The Argentinean currency is the peso ($). Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaus of exchange, just by showing your passport.
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 15:00 h, while exchange agencies operate from 10:00 to 16:00 h. When exchanging money, you are advised to use only an authorized exchange bureau, rather than informal traders.

Electric power in Argentina is 220 volts, 50 cycles, alternating current.

The country code for Argentina is 54, and the area code for Buenos Aires is 11. For example, to call to 4555-5555 from outside the country, you should dial: 0054-11-4555-5555. For mobile phone from abroad 54 9 11 + number MOBILE PHONES
The sound and flashlights of mobile phones must be switched off during all sessions.  

Banks open at 10:00 h and close at 15:00 h . Cash extractions and other transactions may be made at ATMs, 24 hours a day.
ATMs are located all around the city. You can withdraw either pesos or US dollars. They can also be used for cash advances on major credit cards such as MasterCard, VISA or Amex.

Puerto Madero
Juana Manuela Gorriti 200
Monday to Monday 09:00 to 20:00 h

Plaza del Correo HUB
Av. Leandro N. Alem y Sarmiento
Monday to Monday 9 a 20 h

Florida
Florida & Marcelo T. de Alvear
Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 h;

Recoleta
Quintana 596
Monday to Monday from 09:00 to 20:00 h

Casco Historico
Florida 50
Monday to Monday 09:00 to 20:00 h

Caminito
Avenida Don Pedro de Mendoza 1900 (Costanera, Plazoleta de los Suspiros)
Monday to Monday 09:00 to 18:00

Buenos Aires is arranged in blocks, so it’s easy to get around if you know the essentials. The city has a large and ever-expanding public transport network, and almost 40,000 licensed taxis (that’s 3 times as many as New York). The hop-on, hop-off tourist bus is a must if you’re short of time and keen to see the highlights. Bicycle lanes and pedestrian streets in the city centre make cycling and walking a nice alternative.

Known locally as ‘colectivos’ or ‘bondis’, buses are a cheap and efficient way to get around the city. Over 180 numbered lines run regularly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and you0ll rarely find yourself more than a couple of blocks from a stop.
Fares within the city range between $13 and $14 pesos and must be paid with a rechargeable SUBE card (details below). Tell the bus driver where you are headed (most passengers give the name of the crossroad nearest to where they wish to get off) and he will let you know the fare.)

The Metrobus is a system of dedicated bus lanes designed to cut journey times on several of the city's main arteries. Several Metrobus stations have free WiFi access. Make sure you stand in line (bus queuing is respected in Buenos Aires), and note that people queue to the right of the bus stop, not the left.

The subte may be the oldest in Latin America (the first line opened in 1913 - click here for a timeline), but it remains the quickest way to get around the city. Four líneas (lines), A, B, D and E, run in parallel from the centre to the western and northern outskirts, while línea C runs north–south, connecting the two major train stations of Retiro and Constitución. Línea H, the newest line, runs from Las Heras Avenue south to Hospitals.

To travel on the Subte, you'll need a rechargeable SUBE card (see below). SUBE cards can be recharged at the windows in subte stations. Each journey costs $13.50 pesos, no matter how many connections you make.

Trains operate every three to ten minutes depending on the line, from 5am to 10.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 10pm on Sundays and public holidays. Unsurprisingly, trains can get very crowded during rush hour (8am-9.30am and 5pm-7pm). Línea A carriages are air-conditioned.

A number of subte stations have free WiFi access.

Buenos Aires has over 130km of bicycle lanes, and public bicycles are available for residents and tourists to hire from over 80 bike stations across the city. This public bike share system, known as Ecobici, allows registered users to borrow bicycles for free, 24/7.

Users can take bikes for up to an hour. If they want to continue to use the system, they must wait 15 minutes before picking up a new bike.

How to register
Register as a user here www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici/registro-sistema-ecobici or by downloading the BA Ecobici app on your cellphone (www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici). You can also scan the QR barcode at the bicycle pick-up station to download the app. Once you validate your details on receipt of a confirmation email from Ecobici, you are fully registered and free to use the scheme. Real-time updates on the availability of bikes at bike stations, together with pick-up station addresses and cycle path maps, can be found here: www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici/sistema-ecobici/mapa-bicis. More information, including discounts and promotions on cycle gear, and even a tool to measure your ecological footprint, can be found on the EcoBici website: www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici.

BA is awash with licensed black and yellow taxis, and in busy areas you are unlikely to wait more than a couple of minutes for one. Taxis can be flagged down off the street (on the right-hand side). You’ll be able to tell if one is available if the ‘libre’ (free) sign is lit up in red or white on the taxi’s windscreen on the passenger side. It is common to give a direction using the cross street, for example instead of saying “Corrientes 585” you would say “Corrientes y Florída”, since Florída is the nearest cross street to that address. Licensed taxis run on meters, and tariffs are exclusively in pesos (ARS $). Fares rise by 20% at night. If you want to order a taxi from a fixed place, there are several radio taxis companies from which taxis can be ordered in advance. A good idea would be to ask your hotel to recommend you one. Should you wish to make a complaint against a taxi driver, please call 0800-999-2838 or send an email to [email protected].

Downloadable maps and other useful apps to help you navigate the city.:

• BA Cómo llego? (How do I get there?)
This interactive online map will help you get from A to B in the city, whether on public transport, by car or on foot.
http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/aplicacionesmoviles/ba-como-llego

• EcoBici
This mobile application is for all bicycle users in the city. It maps out bicycles lanes, and shows the locations and availability of city bikes for hire.
http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/aplicacionesmoviles/ba-ecobici .
For a map of bicycle lanes in the city, please go to the http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/ecobici.

• BA WiFi
There is free WiFi in hundreds of central hotspots.
http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/innovacion to find out where.
If you're interested in learning about the city's other free apps, please go to this webpage: http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/aplicacionesmoviles.

Buenos Aires is a safe city, but as in any other big city, precautions must be taken. Practice the same caution you would practice when visiting a major metropolitan destination in your country. Please follow these recommendations, and we are sure that your stay in Buenos Aires will be very pleasant.

• Move around with only a photocopy of your identification papers. Photocopies of valuables such as passport, tickets, driving license and travelers’ checks should be kept separately from the originals.

• Carry only the minimum amount of cash that you need for the day. Men should keep their wallets in their inside pockets. It is a good idea to keep small bills in trouser pockets, and not to take out the wallet more than necessary. Women carrying a purse should try to keep it next to their bodies. In case they carry shoulder bags, they must be sure not to let them hang loosely over their shoulder.

• Don’t carry all your cards with you; leave at least one in the hotel safe. If you lose or have your credit card stolen cancel it immediately by phoning the relevant 24-hour emergency number.

• It is better not to bring valuables to the meetings, unless absolutely necessary. Expensive jewelry, cameras and similar objects should never be left in the hotel room but rather locked in the hotel’s safety box.

• Do not wear your badges outside the Congress venue or carry around conference bags. Both identify you as a foreigner. Do not walk down deserted or badly lit streets after dark.

• Do not change money on the street; do it in banks or money exchange bureaus.

The “Comisaría del Turista de la Policia Federal” (Tourist Police Office of the Argentine Federal Police) protects, assists and guides the visitor. It offers internal phone, fax and email services. Moreover it acts as a link with diplomatic offices and consulates within the country, to attend to documentation matters and other related police affairs. Just call 0800 999 5000 , toll free. Its staff speaks English, Italian, French, Portuguese and Japanese.

Comisaría del turista
Av. Corrientes 436.
Tel: 4346-5748/4346-5700 Ext 5748
Email: