By Air
Air travel within Argentina is well-developed and efficient. Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR) (website: www.aerolineas.com.ar) serves many domestic destinations from its key hubs in Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Bariloche. Southern Winds (website: www.swvirtual.com.ar) also serves key destinations including Mendoza, Ushuaia, Mar del Plata, Salta and Iguazu. Aerolíneas Argentinas' subsidiary Austral, which shares its parents fleet, and tickets of the two can be booked at the same office.
However, tickets for domestic flights in Argentina are pricey, and most domestic flights pass through Buenos Aires' domestic airport Aeroparque Jorge Newbery. If you fly on your international trip to Argentina with Aerolíneas you always get discounts on domestic flights. Sometimes you even get free flights with your international ticket but keep in mind that you pay it with your international ticket.
Air Passes: The Visit Argentina Pass allows overseas visitors to buy reduced-fare coupons for flights within the country. These must be purchased in the visitor’s country of origin and are not available once in Argentina.
By Rail
After years of neglect, the government has pledged to re-establish some long-distance rail links and is funding a new high-speed line between Buenos Aires and Rosario. But for the time being trains remain infrequent and slow-going. Several rail companies operate in Argentina, including Ferrobaires (tel: (011) 4304 0028; website: www.ferrobaires.gba.gov.ar), serving destinations such as Mar del Plata and Bahia Blanca. Trenes del Litoral (tel: (011) 4554 8018; website: www.trenesdellitoral.com.ar) operates between Buenos Aires and Posadas, linking many little towns in the provinces of Entre Rios and Corrientes.
An amazing train ride is the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) in the northwestern province of Salta, but some people get altitude-sick. At the time of writing, this train is currently not running. It should start running sometime in 2007 after proper repairs.
By Road
Major privatisation programs have resulted in many trunk roads being upgraded, and roads are generally in good condition. Rural roads, composed of packed dirt, can become impassable after rain. Nonetheless, buses are considered to be a more reliable form of long-distance transport than trains. The ‘A’ roads are the autopistas (motorways) and those labelled ‘R’ are rutas (roads) - tolls exist on all main roads.
Bus
Argentina boasts an outstanding short and long-distance bus network. Since regional train service is limited and plane tickets are expensive, bus travel is the most common way to travel from city to city within Argentina. In Buenos Aires, a city bus is called a colectivo while a long distance, city-to-city bus is called a micro; usage varies somewhat in provincial areas. The hub of this network is definitely Buenos Aires' Terminal de Omnibus Retiro; it has 2,000 bus arrivals and departures every day, and multiple companies serve most destinations.
The buses generally offer high-quality service, and for distances longer than 200km, it is common to have food served on board. There is generally a good amount of legroom, and many buses have seats that recline horizontally into beds (camas) making them a lot like traveling business class on a plane. Somewhat cheaper seats only recline partially (semi-camas), or not at all (servicio comun).