DIRECCION NACIONAL DEL ANTARTICO INSTITUTO ANTARTICO ARGENTINO

Getting to Argentina

All airlines flying to Argentina arrive at Ministro Pistarini (Ezeiza) International Airport, which is 35 Km away from the City of Buenos Aires. You can reach the city by Teniente General Ricchieri freeway (Information: Tel. 4480-9538). Please note that when leaving the country, a US$ 30.50 tax must be paid. Company Manuel Tienda León (Av. Santa Fe 790, Tel. 4314-3636) and Transfer Express (Florida 1045, Tel. 4312-8883) offer a bus service from their offices in Buenos Aires to Ezeiza airport from 5.00 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. These services cost $14 and $11 (Argentine Pesos) respectively, and the trip takes approximately 40 minutes. There are also taxis and chauffeur-driven rented cars at a price between $35 and $38.

Documents and formalities

Valid passport with or without visa depending on your nationality. Inquire at the closest Embassy or Consulate. Visitors coming from countries not bordering Argentina are exempt from all taxes on travelling articles and new articles up to US$ 300 and an additional US$ 300, if purchased at duty free shops within the national territory. No vaccination certificate is required to enter the country.

Telephone

Pay phones work with cards that may be purchased in kiosks and telephone companies’ offices, or with legal tender coins. There are also stores with pay phones (open 24 hours a day) where you can pay in cash. Calling to Argentina from abroad, dial the country code (54) and then the area code of the place you want to call. For domestic calls, dial 0 before the area code. For international calls, dial 00, the country code and city code. Note that tariffs are reduced from 10.00 p.m. to 8.00 a.m.

Tourist information

Secretariat of Tourism, Tourist Information Centers: Av. Santa Fe 883, (C1059ABC) Buenos Aires, Tel. 4312-2232 or 0800-555-0016; Ezeiza International Airport and Jorge Newbery Airport. Buenos Aires Information Centers in Pte. Quintana Avenue and J.M. Ortiz Street, Florida Street and Diagonal Norte, Carlos Pellegrini 217, Dock 4 in Puerto Madero, De la Rivera Theatre (La Boca), Retiro Bus Station, and Abasto Shopping.

The country’s territory offers a wide variety of climates: subtropical in the North, sub-Antarctic in the southern Patagonia, and mild and humid in the Pampas plains. Media temperature from November to March is 23° C, and 12° C from June to September.

Population.Argentina’s current population is more than 36 million inhabitants, almost half of which live in the city and the province of Buenos Aires. Population density calculated on a national basis is 13 inhabitants per square kilometer. 95% of the population is white and most are descendants of Italians and Spaniards. As a result of the massive European immigration, the white and Indian half-castes were slowly reduced and at the present they amount only to 4.5% of the population. The pure indigenous population - Mapuches, Collas, Tobas, Matacos and Chiriguanos - amount to 0.5% of the population.

Language

Spanish is the official language of the Argentine Republic. In Buenos Aires, some "lunfardo" expressions -city slang - are used.

Currency

The official Argentine currency is the Peso. There are bills of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 pesos, and coins of 1 peso and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents.

Constitution and Government

Argentina consists of 23 provinces plus a federal district, the City Buenos Aires. The Argentine Constitution establishes a Republic under a representative and federal system, and three separate branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is exercised by the President and Vice-president of the Nation, elected for a 4-year term, and who may be reelected for a single additional term. The legislative branch is bicameral: the Senate (composed of three senators from each province and from the City of Buenos Aires) and the House of Representatives (composed of representatives elected directly and in proportion to each district’s population). The judicial branch “is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts of justice”. Each province has adopted its own Constitution in accordance with the National Constitution, to rule its administration. The current National Constitution dates from 1853. Nevertheless, it was amended in 1860, 1898, 1957 and 1994. The last amendment made in August 1994, allows the President’s reelection for an additional term.

VAT return

At the airport you may obtain a VAT reimbursement corresponding to any purchases made within the country for an amount over $70 (per invoice) and in shops operating with the "Global Refund" system.

Payment methods

Although US Dollars are generally taken everywhere, foreign currencies can be exchanged in banks and authorized bureaus. American Express, VISA, Diners and Master Card are widely accepted. There may be difficulties in changing traveler's check outside Buenos Aires.

Opening hours

Banks and Exchange Bureaus: Mondays to Fridays from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Business Offices: generally from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Stores: in the big cities from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., although in the outskirts and the provinces they generally close at midday. Saturdays, from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Cafés, cake shops and pizzerias: open most of the time except between 2.00 and 6.00 a.m. Restaurants: lunch is served as from 12.30 p.m. and dinner as from 8.30 hours. Fast-food menus are served in many restaurants at all times.

Tips

10% of the amount of the check is usually left in cafeterias and restaurants. Doormen, porters, and ushers in cinemas and theatres are also generally tipped.