Buenos Aires Travel Guide: Taxis

With almost 13 million inhabitants, greater Buenos Aires is a huge city and though there is quite an efficient bus and subway system, it can be overwhelming for newcomers, making a taxi the preferred option for most tourists during the best vacations in Buenos Aires.

Within the Buenos Aires city limits a regular taxi is the easiest way to get around. Always painted in black with yellow roof and door pillars, they are impossible to miss and there are literally tens of thousands roaming the streets 24 hours a day. Though most are very friendly and reliable towards tourists, many locals like to choose one from one of the bigger firms that have radio links to their base as these are seen as more reliable. Though painted in the same black and yellow, they are easily identified by a big circle on the front doors with the term “Radio Taxi” and an identifying number below.

All taxis are obliged to have a sign with a photo identifying the driver as well as the owner and brand and model of the taxi hanging from the front seat with its identifying number which you can always write down if you think you were treated unfairly and want to register a complaint with the city government. A sign hanging from the other chair has the latest prices, whereby you pay a combined fee per mile as well for time spent waiting in traffic along the way. Remember that with inflation, prices go up around 10-15% every 6 months, so check the latest tariffs online just before leaving your home country for one of the best vacations in Buenos Aires.

A Remis delivers the same service as taxis but they are private cars, mostly without specific identifying marks and you can not catch them directly on the streets. Almost every street has one or more local “remiserias” where you can order one in person or by telephone. They have no meter, so you agree upon a fixed price beforehand and they will also take you outside of city limits. They calculate their prices from their starting location, so try always to select a remiseria that is close to either your location of departure or your final destination. It is normally a bit cheaper than taxis and very safe and preferred by many locals over a “real” taxi, especially for longer distances.