Hello everyone! Today I'll be talking a bit about the pricing of busing in Argentina. Please be sure to look up the current exchange rate with your currency as well as checking the current bus swipe price to ensure accuracy. The inflation is currently very high here, and with the elections coming up, the prices could fluctuate at any point in any direction.
What is not mentioned in any welcome packet is that bus transfers cost you. You may be placed in a home that requires you to ride the bus up to 4 times a day just for transportation to and from school. Examples of this include the houses located in Barrio Juniors or Barrio General Paz. Said houses require a bus from the neighborhood to Patio Olmos (near the center) or an area near this, then from that point to the school. There is one bus, the 66, which you can take, but it is 40 minutes to an hour, and is always full in the mornings.
If you go anywhere other than to and from school, you could be looking at 6 or more swipes a day. The bus is currently 32 pesos per ride, which, according to current conditions, converts to approximately 53 cents per ride. At this rate, you could be paying $2.12 each day just for transport to and from school, not to mention any other place in the city you may go.
There are also houses which have direct routes to the school, in which you may walk to school. There are two girls this semester who walk about 30 minutes each way to and from school and are a 15 minute bus ride to the centro/Güemes.
There is another girl in Alta Cordoba who takes a 35/40 minute bus ride each way to school, but only has to take one bus.
Nevertheless, at this rate, you could end up paying anywhere from $19.60 to $26 per month for transportation (to and from school only) each month. It may seem small, but it adds up quickly. That can equal $98 (2x per day) or $130 (4x per day) total.
If the weather is nice enough and you don't mind walking, you can cut down the prices by walking. I live in a 4x per day zone, and on the way to school choose to walk about 30 minutes instead of taking the first bus, and taking the bus from the centro to the school. After school I take the 66 which takes longer but is more cost effective.
As a student who already has a limited budget, it would've been great to know that I needed to take more money into account for taking the bus. Hopefully this helps you!
