The 35-kilometre journey from Ezeiza international airport to the Buenos Aires city centre is the first practical challenge most visitors face, and the options vary significantly in cost, reliability, and convenience. This guide covers all the viable options with current pricing, journey times, and specific advice on which to choose.
Why This Journey Requires Planning
Ezeiza is further from the city than most international airports of comparable cities. The journey along the Autopista Ricchieri can take 35 minutes in clear traffic or 70 to 90 minutes during peak congestion (particularly on weekday mornings and evenings). Add to this the time to clear immigration and customs at Ezeiza (which can be 30 to 90 minutes for a busy morning arrival), and the total time from landing to hotel can easily be 2 to 3 hours.
Planning the transfer in advance (rather than figuring it out on arrival, tired and perhaps disoriented) makes the experience significantly less stressful.
Option 1: Remis (Recommended)
A remis is a private car service, pre-paid at a fixed price, without a meter. The official remis desks in the arrivals hall at Ezeiza are the recommended transfer option for most visitors.
How it works: After collecting luggage and clearing customs, walk to the official transport desks in the arrivals hall (before you exit the terminal through the main doors). Taxi and remis companies operate official desks here; pay the fixed price in cash (pesos, USD, or sometimes card) and receive a receipt that you hand to the driver who meets you outside.
Current prices: Approximately ARS equivalent of USD 25 to 40 for most central Buenos Aires destinations (Palermo, Recoleta, San Telmo, Microcentro). Prices vary by company and by destination within the city; confirm the exact price at the desk.
Journey time: 35 to 70 minutes.
Why it is recommended: The pre-paid system eliminates the possibility of overcharging, meter manipulation, or confusion about the fare. The driver is waiting for you; you do not need to negotiate or make decisions while tired from a long flight.
Option 2: Tienda León Shuttle Bus
Tienda León operates a coach shuttle service from Ezeiza to two city terminals: one in the Microcentro (at Madero and San Martín) and one in Palermo (at Santa Fe and Carlos Pellegrini). Coaches are comfortable and air-conditioned.
Price: Approximately USD 10 to 15 per person one way.
Journey time: 60 to 90 minutes, including the intermediate stops.
Frequency: Regular departures throughout the day; check the current schedule on their website.
Who it suits: Solo or couple travellers with modest luggage, those staying near the Microcentro or Palermo terminals, and budget-conscious visitors for whom the additional time versus the remis is an acceptable trade-off.
Booking: Available in advance online or purchased at the Tienda León counter in the arrivals hall.
Option 3: Taxi (From the Official Stand)
Official taxis from the taxi stand outside Ezeiza arrivals are metered. The airport taxi meter structure (which includes a surcharge for the airport) produces fares that are comparable to or slightly higher than the pre-paid remis for most destinations.
Avoiding unofficial taxis: Do not accept offers from anyone approaching you in the arrivals hall or outside the terminal offering taxi services. These are not official taxis and the pricing is unpredictable. Use only the official taxi stand.
Price: Variable with the meter; expect ARS equivalent of USD 25 to 45 for most city centre destinations.
Option 4: Uber
Uber picks up at Ezeiza from a designated location outside the terminal (follow signs to the rideshare pick-up area or check the Uber app for the specific location, which has changed periodically). This requires that your phone is connected to either the airport WiFi or an Argentine data plan; if you are arriving without either, the Uber option is not practical until you have connectivity.
Price: Comparable to the remis (USD 25 to 40 for most central destinations); the Uber price is dynamic and can be higher during surge pricing periods (busy morning arrivals when multiple international flights land simultaneously).
Journey time: Same as remis (35 to 70 minutes).
Option 5: Bus (Cheapest but Least Practical)
Buenos Aires’ bus network extends to Ezeiza; bus 8 (colectivo) connects the airport to the city but takes over two hours and involves navigating the bus system with luggage after an international flight. This is not a practical option for most visitors arriving for the first time.
