Taxis

There are two types of taxis to be found in Argentina. One is the regular taxi that you can flag down on almost every street while the other is called a remis, or radio taxi.

Regular taxis

On most streets, regular taxis are so popular and common you can almost see them traveling one right after the other. These cars are distinguished by their bright yellow roofs and black bodies. Many of these taxis do offer radio service as well but quite often they roam around looking for fares when they are not called upon for that service. A bright orange lighted rectangle on the top passenger-side of the vehicle will tell you if the car is available.

As a precaution, try to flag a taxi that has a radio taxi decal on rear doors. These cars are usually newer and better maintained than their counterparts who are privately owned. Also, there have been some instances where a few individuals set up bogus cars to cheat huge fares out of travelers or to go so far as robbery; however some have used fake radio decals. This is not to say that those cars without radio service are dangerous, most all are quite honest hardworking people just trying to make a living with their own cars, you will just enjoy a better overall experience using a larger more reputable company. No matter what car you decide to take, always check to make sure that the driver has his official taxi license displayed with matching photo. These are usually located behind the front seats or on the dashboard.

Many of the cars with radio service offer business cards with their phone numbers. If you are pleased with the service and speak enough Spanish to get by, ask for a card to keep. You can call upon them later if you need a ride from your location.

Always, always carry small change for the cab fares. This is very important. In some instances taxi drivers hardly carry enough to change where the difference in change-to-fare is more than 5-10 pesos or they might not have enough to even out the difference on smaller amounts than that. . Some even just say that to get you to pay a little extra to round it off, so be prepared.

Tipping is not required, however it is quite common to round up to the nearest tenth of a peso. Always check your change before exiting the taxi. In some rare cases you might receive counterfeit coins or a missing peso.

Remises

This is a the safest and most reliable method of taxi service. There are two types of remis services in Argentina. One is basically a regular gold-black taxi that roams the streets when not on call and the other is a service that caters only to call-ins. The call-in only remises have better vehicles that are unmarked with the driver dressed in a suit and tie. Don't let that frighten you into thinking that the costs will be higher. In many cases you will probably pay less for longer distances.

Both types usually have enough satellite offices, or drivers, around town that a taxi should arrive within 10 minutes of being phoned. Most of the services offer flat rates from location to location. This can cost from 10-25 peso depending on distance. This is a major plus when traveling to certain parts of town, especially high traffic areas since you just pay the straight fee instead of by meter. However, the black-gold radio taxis will charge you by meter if you are just traveling to and from locations that are not specified in their flat-rate destination.

If you are traveling from the airport, a remis is a good way to get to your hotel from there. Avoid any persons outside of the baggage claim area who try to get your attention by asking you if you want to take a taxi. All airports have remis desks where you can request a driver. If before your journey you can find a reputable remis service to call from the airport, do so. Most all of the services who have a presence at the airport will rip you off on costs compared to others. In many cases it will cost you about 20-30 pesos more for the same trip.

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