Buses in Buenos Aires

Non-step Bus of Line 7@Retiro Enlarge

Line 59@Recoleta Enlarge

Line 106@Avenida 9 de Julio Enlarge

Line 101@Avenida 9 de Julio Enlarge

Line 10@Avenida 9 de Julio Enlarge

My dictionary says that buses are called "colectivo" in Latin America. In Argentina, city buses are called "colectivo" and long-term buses or sightseeing buses are called "omnibus". The travel guidbook "Chikyu-no-arukikata" says there are about 150 lines of colectivos in Buenos Aires and they are numbered. It seems that one company manages one line and every company has its original design so when you are used to this city you'll be able to understand the line number by seeing the car's painting. Because we couldn't understand which line go where at all and the guidbook says that there is a knack in riding colectivos, we didn't use them. The book also says there are guidbooks of colectivos in bookstores but we couldn't find such things. It is very disappointing.

I show some photos but I don't know them well so I can't explain them.

Every car has a fixed display of the line number and both terminals on the top of the front window. Some cars have variable destination displays in the left bottom of the front window. Some cars are painted the line number directly on the body but other numbers (I don't know what they mean) are sometimes also painted and it confuse us. Every car has a common-style sign sticker that shows line number, company, and telephone number.

There are a Benz marks on the front of most old cars and "ED" marks on many new cars. "ED" means El Detalle, the Argentine coach builder. So, old cars make stands the engine maker out and new cars make stands the coach builder out. I take delight in looking for Japanese cars when travelling abroad but I could hardly find them in this nation. Much less buses.

They say the climate is the same between Buenos Aires and Tokyo but there are fer air conditioners in this city. Most of colectivos also don't have it. Because of such few air conditioners, if there is a air conditioner in some place, it surely displays "Aire acondicionado (Air conditioned)". I had found the sign on the colectivo only one time but it also made all the windows opened... On the other hand, there are many non-step buses. I think they accounts about a tenth of whole buses in this city.

It seems to be decided that passengers get on the car by the front door with payment and get off by the rear. There is a machine like a ticket vending machine in a car and when a passenger pays the driver handles the machines and it holds out a ticket. Some cars have arrow signs on every door, up-pointing menans entry and down-pointing means exit. Some cars have a 'rear' door on the centre of the side and some have it behind the rear wheel and some have doors on both location.

Colectivos carry many passengers, in comparison with Tokyo. It is perhaps because there are few railways.

Line 6@San Nicolas Enlarge	Line 50@San Nicolas Enlarge

There are so many long-term buses in this nation. In Buenos Aires, there is a very large bus terminal next to Retiro railway stations and many lines from here are operated by many companies.

Retiro bus terminal Enlarge	Inside of the terminal building Enlarge

The above left is a picture of an airport terminal. No. It is the bus terminal. I think it is about 300m long. It is 3 stories building. Windows for freights on the 1st (ground) floor, platforms on the 2nd floor, the other side of the photo, and ticket windows on the 3rd floor. There are more than 70 tracks and about 150 ticket windows. Some company occupy more than 2 windows.

The ticket windows exist between two passages. windows facing the entrance are numbered odd and facing tracks are even. windows are arranged and coloured based on the destinations. You will see a map at the entrance and find what colour your destination and where the ticket windows. The above right picture is taken at the enctrance-side passage. I was surprised that people carried bicycles in buildings.

There are 'E' sign in the above left picture. 'E' is the capital letter of 'estacionar' or 'estacionamiento', 'park' oe 'parking' in spanish. The word 'estacionamiento' sometimes shorten, 'estacione'.

Bus parking Enlarge

The left is the bus parking located at the back of the tracks. We can see it from the railway stations side entrance. We can see many buses at a time but can't see them closely. I think it is better looking buses at the platform.

The 4 pictures below are taken from the platform. I could see various buses so I had been able to take so many picture but couldn't because of lack of the memory.

Most of buses are double decked. They seem 12m long, the same as Japanese, but different from Japanese, they seem 4.2m height. They have doors for passengers between the wheels. Some bus have it near the front wheel and some have near the rear. There is a boot on the rear wheels. The crew cabin is separated from passenger room and there are doors on the both side of the car. Most of buses have signs that show their servise---restrooms, drinks, etc.

There are so many tracks, so it seems there are not many buses.

I had seen many bumps in this nation, they also exist here so buses run very very slowly.

The below left, Flechabus ('flecha' means 'arrow') is that I have seen most. Colours of buses of this company are different separately.

I'll show bus companies that I could find their websites.
Estrella Condor
QueBus It seems Uruguayan company
Viajenbus
Expreso Ruta 9

Condor Estrella Enlarge	Crucero del Norte Enlarge
FlechaBus Enlarge	Central Argentino Enlarge