely worth the visit.
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