Transportation in Argentina
Encyclopedia
Transport
in Argentina
is mainly based on a complex network of routes, crossed by relatively inexpensive long-distance bus
es and by cargo
trucks. The country also has a number of national and international airport
s. The importance of the long-distance train
is minor today, though in the past it was widely used. Fluvial
transport is mostly used for cargo.
Within the urban areas, the main transportation system is uy the bus or colectivo
; bus lines transport millions of people every day in the larger cities and their metropolitan area
s. Buenos Aires
additionally has an underground
, the only one in the country, and Greater Buenos Aires
is serviced by a system of suburban trains.
A majority of people employ public transport
rather than personal cars to move around in the cities, especially in common business hours, since parking can be both difficult and expensive.
Cycling is not very common in big cities, as there are few bicycle-paths, making it difficult to move with them other than in recreational areas.
(urban bus) cover the cities with numerous lines. Fares might be fixed for the whole city, or they might depend on the destination. Colectivos often cross municipal borders into the corresponding metropolitan areas. In some cases there are diferenciales (special services) which are faster, air-conditioned versions, and notably more expensive. Bus lines in a given city might be run by different private companies and/or by the municipal state, and they might be painted in different colours for easier identification. The quality of the service varies widely according to the city, line, and time of the day.
connect Buenos Aires
city with the Greater Buenos Aires
area, (see: Buenos Aires commuter rail network). Every weekday, more than 1.3 million people commute
to the Argentine capital for work and other business. These suburban trains work between 4 AM and 1 AM. Many of the lines are electric, several are diesel powered, while some of these are currently being converted to electric. Trenes de Buenos Aires
, UGOFE
, Ferrovías
and Metrovías
are some of the private companies which provide suburban passenger services in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.
The only other city in Argentina with a system of suburban trains is Resistencia
, the capital of Chaco Province
. In Mendoza
, there is a tram-train system being planned.
As of 2008, Buenos Aires is the only Argentine city with an underground metro system
, nonetheless there is a project to build a system in the city of Córdoba
(Córdoba Metro
) making it the second metro system in Argentina. The Buenos Aires Metro
(Subterráneo de Buenos Aires) has currently six lines, each labelled with a letter from A to H. A modern tram line (PreMetro
) line E2 works as a fedeer of metro line E at their outer terminus as well as the Urquiza line U for metro line B in Chacarita. Daily ridership is 1.3 million and on the increase. Most of the lines of the Buenos Aires Metro connect the city centre (Micro-centro) with areas in the outskirts.
As of 2008, extension of lines A, B, E and H are under construction, and three additional lines (F, G, I) are planned.
XD
s (streetcars), once common, were retired as public transportation in the 1960s but are now in the stages of a slow comeback.
In 1987 a modern tram line
was opened as a feeder for the subway system. A modern light rail
line between the Bartolomé Mitre suburban railway station and Tigre (Tren de la Costa
) inaugurated in 1996 operates in the northern suburbs. A 2 kilometre tram known as the Tranvía del Este
(Eastern Tram) was inaugurated 2007 in the Puerto Madero district in Buenos Aires using French Citadis
trams.
Trolleybus
es (buses powered by overhead electric wires) are operated in Córdoba
, Mendoza
and Rosario.
Since Argentina is almost 4,000 kilometres long and more than 1,000 km wide, long distance transportation is of great importance. Several toll expressways spread out from Buenos Aires
, serving nearly half the nation's population. The majority of Argentine roads, however, are two-lane national and provincial routes and, though they are spread throughout the country, less than a third of Argentina's 230,000 km (145,000 mi) of roads are currently paved.
Though, by 1929, Argentina was already home to over 400,000 vehicles (more than half the total in Latin America, at the time), virtually all long-distance travel was done on the nation's vast railways. Argentina, then, lacked a road-building program until 1932, when the National Highway Directorate was established. Paid for at first with an excise tax on gasoline, the bureau could claim some important accomplishments, like the 1951 opening of the 200 km Santa Fe
-Rosario
expressway, Latin America's first.
