Ushuaia Hotels - Getting to and from & transportation
Getting to and from Ushuaia and around once there: Below is a comprehensive guide to transport to from and around Ushuaia, Argentina covering the Buses, Taxis, Flights, Trains, Cycling, by Car and much more.
Don’t forget to check out our other sections for details on Ushuaia Hotels, Things to Do & Attractions in Ushuaia, plus candid traveler photos and reviews.
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Transport – Ushuaia:
In the southern end of the Republic of Argentina, on the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, there lies Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. Located on the Beagle Channel, it takes its name -which means “bay overlooking the West”- from the yámana tongue.
Within the impressive frame made up by the sea, the forests, the lakes and the mountains, Ushuaia is a picturesque city with an important tourist services infrastructure, an elegant commercial center and an increasing social and cultural activity.
Ushuaia Hotels - Getting to & from & Aerolinas Argentinas Route Map
In its surroundings, Ushuaia offers unexplored untouched territories that invite visitors to discovery and adventure. Therefore, the main activities to be done in this privileged nook are related with nature. Some of them are hiking, horse riding, climbing and diving.
Mount Castor Ski Resort is the the option offered by Ushuaia to the lovers of snow during the winter months.
Now you must want to know how to get there – so we’ve put together some useful information below:
By car:
You can only get to Ushuaia from Río Grande along National Route 3. You can cross the frontier to Chile through Paso San Sebastián after you have come to the island by ferry boat across the Strait of Magellan from Punta Delgada to Bahía Azul through the international pass of Monte Aymond or by ferry boat from Punta Arenas to Porvenir.
Since you must leave the country to arrive by land you have to consider the need to count on all the documentation necessary for a trip to bordering countries, as in the case of minors not emancipated, who must have a legalized authorization of both parents, or the impossibility to cross the frontier with perishable food.
By plane:
The International Airport Islas Malvinas, inaugurated in 1998, is the operation base for all types of planes, the most common means of transpotation to get to the island of Tierra del Fuego.
Different airlines connect Ushuaia with the rest of the world.
By boat:
Several sea lines and scientific ships include Ushuaia as a stopover in their trips to Antarctica or the Fuegian channels, apart from an important stock transportation from the rest of the country as from abroad.
International Passes and Ferry Boats
You will find Customs and a frontier guard office in: San Sebastián and Monte Aymond, and you can also use the ferry boat Primera Angostura of the Strait of Magellan from Bahía Azul to Punta Delgada.
Paso Integración Austral-CRUCE DEL ESTRECHO DE MAGALLANES
Daily departures from Punta Delgada in the Continent every hour and a half from 8,30 hs in the morning, with a capacity for 70 vehicles. The crossing takes 30 minutes and you arrive at the Island of Tierra del Fuego in Bahía Azul. The transfer costs Chilean $9.000. You will have to change it into Argentine pesos or US dollars according to the current price.
Distances from Ushuaia to:
Buenos Aires 3048 km
Cte. Piedra Buena 816 km
Comodoro Rivadavia 1356 km
El Calafate 926 km
Esquel 1937 km
Gobernador Gregores 1146 km
Puerto Natales 799 km
Puerto Madryn 1799 km
Punta Arenas 653 km
Porvenir 476 km
Rawson 1762 km
Rio Gallegos 601 km
Rio Grande 236 km
Santa Cruz 813 km
San Julian 954 km
Trelew 1743 km
Viedma 2252 km
Here are some further tips:
Land
Bus
Ushuaia has no bus terminal. Book outgoing bus tickets with as much anticipation as possible; many travelers have complained about getting stuck here in high season. Depending on your luck, long waits at border crossings can be expected.
Tecni-Austral (431408/12; Roca 157) buses for Río Grande (AR$25, four hours) leave from the travel agency Tolkar at 5:30am daily except Sunday, stopping in Tolhuin. There’s an onward connecting service on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to Punta Arenas (AR$125, 11 hours), and on weekdays to Río Gallegos (AR$125, 12 hours).
Lider (436421; Gobernador Paz 921) and Montiel (421366; Deloquí 110) run door-to-door minivans to Tolhuin (AR$20, 2½ hours) and Río Grande (AR$40, four hours) six to eight times daily, with less frequent departures on Sunday.
Transportes Pasarela (433712; cnr Maipú & Juana Fadul) runs round-trip shuttles to Lago Esmeralda (AR$25), Lago Escondido (AR$80) and Lago Fagnano (AR$80), leaving around 10am and returning at 2pm and 6:30pm. If you’re planning to stay overnight, ask to pay just one way (more likely if there are many people traveling) and arrange for pickup. Transportes Eben-Ezer offers a similar service and leaves from nearby.
Boat
Charter boats anchored in Ushuaia’s harbor may take passengers to Puerto Williams (AR$377) the next time they are heading out.
A number of private yachts charter trips to Cape Horn, Antarctica and, less often, South Georgia Island. These trips must be organized well in advance. The most popular weeklong charter, rounding Cape Horn, costs upwards of AR$5400 per person. A recommended option is Mago del Sur (02901-15-5148-6463, charter per person per day AR$750), captained by Alejandro Damilano, whose lifetime of sailing ensures skill and safety at the helm. Individuals can join scheduled trips (check online) to Las Islas Malvinas, Antarctica, Cape Horn, Puerto Natales and beyond.
From September through May, Cruceros Australis (02-442-3110 in Santiago; www.australis.com) runs luxurious four-day (starting from AR$3109/3925 per person in low/high season) and five-day sightseeing cruises to Punta Arenas and back, catering mostly to mature travelers. Saturday departures from Ushuaia include the possibility of disembarking at Cape Horn. Low season is considered to be September–October and mid-March–April. The cruise visits many otherwise inaccessible glaciers, but time alone and hiking opportunities are limited; the focus is more on nature talks and group excursions. Turismo Comapa (430727; www.comapa.com; San Martín 245) handles local bookings.
Air
Aerolíneas Argentinas (421218; Roca 116) jets several times daily to Buenos Aires (AR$703, 3½ hours), sometimes stopping in Río Gallegos (AR$266, one hour) or El Calafate (AR$506, 70 minutes). LADE (421123; San Martín 542) flies to Buenos Aires (AR$363), Comodoro Rivadavia (AR$280), El Calafate (AR$280) and Río Gallegos (AR$163). The airport departure tax is AR$213.
Chilean airline Aerovías DAP (www.dap.cl) offers charter-only flights to destinations in Patagonia, as well as overflights of Cape Horn and trips to Chile’s Frei base in Antarctica.
Aeroclub Ushuaia (421717, 421892; www.aeroclubushuaia.org.ar) offers scenic flightseeing tours (AR$150 to AR$300 per person).
Want to learn more about Ushuaia?
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