Practical Notes
Buenos Aires address for the driver: Know your accommodation’s full address (street, number, and neighbourhood) before departure; having it written down or in your phone means you do not need to look it up while communicating with a tired driver at the end of a long journey.
Traffic timing: If you have any flexibility on your arrival time or are taking a domestic connection shortly after landing, the middle of the day (10am to 1pm) and mid-afternoon (2pm to 4pm) typically have the lightest traffic to the city. Early morning (7am to 9am) and late afternoon to evening (5pm to 8pm) on weekdays can see significant delays.
Return journey to Ezeiza: The same options apply for the airport return. Allow at least 90 to 120 minutes from your accommodation to the Ezeiza departure gate during normal traffic conditions; build in more buffer if traveling during peak hours.
Related: Airports Guide | Getting Around | Practical Info Hub | Plan Your Trip
The Return Journey: City to Ezeiza
The city-to-Ezeiza journey requires specific time allocation. The journey itself takes 35 to 70 minutes depending on traffic; adding the minimum recommended airport arrival time of 2.5 hours before international departure, plus the time to get to your pickup point, means departing your accommodation at least 3.5 to 4 hours before your flight.
Timing during the day: The worst traffic times on the Autopista Ricchieri are weekday mornings (7am to 9am) and early evenings (5pm to 8pm). A flight departing at 9am requires leaving the city by 4am to 5am, which avoids traffic entirely; a flight departing at 7pm may face the worst of the afternoon rush.
Tienda León return booking: The Tienda León shuttle can be booked for the return journey at the same terminal where you arrived (in the Microcentro or Palermo), or through their website. It picks up at the Tienda León terminal and delivers to Ezeiza; this is the most hassle-free option for those without specific accessibility requirements for door-to-door service.
Uber to the airport: Straightforward and generally reliable. The app calculates route and price; the journey time estimate in the app is based on current traffic. Always check the app estimate and add 15 to 20 minutes buffer beyond what the app shows for airport journeys.
The Aeroparque Connection: Domestic Onward Travel
A significant number of international visitors to Buenos Aires connect immediately to a domestic Argentine destination (Mendoza, Bariloche, Iguazú, Salta). This requires transferring from Ezeiza to Aeroparque, approximately 45 to 70 minutes by taxi or Uber in normal traffic.
Argentine domestic connections booked separately (not as part of an international itinerary) do not include any automatic protection for the international-to-domestic transfer. Allow at least 3 to 4 hours between your international landing time and your domestic departure time; 5 hours is more comfortable given variable immigration processing times at Ezeiza.
The Ezeiza to city journey is a manageable and well-documented logistical challenge that yields to advance preparation. Knowing which option you will use before you land, having the cash or card required, and building the appropriate time buffer into your plans converts a potentially stressful first Argentina experience into a smooth one. The remis from the official desk is the standard recommendation for first-time visitors; every subsequent visit can be calibrated based on what you learned the first time.
A Final Note
Buenos Aires rewards visitors who arrive prepared and remain open. The practical preparation covered in this guide removes the friction that prevents engagement; the openness is yours to bring. The city that reveals itself to a visitor who knows what they are looking for, who has sorted the practical foundations, and who has the curiosity to follow what the city offers is one of the genuinely great urban experiences available anywhere in the world.
For questions, corrections, or feedback on this guide, the contact page is the right place. This site is updated regularly; if you visit Buenos Aires and find that conditions have changed from what this guide describes, telling us makes the guide better for the next reader.
The Ezeiza transfer, well planned, is a non-event: you land, you clear immigration and customs, you find your pre-planned transport, and you are on your way to the city. The planning that makes this true takes 15 minutes before departure; the alternative, figuring it out on arrival, takes longer and is more expensive. The remis desk recommendation is the starting point for most visitors; your specific preferences and circumstances determine whether Tienda León or Uber is the better choice.