Getting around South America by air can be expensive, prohibitively expensive really. A quick search on the internet turns up fares typically between $250-$500 for a one hour flight, one-way. With prices this steep it can dissuade a lot of budget-bound people from moving between countries and even within certain large countries. However, if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of time it is possible to travel great distances for low prices with another method of transportation, bus transportation.
The old saying, ‘When in Rome…’ is generally a good rule of thumb to stick to when traveling, especially when you haven’t got a whole lot of money to throw around. The most common method of traveling large and small distances in Southern South America is by bus, and it’s become a major business down here. Throw out what stereotypes you may have, these buses aren’t old, re-comissioned school buses bumping along dusty roads; in most cases these buses top of the line double deckers and are more lux than first class on your favorite air carrier.
There are three levels of comfort that are available to the plane weary traveler. ‘Semi-Cama’, ‘Cama’, and ‘Cama Ejecutivo/Deluxe/Suite’ or some other variation that denotes superiority. The different names denote the different degrees to which the chairs recline. ‘Semi-Cama’ buses are equipped with chairs that recline 45 degrees back. ‘Cama’ buses have chairs that recline 45-90 degrees (depending on the company) and the ‘Cama Ejecutivo’ line typically comes with free booze and a better meal to put you to sleep faster. If you find it difficult to fall asleep in chairs then you’ll be glad you paid for an Ejecutivo ticket because bus trips can run up to 30 hours long depending on how far you’re going.
For a trip from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Bariloche, Argentina, which is a distance of 1,571 km (976 miles) the trip takes 20 hours. For this reason most long distance bus trips are done overnight, which is why it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable enough to pass out. Here’s a general outline of what you get for each class of bus.
Semi-Cama:
· 140 degree reclining seats
· Footrests
· Heating and A/C
· Music and video
Cama:
· 140 degree reclining seats
· Footrests
· Heating and A/C
· Hot meal service
· Breakfast the next morning
· Pillow and blanket
· MP3 and DVD system
· Wide seats
Cama-Superior:
· Leather seats
· 180 degree reclining seats
· Footrests
· Privacy curtains between seats
· Heating and A/C
· Drinks service
· Hot meal service
· Breakfast the next morning
· Pillow and blanket
· MP3 and DVD system
There are literally hundreds of bus companies to choose from and your first trip to the bus terminal can be a dizzying experience if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Sites like www.omnilineas.com run bus schedules and ticket prices for all the buses that run through Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, even if you’re not in the city it’s a great source for cultivating a sense of what’s out there in terms of companies, prices and options. If you’re looking for a starting point the biggest names in bus travel in Argentina seem to be Nueva Chevallier, AndesMar, Cata Internacional and Rutamar but don’t stop there because there are dozens of fleets that are site specific and offer lower prices than the more recognizable names.
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