Argentina is home to around 9.2 million registered cars, trucks and buses; on a per capita basis, it has long had Latin America's widest accessibility to motor vehicles. Left-lane drivers until 1945, Argentine motorists have since been driving on the right-hand side. The Vehicle registration plates of Argentina are based on a three letters-three numbers per car (with the exception of some trucks) system.
Expressways have been recently doubled in length (to nearly) and now link most (though not all) important cities. The most important of these is probably the Panamerican National Route 9
Buenos Aires–Rosario–Córdoba
freeway. The longest continuous highways are National Route 40
, a 5000-km stretch along the Andes
range and the 3000-km sea-side trunk road National Route 3
, running from Buenos Aires
to Ushuaia
.
. Some services have also on-board dining, while others stop at restaurants by the road. Long and middle-distance buses cover almost all paved-accessible cities, towns and villages.
(FA), the now-defunct state railroad corporation.
Since that date, however, several private and provincial railway companies
have been created and have resurrected some of the major passenger trains that FA once operated. The railway network is, however, far smaller than it once was.
Trenes de Buenos Aires
, Ferrocentral
, Ferrobaires
, and Tren Patagónico
are some of the private companies that now manage Argentina's long distance passenger rail network. But it is advisable the web site "Satélite Ferroviario" ( www.sateliteferroviario.com.ar/horarios ) because contains the tables of schedules of all long-distance trains in Argentina (in Spanish only).
between Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba with speeds up to 320 km/h is in the design stages, construction will begin by early-2009 until the end of 2012 for the first segment to Rosario.
In 2007 bids were called for a turnkey contract for a second high speed line, linking Buenos Aires
and Mendoza
.
In February 2008 national government announced another call for bid, this time for construction of a high speed train linking Buenos Aires
and Mar del Plata
; The Mar del Plata TAVe.
heritage railway
s (tourist trains) are in operation; the Old Patagonian Express
(locally known as “La Trochita”) in Patagonia
, the Train of the End of the World (Southern Fuegian Railway) in Ushuaia
, Tierra del Fuego and a short run Tren Histórico de Bariloche
.
A diesel-electric Tren a las Nubes in the province of Salta
runs from the city of Salta
to San Antonio de los Cobres, (at present this service is being restored).
, a deal was signed between Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela to develop an electified railway link between these countries. A minor hurdle is the use of both 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
(see list of airports in Argentina). Most companies have several daily flights to the most popular destinations, and daily or less frequent flights to other destinations. Even though Buenos Aires is the most important flight hub, for both economical and geographical reasons, there are flights between important cities, such as Córdoba
, Rosario and Mendoza
. The national airline is Aerolíneas Argentinas
.
transport is not often used for people, with the exception of those who cross the Río de la Plata
from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento
and Montevideo
, both in Uruguay
. Other services are exclusively used as river crossing, such as those in Tigre
.
River traffic is mostly made up of cargo, especially on the Paraná River
, which is navigable by very large ships (Panamax
kind) downstream from the Greater Rosario
area. This area produces and/or ships most of the agricultural export
s of Argentina.
Railways
Waterway
s
10,950 km navigable (2008)
Merchant Marine
Pipelines
Port
s and harbor
s
Airport
s
Total (including airstrips): 1,272 (2007)
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
is mainly based on a complex network of routes, crossed by relatively inexpensive long-distance bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es and by cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
trucks. The country also has a number of national and international airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s. The importance of the long-distance train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
is minor today, though in the past it was widely used. Fluvial
Fluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
transport is mostly used for cargo.
Within the urban areas, the main transportation system is uy the bus or colectivo
Colectivo
Colectivo is the name given in Argentina and Paraguay to a type of public transportation vehicles, especially those of Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires...
; bus lines transport millions of people every day in the larger cities and their metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
s. Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
additionally has an underground
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
, the only one in the country, and Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination to refer to the megalopolis comprising the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the conurbation around it, over the province of Buenos Aires—namely the adjacent 24 partidos or municipalities—which nonetheless do not constitute a single administrative...
is serviced by a system of suburban trains.
Public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
rather than personal cars to move around in the cities, especially in common business hours, since parking can be both difficult and expensive.
Cycling is not very common in big cities, as there are few bicycle-paths, making it difficult to move with them other than in recreational areas.
Bus
The ColectivoColectivo
Colectivo is the name given in Argentina and Paraguay to a type of public transportation vehicles, especially those of Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires...
(urban bus) cover the cities with numerous lines. Fares might be fixed for the whole city, or they might depend on the destination. Colectivos often cross municipal borders into the corresponding metropolitan areas. In some cases there are diferenciales (special services) which are faster, air-conditioned versions, and notably more expensive. Bus lines in a given city might be run by different private companies and/or by the municipal state, and they might be painted in different colours for easier identification. The quality of the service varies widely according to the city, line, and time of the day.
Taxi
Taxis are very common and relatively accessible price-wise. They have different colours and fares in different cities, though a highly contrasted black-and-yellow design is common to the largest conurbations. Call-taxi companies (radio-taxis) are very common and safe; illegal taxis are common in big cities, and robberies have been reported in those cases. The remisse is another form of hired transport: they are very much like call-taxis, but do not share a common design, and trip fares are agreed beforehand, although there are often fixed prices for common destinations.Commuter rail
Suburban trainsRegional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
connect Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
city with the Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination to refer to the megalopolis comprising the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the conurbation around it, over the province of Buenos Aires—namely the adjacent 24 partidos or municipalities—which nonetheless do not constitute a single administrative...
area, (see: Buenos Aires commuter rail network). Every weekday, more than 1.3 million people commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to the Argentine capital for work and other business. These suburban trains work between 4 AM and 1 AM. Many of the lines are electric, several are diesel powered, while some of these are currently being converted to electric. Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires is a privately-owned company which, on 27 May 1995, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of commuter rail services in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the broad...
, UGOFE
Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia
Unidad de Gestión Operativa Ferroviaria de Emergencia is a temporary consortium of Argentine companies formed on 7 January 2005 by Ferrovías, Metrovías and Trenes de Buenos Aires to take over the running of commuter railway services in Buenos Aires after concessions granted to Metropolitano in...
, Ferrovías
Ferrovías
Ferrovías S.A.C. is a privately owned company which, on 1 April 1994, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of the 1,000 mm metre gauge Belgrano Norte Line commuter rail service in...
and Metrovías
Metrovías
Metrovías S.A. is a privately owned company which, on 1 January 1994, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of the standard gauge Urquiza Line commuter rail service in Buenos Aires,...
are some of the private companies which provide suburban passenger services in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.
The only other city in Argentina with a system of suburban trains is Resistencia
Resistencia, Chaco
Resistencia is the capital and largest city in the province of Chaco, in northeastern Argentina. At the 2001 census, the population of the Resistencia city proper was 274,490 inhabitants. It is the anchor of a slightly larger metropolitan area, Greater Resistencia, which comprises three more...
, the capital of Chaco Province
Chaco Province
Chaco is an Argentine province located in the north of the country, near the border with Paraguay. Its capital is Resistencia on the Paraná River opposite the city of Corrientes...
. In Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
, there is a tram-train system being planned.
Metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
, nonetheless there is a project to build a system in the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
(Córdoba Metro
Córdoba Metro
The Córdoba Metro is a project that will, according to its proponents, serve the Argentine city of Córdoba through a metro network. The metro system would become the second in Argentina along with the Buenos Aires Metro.-Overview of system:...
