How, Where & Why to Get a SUBE Card in Buenos Aires

How, Where & Why to Get a SUBE Card in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is big.  I mean, really big.  With around one third of the Argentinean population living here it is easy to get overwhelmed.  Apart from that, there is so much to do in the city, and you want to dip your feet in everything! Try a tango class, hit the San Telmo street market on Sunday, see the historic landmarks in BA and learn about Argentina’s rich history.  You should do all of that!  But don’t let getting around the city get in your way.

So, how does one go about navigating this beast?  Like most people, you put your desired location into your smart phone.  It shows you the little route which says 13 minutes by car and say, “Oh, that’s not too bad.” Then, you switch to see how long it takes walking and it says 1hr and 15 minutes.  Zoom in a little bit on the map you realize that what looks like a small distance is actually about 25 blocks (not including having to cross the world’s largest avenue the 9 de Julio).  Sure, a nice stroll in the city isn’t going to kill anybody but if you’re tight on time you may want to look into public transportation as an alternative.

How to Buy and Charge Your SUBE Card

Luckily, Buenos Aires has excellent public transportation that will get you where you need to go fairly quickly.  The first thing you need to know is that the subway and bus system require that you have a SUBE card.  The SUBE card allows you to get on the Subte (subway) as well as the colectivos (city buses) with ease.  You can get this card at tons of different locations including many small stores and kiosks.  Look for the SUBE logo in the window
 as you’re walking the streets and dive in. The government provides a website- www.sube.gob.ar which allows you to find different locations in which you can buy and reload the card.  Once you go to the page, click "Obtención" and then "Centros de Obtención SUBE" to find a place near you.  Remember to bring your passport and ID when obtaining you SUBE because it is required that you fill out a form so that the card is under your name.  The card itself will cost you 20 pesos and subway/bus fares usually run 3.50 – 4.50 pesos every time you get on, so charge money onto your card according to how much you think you will use it.  Recharge your card either in the Subte itself or in one the small shops you see with the SUBE logo in the window.  Also, if you see that your account is running low, don’t panic because you can run a negative balance of up to 10 pesos.

How to Get There

Now that you have your SUBE card, you are ready to utilize Buenos Aires’ expansive public transportation system.  A very helpful and sometimes necessary tool is the Mapa Interactivo de BuenosAires.  There is also the convenient app for iPhone and Android that is called Cómo Llego.  Input your starting and finishing point and your desired mode of transportation (walk, bike, subway/bus, or car).  It will then show you a detailed list in order of shortest duration of time to get to your desired location.  Arriving to some places will require that you take the Subte AND a colectivo.  This can be tricky at times, because the Subte stops running around 10-11pm depending on the line.  If it happens that you are planning on using public transport after those hours, go to the settings and turn off the option for the Subte.  Now it will only show colectivo routes and you will be able to arrive at all hours of the night. A word to the wise: You won’t be able to access these resources without internet.  If you want to make sure you have this info with you while you are going to your destination (given that you don’t have internet on your phone), it is a good idea to screen shot the directions as well as the drawn out route on the map while you still have wifi. 

How to Use the Subte (Subway)

The Subte is fairly simple.  There are 6 different subway lines: A, B, C, D, E and H that are color coated (see the map below).  Find the one you need, make sure you’re headed in the right direction and you’re good to go.  It costs 4.50 every time you get on (5 pesos to buy a ticket if you don't have the SUBE card), and you can easily transfer from one line to the other once on board.  The Subtes can get very cramped with people so be sure to keep your valuables close to you at all times.

How to Use the Colectivo (Bus)

When getting on the colectivo, you can either tell the bus driver where you are headed or how much you want to pay.  3.25 pesos will take you 3 to 6 km, 3.50 pesos 6 to 12 km, and 4 pesos 12 to 27 km.  Otherwise, just tell the bus driver where you are headed and place your card in front of the machine.  If you do not have the SUBE card, it is possible to pay with coins (only coins no bills) but this can be a hassle as it does not like 2 pesos coins.  Once on the bus, you might want to consider asking the driver to tell you when you’ve reached your destination if you are unfamiliar with the route.  Most are very nice and won’t have a problem with this at all.  

There you have it folks.  You're now ready to navigate the city like a pro and see everything that this amazing place has to offer!