Buenos Aires

Under the Mongolia–Argentina agreement, all passport types are visa-free for up to 90 days (since 19 Feb 2018). No AVE electronic authorisation is needed — that is for nationals of visa-requiring countries who hold a US visa. Border officers may ask for a return ticket and hotel booking; your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.

Connecting through the USA (Miami, Atlanta, Houston) requires a US visa even in transit. Transiting Frankfurt or Madrid without leaving the international area needs no transit visa for Mongolians — but book one ticket with bags checked through. Istanbul (Türkiye), São Paulo and Rio (Brazil) are visa-free for Mongolians.

Tip: Check the rules at every connecting airport before buying — problems usually happen in transit.

Private hospitals are expensive, so travel insurance is a must. Seasons are reversed: Mongolia's autumn is spring there. The most pleasant months are March–May and September–November; December–February is hot and humid.

From arrivals, the Tienda León shuttle runs to its Puerto Madero terminal (Madero 1299) for ~ARS 12,000–15,000; take a taxi from there to your hotel. Cheap and reliable with luggage.

Prepaid 'Taxi Ezeiza' from the counter inside arrivals costs ~ARS 45,000–65,000 to the city, 45–90 minutes. Uber and Cabify also work. Don't go with people calling 'taxi?' outside.

If your phone supports eSIM, install an Argentina eSIM before flying: 1 GB/7 days from ~$4, 5–10 GB/15 days ~$4–16. It works the moment you land after a 30-plus-hour journey.

Buy a prepaid SIM with your passport from a Personal, Claro or Movistar store: Movistar's tourist SIM ~$5 (30 days), Claro's 25 GB bundle ~$15. Airport SIMs cost more.

Buy a rechargeable SUBE card at kiosks or metro stations with your passport for ~ARS 1,500–2,000. A Subte ride costs ~ARS 1,559 with a registered SUBE; contactless Visa/Mastercard works at the same fare on the Subte and city buses. Provincial buses and the Tigre train need SUBE.

Buses take no cash — SUBE or card only. Fares depend on distance: up to 3 km ~ARS 853. The BA Cómo Llego app tells you where to get on and off.

Call a black-and-yellow radio taxi or use Uber or Cabify — the price is shown upfront. When hailing on the street, don't pay with large notes (there is a fake-note swap scam).

Since currency controls (the cepo) were lifted in April 2025, the official, MEP and 'blue' dollar rates are within a few percent of each other. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards convert near the MEP rate, so paying by card is easiest; in October 2026 $1 ≈ ARS 1,523.

Bring clean, untorn, new-design (big-head) $100 notes — old or marked notes are refused or get a worse rate. Exchange at banks or official casas de cambio; street changers calling 'cambio, cambio' may hand you fake pesos. ATM fees are high, so compare card payments or Western Union.

Inflation has slowed, but peso prices still rise every month. Leaving a cash tip ('propina') is customary in restaurants; a 'cubierto' bread-and-table charge is added to the bill.

Bife de chorizo (sirloin), vacío, morcilla and chorizo grilled asado-style. Mendoza Malbec is cheap and good. Try the parrillas of Palermo and San Telmo or the Puerto Madero waterfront; the famous ones need booking.

Tip: Restaurants are nearly empty before 8 pm; locals eat at 9–10 pm.

Empanadas (pastry turnovers), choripán (sausage sandwich), pizza, milanesa (breaded cutlet). Medialunas and coffee for breakfast. Dulce de leche, alfajores and helado (ice cream) — Italian tradition, excellent.

Mate is a herbal tea shared from one gourd; if offered, accepting is polite. The city's historic 'bares notables' cafés (Tortoni, Las Violetas) are sights in themselves.

General emergencies 911, ambulance (SAME) 107, fire 100, police 101 — free, 24 hours. The Tourist Police at Av. Corrientes 436 has English interpreters: +54 9 11 5050 3293. Report thefts there and get a report for your insurer.

Phone snatching from motorbikes ('motochorros') is the most common crime: don't hold your phone at the kerb or leave it on café tables. Pickpockets work the Subte, Florida street and the San Telmo fair. Steer clear of 'you've got a stain' helpers. In La Boca, stay in Caminito by day.

Demonstrations and 'piquetes' (road blockades) are frequent around Plaza de Mayo and Congress — usually peaceful, but keep away. Private hospitals Hospital Alemán and Hospital Británico treat patients in English; public hospitals give free emergency care.

Acquaintances, men and women alike, greet with a single kiss on the right cheek; a handshake is fine on first meeting. People say 'che' and 'vos' — a friendly, direct culture.

Dinner is late and parties start at midnight; arriving a little late to a private meeting is normal, but be on time for tours and shows. Call the waiter with a raised hand and ask for the bill with 'la cuenta, por favor'.

The Falklands (Malvinas) dispute, politics and the football rivalry (Boca vs River) — be respectful and don't joke. At a milonga, dances are invited with a glance (the 'cabeceo').

BA Cómo Llego is the city's official route app; Google Maps works well too. For taxis use Uber or Cabify — clear upfront prices and no cash needed.

Download Spanish in Google Translate for offline use. The city's official tourism site lists free guided walks, festivals, events and visitor centre addresses.

The city to Ezeiza takes 45–90 minutes depending on traffic; be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight. Turkish's return flight stops in São Paulo — check whether you need to leave the plane.

Iguazú is ~1 h 50 min by air from Aeroparque (AEP); the Argentine national park's foreign-visitor ticket is ARS 60,000 from June 2026. Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay is ~1 h 15 min by Buquebus ferry — Uruguay is visa-free for Mongolians up to 30 days; bring your passport.