) making it the second metro system in Argentina. The Buenos Aires Metro
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
(Subterráneo de Buenos Aires) has currently six lines, each labelled with a letter from A to H. A modern tram line (PreMetro
PreMetro E2 (Buenos Aires)
PreMetroThe PreMetro or Line E2 is a tram line that connects with the Buenos Aires Metro line E, at Plaza de los Virreyes station and runs to General Savio and Centro Cívico. It is operated by Metrovías....
) line E2 works as a fedeer of metro line E at their outer terminus as well as the Urquiza line U for metro line B in Chacarita. Daily ridership is 1.3 million and on the increase. Most of the lines of the Buenos Aires Metro connect the city centre (Micro-centro) with areas in the outskirts.
XD
Tram
TramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s (streetcars), once common, were retired as public transportation in the 1960s but are now in the stages of a slow comeback.
In 1987 a modern tram line
PreMetro E2 (Buenos Aires)
PreMetroThe PreMetro or Line E2 is a tram line that connects with the Buenos Aires Metro line E, at Plaza de los Virreyes station and runs to General Savio and Centro Cívico. It is operated by Metrovías....
was opened as a feeder for the subway system. A modern light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line between the Bartolomé Mitre suburban railway station and Tigre (Tren de la Costa
Tren de la Costa
Tren de la Costa is a suburban , 11-station light rail line in Greater Buenos Aires, between Maipú Avenue station in the northern suburb of Olivos and Delta station in Tigre, on the Río de la Plata...
) inaugurated in 1996 operates in the northern suburbs. A 2 kilometre tram known as the Tranvía del Este
Tranvía del Este
Tranvía del Este or “Puerto Madero Tramway ” is a 12-block "demonstration" tramway line in the Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires operated by the rail company Ferrovías....
(Eastern Tram) was inaugurated 2007 in the Puerto Madero district in Buenos Aires using French Citadis
Citadis
The Citadis is a low-floor tram built by Alstom in La Rochelle, France, and Barcelona, Spain. 1,140 Citadis are currently in use in 28 cities, among others: Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Orléans, the Paris area, and Barcelona, Dublin, Gdańsk, Katowice, Adelaide, Melbourne, Jerusalem and...
trams.
Trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es (buses powered by overhead electric wires) are operated in Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
and Rosario.
Road transport
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, serving nearly half the nation's population. The majority of Argentine roads, however, are two-lane national and provincial routes and, though they are spread throughout the country, less than a third of Argentina's 230,000 km (145,000 mi) of roads are currently paved.
Though, by 1929, Argentina was already home to over 400,000 vehicles (more than half the total in Latin America, at the time), virtually all long-distance travel was done on the nation's vast railways. Argentina, then, lacked a road-building program until 1932, when the National Highway Directorate was established. Paid for at first with an excise tax on gasoline, the bureau could claim some important accomplishments, like the 1951 opening of the 200 km Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
-Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
expressway, Latin America's first.
Argentina is home to around 9.2 million registered cars, trucks and buses; on a per capita basis, it has long had Latin America's widest accessibility to motor vehicles. Left-lane drivers until 1945, Argentine motorists have since been driving on the right-hand side. The Vehicle registration plates of Argentina are based on a three letters-three numbers per car (with the exception of some trucks) system.
Expressways have been recently doubled in length (to nearly) and now link most (though not all) important cities. The most important of these is probably the Panamerican National Route 9
National Route 9 (Argentina)
National Route 9 is a major road in Argentina, which runs from the center-east to the northwest of the country, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy...
Buenos Aires–Rosario–Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
freeway. The longest continuous highways are National Route 40
National Route 40 (Argentina)
National Route 40 or RN40, often called Ruta 40 even in English texts, is a route in western Argentina, stretching from Cabo Virgenes in Santa Cruz Province in the south to La Quiaca in Jujuy Province in the north, running parallel to the Andes mountains...
, a 5000-km stretch along the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
range and the 3000-km sea-side trunk road National Route 3
National Route 3 (Argentina)
Ruta Nacional 3 is an Argentine highway, stretching from the eastern side of the country in Buenos Aires, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Chubut Province, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego...
, running from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
.
