Night transfers by bus have a long tradition in South America and are often the most practical option for travelers to cover large distances. On our first visit to Argentina we faced, right at the start of our stay, about a 12-hour transfer from Córdoba to Salta.
We flew into Córdoba around noon, so we had a few hours before the evening bus departure. Even so, we had to act quickly – there were several important tasks awaiting us.
First steps in an unfamiliar city
We call a taxi from the airport and head straight to the bus station Terminal de Ómnibus de Córdoba. The taxi driver gives us various useful tips during the ride – after all, we were both visiting this city and this country for the very first time.
After getting out of the taxi she says goodbye and we plunge into the depths of the bus station. Unlike the airport, this felt like a completely new, unexplored territory. Two things immediately complicate the situation: our lack of Spanish and the luggage we still have to carry everywhere.
Since we still had to withdraw money at Western Union, buy tickets and grab a quick dinner, the first thing we deal with is the luggage storage. It simply wouldn’t have worked with heavy suitcases. After a few minutes of wandering we luckily find it and leave the luggage there with relief; it had been slowing us down considerably. A pleasant surprise is that the storage is paid for when you pick up your bags – at that moment we didn’t even have a single Argentine peso in our pockets.
Money, tickets and a language barrier
Next we head to Western Union, where at a favorable rate we withdraw our first Argentine pesos. From there we return to the bus station to the ticket window to pick up our pre-booked tickets.
The young woman at the window, of course, only speaks Spanish, so we again struggle with communication. We only have large denomination bills and she has nothing to give us change. I try to salvage the situation by offering small dollars. At first she refuses, but then her colleague gestures for her to take them. After all, we are in a country where dollars can be sold on the unofficial market very profitably.
Mission accomplished. We have the tickets, received the basic instructions, and hope we’ll find the right departure terminal so the bus doesn’t leave without us.
Chaos, but manageable
In a nearby shopping center we buy a quick dinner and return to the station to pick up our luggage from storage. Our next steps lead straight to the departure terminal.
Here reigns the greatest chaos in the entire station. Everyone is looking for their connection, people jostle with large suitcases, there’s a dynamic dialogue everywhere that we don’t understand a word of. Several times we use gestures to ask if we’re in the right place, but locals reassure us that everything is fine.
Finally the bus pulls up. Passengers start to line up. One of the drivers organizes the people, another loads the luggage. The bus has only one luggage compartment, so the suitcases need to be arranged according to passengers’ destinations.
When it’s our turn we hand over the luggage and receive a small paper ticket. The driver asks us for some money. We have no idea whether it’s a fee for the luggage or a tip – and we certainly don’t know how much he wants. In the end we somehow come to an agreement and, full of expectation, we board the bus.
Comfort the Argentine way
The bus has two levels. The lower one is for us and a few other fellow passengers – with comfortable seats that can recline nearly into a lying position. It’s not a bed, but the comfort is more than decent. The upper level has regular seats.
The entire bus has tinted windows, so by evening the view is already quite limited. The seats are equipped with USB ports, which personally pleased me a lot, though it’s not entirely clear whether this is a general standard. There is a small storage space under the feet and everything is designed practically, with an emphasis on efficient use of space.
After a while of more passengers boarding we set off. The bus leaves the city relatively quickly and slowly but steadily heads north.
Air conditioning, stops and a night on the road
We very quickly discover what online experiences also warned about. The bus is air-conditioned – which is fine – but the temperature goes to extremes, easily around 18 °C. Not ideal for sleeping.
Fortunately we are prepared. In our carry-on we have light sleeping bags that literally save our night. Thanks to them we can sleep at least a little during the journey.
Along the way the bus makes several short stops – mostly at petrol stations or near small shops on the outskirts of towns and villages. At each stop it’s possible to get off, walk a bit, stretch, buy a bite to eat or use the toilet. The stops are short, only a few minutes.
One longer stop is in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán, where the bus stops at the classic bus terminal in the city center. Some passengers disembark, others board. Although these stops make the trip more interesting, they significantly disrupt attempts to sleep longer than two or three hours at a stretch.
Nevertheless, the journey passes relatively quickly and we end up sleeping through most of it anyway. There is no entertainment system on the bus, so if you want to watch a movie or pass the time, you have to rely on your own phone or tablet.
Arrival in Salta
At dawn I draw back the curtains on the window and a completely different view than around Córdoba unfolds before me. The landscape is less green and on the horizon the first hills of the Andes begin to appear.
Shortly after we successfully stop at the bus station Terminal de Ómnibus de Salta. The night transfer is behind us. We retrieve our luggage based on the ticket and take a taxi into the city center.
Conclusion
We regard the night bus transfer from Córdoba to Salta as a more-or-less pleasant experience that, with good preparation, can be completed without major problems. Although there are more comfortable means of transport – such as domestic flights – the bus remains a very economically advantageous alternative, especially for longer-distance travel.
At the same time it’s a form of transfer that offers a authentic view of the country and the local way of traveling. The night ride, the stops along the way, the morning view of the changing landscape and the first outlines of the Andes on the horizon are precisely those little things that make traveling in Argentina somewhat more varied and memorable.
Practical tips for traveling by bus in Argentina
- If possible, book your tickets in advance online. If you can, choose the desired level of travel comfort, especially for longer transfers.
- It can be really cold on night buses – prepare for it (sweatshirt, blanket, sleeping bag).
- Take enough fluids and a small snack and a power bank.
- Have the basic information about your destination written down on paper as well – it will greatly ease communication with staff.
- Have a clear plan of what you’ll do after arriving at your destination – where you’ll go from the bus station, what kind of taxi you’ll call and where it should take you.