Bus

Untangle the bus network for cheap travel
Noteworthy for: The bus system is notoriously complex - once you can work it out, you're one step closer to being a true porteño.

Word to the wise: If you don't purchase an electronic card, you will need to keep your coins to pay on board.
There is a huge network of colectivos (buses) that intersect the city, and it is a great way to explore cheaply, avoiding the hot, overcrowded subte and admiring the view. Sadly, to use it, you need to unravel the mystery that is the bus bible Guia T. This indispensable booklet, found in any kiosk, will be your saviour.

Start by locating yourself on the overview map using the street index, and flip to the right map page and grid box. On the opposite side of the map, find the corresponding square, filled with the bus numbers that pass your location - there are hundreds of lines in total. Then look up where you're going, and check which buses pass that square. Alternatively, download app miTinerario, a much easier guide of the city's complex bus route system.

To get out of Buenos Aires, the long-distance bus terminal, Terminal de Ómnibus, (Avenida Antártida Argentina y Calle 10) is adjacent to Retiro train terminal, Estación Retiro.