Long distance buses
Argentine long distance buses are fast, affordable and comfortable; they have become the primary means of long-distance travel since railway privatizations in the early 1990s greatly downsized Argentina's formerly ubiquitous passenger rail service. Competing providers differ little on their time-honoured formula, offering three different services regarding the number of stops and type of seats: the Regular, Semi-cama (semi-bed), and Cama (bed), with Cama being similar to an airline's business classBusiness class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
. Some services have also on-board dining, while others stop at restaurants by the road. Long and middle-distance buses cover almost all paved-accessible cities, towns and villages.
Long-distance passenger services
Services on Argentina's passenger railway system, once extensive and prosperous, were greatly reduced in 1993 following the break-up of Ferrocarriles ArgentinosFerrocarriles Argentinos
Ferrocarriles Argentinos was a public company that managed the entire Argentine railway system for nearly 45 years. It was formed in 1948 when all the private railway companies were nationalised during Perón's first presidential term, and transformed into the Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado...
(FA), the now-defunct state railroad corporation.
Since that date, however, several private and provincial railway companies
Railway Privatisation in Argentina
Following a prolonged period of hyperinflation in the 1980s, accompanied by a steep increase in fiscal deficit and a sharp fall in reserves, the Argentine government, under the presidency of Carlos Menem from 1989, initiated a series of neoliberal reforms which included the privatisation of...
have been created and have resurrected some of the major passenger trains that FA once operated. The railway network is, however, far smaller than it once was.
Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires
Trenes de Buenos Aires is a privately-owned company which, on 27 May 1995, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of commuter rail services in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the broad...
, Ferrocentral
Ferrocentral
Ferrocentral is a private railway company in Argentina, its name being a combination of the Spanish words for "Central Rail." It operates long-distance passenger trains from its base at Retiro Station in Buenos Aires to several locations in northern Argentina...
, Ferrobaires
Ferrobaires
Ferrobaires S.A. is the commercial name of a public railway company which operates extensive long-distance passenger trains throughout Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. Its official corporate name is Unidad Ejecutora del Plan Ferroviario Provincial , or Executing Unit of the Provincial Railway...
, and Tren Patagónico
Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónico
Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónico is a public company owned by the Argentine Province of Rio Negro which operates a 826 km broad gauge railway line between Viedma and San Carlos de Bariloche built by Ferrocarriles Patagónicos, which became the Roca division of Ferrocarriles Argentinos after...
are some of the private companies that now manage Argentina's long distance passenger rail network. But it is advisable the web site "Satélite Ferroviario" ( www.sateliteferroviario.com.ar/horarios ) because contains the tables of schedules of all long-distance trains in Argentina (in Spanish only).
High-speed rail
A high-speed railHigh-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
between Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba with speeds up to 320 km/h is in the design stages, construction will begin by early-2009 until the end of 2012 for the first segment to Rosario.
In 2007 bids were called for a turnkey contract for a second high speed line, linking Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
.
In February 2008 national government announced another call for bid, this time for construction of a high speed train linking Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
; The Mar del Plata TAVe.
Freight service
Over 25 million tons of freight were transported by rail in 2007. Currently, five carriers operate freight rail services in Argentina:- Nuevo Central ArgentinoNuevo Central ArgentinoNuevo Central Argentino S. A. is an Argentine company that exploits the operation and infrastructure of the national railway system of the former Ferrocarril General Bartolomé Mitre division of Ferrocarriles Argentinos, by a concession granted on 23 December 1992 as part of railway privatisation...
- Ferroexpreso PampeanoFerroexpreso PampeanoFerroexpreso Pampeano S.A. is a private company which, in August 1991, was awarded a concession, granted by the Argentine government, for the operation of freight services over a broad gauge rail network comprising sections which, before nationalisation of the railways in 1948, were operated by...
- Ferrosur RocaFerrosur RocaFerrosur Roca S.A. is a private company which, in December1992, was awarded a concession, granted by the Argentine government, for the operation of freight services over part of the broad gauge rail network built by the British-owned company Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway and run by the...
- América Latina Logística
- Belgrano CargasBelgrano CargasBelgrano Cargas S.A. is a company which operates a gauge freight rail network in Argentina, built by the state-owned Ferrocarril Central Norte and the French-owned Ferrocarril Provincial de Santa Fe, which became part of Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano after railway nationisation in 1948...
Tourist railways
A number of steam poweredSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
s (tourist trains) are in operation; the Old Patagonian Express
La Trochita
La Trochita, , in English known as the Old Patagonian Express, is a narrow gauge railway in Patagonia, Argentina using steam locomotives. The nickname La Trochita means literally "The Little Narrow Gauge" in Spanish...
(locally known as “La Trochita”) in Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
, the Train of the End of the World (Southern Fuegian Railway) in Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
, Tierra del Fuego and a short run Tren Histórico de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche, is a city in the , situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake and is located inside Nahuel Huapi National Park...
.
A diesel-electric Tren a las Nubes in the province of Salta
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
runs from the city of Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
to San Antonio de los Cobres, (at present this service is being restored).
International rail links to adjacent countries
- BoliviaTransportation in BoliviaTransport in Bolivia is mostly by road. The railways were historically important in Bolivia, but now play a relatively small part in the country's transport system...
- gauge both countries. - BrazilTransportation in BrazilTransport infrastructure in Brazil is characterized by strong regional differences and lack of development of the national rail network. Brazil's fast growing economy, and especially the growth in exports, will place increasing demands on the transport networks...
- break of gauge, gauge (Argentina)/ gauge (Brazil). - ChileTransportation in Chilethumb|An enlargeable relief map of [[Chile]] with major roads and rail lines depicted.Transport in Chile is mostly by road. The south of the country is not connected to central Chile by road, except through Argentina, and water transport also plays a part there. The railways were historically...
- IRJInternational Railway JournalInternational Railway Journal is a monthly international trade magazine published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation . The magazine was first published in 1961....
of March 2005 reports construction started to build/restore South Trans-Andean Railway link between ZapalaZapalaZapala is a city in the Patagonian province of Neuquén, Argentina with about 32,000 inhabitants according to the .The city is located at the geographic center of the province at the confluence of national and provincial roads, on a route to the Andes and Chile...
, Argentina and LonquimayLonquimayLonquimay is a town and commune in the Malleco Province of southern Chile's Araucanía Region.- Transport :It is the terminus of an abandoned broad gauge railway project which supporters cited as the most practical railway route through the Andes to Argentina, but which lacks a link between...
, Chile. gauge both countries. - ParaguayTransportation in ParaguayParaguay’s transportation system ranges from adequate to poor, largely depending on the region of the country. The country has a network of roads, railroads, rivers, and airports, but significant infrastructure and regulation improvements are needed.-Roads:...
- gauge both countries. - Uruguay - gauge both countries.
- Transandine Railway between MendozaMendoza, ArgentinaMendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
and Los AndesLos Andes, ChileLos Andes, founded in July 31, 1791 as Santa Rosa de Los Andes, is a Chilean city and commune located in the province of the same name, in Valparaíso Region...
, now defunct, pending reconstruction. This mountain railwayMountain railwayA mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
of gauge with rack railway sections had a break of gauge / at either end.
New International link proposed
On August 23, 2008August 2008 in rail transport
- August 1 – August 2 :August 1* – Officials in China hold two opening ceremonies, one in Beijing and another in Tianjin, to officially open the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railwayway line. The opening makes the new line the first in the world to regularly host trains traveling up to...
, a deal was signed between Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela to develop an electified railway link between these countries. A minor hurdle is the use of both 50 Hz and 60 Hz.
Air travel
Though expensive in comparison with the other means of transportation, air travel is becoming increasingly common. Every provincial capital has its own airport, and there are many others, specially in tourist areas such as Bariloche and El CalafateEl Calafate
- Population :In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted . This represents a 20.1% increase compared with the 1991 census. However, due to the expansion of tourism, the population was estimated at 8,000 people in 2005.- Wildlife :...
(see list of airports in Argentina). Most companies have several daily flights to the most popular destinations, and daily or less frequent flights to other destinations. Even though Buenos Aires is the most important flight hub, for both economical and geographical reasons, there are flights between important cities, such as Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, Rosario and Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
. The national airline is Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas , formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and serves as the country's flag carrier. Owned in its majority by the Argentine Government, the airline is headquartered in the Torre Bouchard, located in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires...
.
Fluvial transport
FluvialFluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
transport is not often used for people, with the exception of those who cross the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
and Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, both in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Other services are exclusively used as river crossing, such as those in Tigre
Tigre Partido
Tigre Partido is a partido or municipality of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Greater Buenos Aires. The department covers a large section of the Paraná Delta and its low-lying islands...
.
River traffic is mostly made up of cargo, especially on the Paraná River
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
, which is navigable by very large ships (Panamax
Panamax
Panamax and New Panamax are popular terms for the size limits for ships traveling through the Panama Canal. Formally, the limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority titled "Vessel Requirements"...
kind) downstream from the Greater Rosario
Greater Rosario
Greater Rosario is the metropolitan area of the city of Rosario, in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. This metropolis has a population of about 1.5 million , thus being Argentina's second most populated urban settlement, after Buenos Aires....
area. This area produces and/or ships most of the agricultural export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
s of Argentina.
Statistics
Roadways- Total: 230,137 km (2007)
- country comparison to the world: 23
- Paved: 72,047 km (including 1,575 km of expressways)
- Unpaved: 158,090 km
Railways
Rail transport in Argentina
The Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
- 31,902 km
- country comparison to the world: 9
- Passengers annually: 2 billion
- Freight: 26 million metric tons (2008)
Waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
s
10,950 km navigable (2008)
- country comparison to the world: 12
- Freight: 28 million metric tons
Merchant Marine
- Total: 46
- country comparison to the world: 72
- By type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 9, chemical tanker 2, container 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1
- Foreign-owned: 14 (Brazil 1, Chile 7, Spain 2
- Registered in other countries: 19 (Liberia 3, Panama 8, Paraguay 5, Uruguay 3) (2008)
Pipelines
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
- Crude oil: 5,607 km
- Petroleum products: 3,052 km
- Natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
: 28,138 km (2008)
Port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s and harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
s
|
Necochea Necochea is a port city in the southwest of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, located on the Atlantic coast, on the edge of the Quequén Grande river, from Buenos Aires City and southwest from Mar del Plata... Port of Rosario The Port of Rosario is an inland port and a major goods-shipping center of Argentina, located in the city of Rosario, province of Santa Fe, on the right-hand shore of the Paraná River, about 550 km upstream from the Atlantic Ocean.-Overview:... Santa Fe, Argentina Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the... San Antonio Oeste San Antonio Oeste is a port city in the Argentine province of Río Negro, and head of the department of San Antonio.The town is bordered by its sister communities of San Antonio Este, to the east, and Las Grutas, to the southwest. Discovered by an expedition of the Spanish Empire in 1779, San Matías... Ushuaia Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia.... |
Airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s
Total (including airstrips): 1,272 (2007)
- country comparison to the world: 7
With paved runways:- Total: 154
- Over 3,047 m: 4
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 65
- 914 to 1,524 m: 50
- under 914 m: 9 (2008)
With unpaved runways:- Total: 996
- Over 3,047 m: 1
- 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 45
- 914 to 1,524 m: 526
- under 914 m: 423 (2008)
Heliports- 1 (2007)
See also
- Rail transport in ArgentinaRail transport in ArgentinaThe Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
- www.conectaviajes.com.ar
- South America Life Quality Rankings - Economy and Finance - Economic Rankings - Logistic's Rankings