Tell me what to expect at EZE

[JoAnneV]

I'm not sure I can post the link here. Go to Trip Adivsor/Buenos Aires/traveler arrticles and search for airport. Following is the text.

 

Arrival

 

Buenos Aires is served by two airports: Ezeiza (EZE) for international flights and Jorge Newbery (AEP) (usually referred to as "Aeroparque") for domestic flights. EZE is a sleek, modern airport facility located about 35 kilometers of 45 minutes from downtown. After deplaning at EZE, you will need to make several stops before heading to town.

 

First, proceed to immigration. Lines here are not terrible. Effective 1/1/2010, USA, Australian and Canadian citizens must purchase a Visa to enter Argentina but only if you enter via the EZE Buenos Aires airport. You can pay with credit card and this fee is collected before you even reach immigration control. You will also be given the bottom part of the immigration form. You will need this card when you leave the country (losing it is not a major problem because replacements are available without cost when you arrive for your return flight).

 

Next stop, baggage claim. Pick up your bags. If you pack several big suitcases, there are carts available for free. Avoid changing money at the booths located at baggage claim area. They are a rip off. As of November 2009 you should get around $3,85 (pesos) for 1 USD. Check the rate before you exchange. During one week in November 2009 the rates fluctuated from around $3,5 pesos to 1 USD up to just under $4 pesos to 1 USD.

 

Now, on to customs. Foreigners bags are searched through a scanner. If you get the red light, scanner. If you get the green light, off you go. Customs officers are more concerned about Argentinos trying to avoid hefty import duties on goods purchased abroad. More often than not, you will simply be waived on through customs, but you may be required to place some of your bags on an xray screening conveyor.

 

Last stop. After you collect your bags and before you exit through the doors into the real world of Argentina...look to your far right. There you will find a branch of the Banco de la Nacion, where you can exchange your dollars for pesos at the right rate. If there is a long line at the window, not to worry. Head through the exit doors where you will enter into an area surrounded by booths offering a variety of transportation and hotel services....Some of these booths offer services at inflated prices, some do not. Money exchange in this area must be avoided once again. However, if you do need to change money, change as little as you can. Taxis and limos take debit and credit cards.

 

Once you clear the booths you will see people waiting for arriving passengers...Once you are in this area, make a U turn, on the outside of the area cordoned off with the booths...Another window for the Banco de la Nacion is ahead of you, and an ATM is located at the Bank's entry. The exchange rate you will receive here is as good as you will recieve anywhere, so go ahead and exchange with confidence. They will give you mostly 100 peso bills, make sure you pass back one (they won't do more) and ask them to break it into 10s or 20s. Just make certain you use the Banco de la Nacion and not Global, which offers a pathetic exchange rate. Another ATM for HBSC is just adjacent to the LAN airlines baggage office as well.

 

If you have not arranged your transportation yet, go to the blue and white "Taxi Ezeiza" taxi booth standing by itself in the middle of the lobby. Pay the fee for your in-town destination. A worker will escort you out the door to a waiting taxi. Total cost should be about 150 pesos to the downtown central district (as of 5 Jan 2011) plus a small tip for the person who helps you with your bags. (Note: Tipping taxi drivers is not at all expected in Buenos Aires. If you're paying a fare to the driver, simply round up to the nearest Peso.)

 

There are other services to town, such as "remis', which is spanish for Limo, or a bus service offered by Manuel Tienda Leon. The bus will cost half of the taxi fare, but the bus fare is per peson and the taxi is per taxi...so if there are two of you the fee is about the same. The bus will drop you off in the downtown area near the Buenos Aires Sheraton Hotel ...from there you can catch a cab on to your final destination.

 

Departure

 

.

 

If you're travelling on a domestic flight from J Newbery Airport (AEP), this airport is very close to downtown and there's no need to prebook a taxi. Any cab in the street will take you there quickly and cheaply on a metered fare. Allow 30mins max journey time.

 

Do not carry any valuables or electronic equipment in your checked-in luggage. There are unscrupulous employees who steal these things from bags after they've been checked in (they know how to open a zipper even if there's a locker). Wrap your bag/s in plastic for extra security. The plastic wrap at the airport costs around 40 pesos (as of Nov 17, 2009), or if you fancy DIY, you can use food wrap from the supermarket (you'll need a 20-meter roll for a medium-large sized bag.).

[dr__dawggy]

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g312741-s301/Buenos-Aires:Argentina:Arriving.And.Departing.html

 

As the author of the original draft of this report back in 2006 (it has been tweaked by several others since then to keep the information current), it is good to know people still find it useful.

 

 

I'm not sure I can post the link here. Go to Trip Adivsor/Buenos Aires/traveler arrticles and search for airport. Following is the text.

 

Arrival

 

Buenos Aires is served by two airports: Ezeiza (EZE) for international flights and Jorge Newbery (AEP) (usually referred to as "Aeroparque") for domestic flights. EZE is a sleek, modern airport facility located about 35 kilometers of 45 minutes from downtown. After deplaning at EZE, you will need to make several stops before heading to town.

 

First, proceed to immigration. Lines here are not terrible. Effective 1/1/2010, USA, Australian and Canadian citizens must purchase a Visa to enter Argentina but only if you enter via the EZE Buenos Aires airport. You can pay with credit card and this fee is collected before you even reach immigration control. You will also be given the bottom part of the immigration form. You will need this card when you leave the country (losing it is not a major problem because replacements are available without cost when you arrive for your return flight).

 

Next stop, baggage claim. Pick up your bags. If you pack several big suitcases, there are carts available for free. Avoid changing money at the booths located at baggage claim area. They are a rip off. As of November 2009 you should get around $3,85 (pesos) for 1 USD. Check the rate before you exchange. During one week in November 2009 the rates fluctuated from around $3,5 pesos to 1 USD up to just under $4 pesos to 1 USD.

 

Now, on to customs. Foreigners bags are searched through a scanner. If you get the red light, scanner. If you get the green light, off you go. Customs officers are more concerned about Argentinos trying to avoid hefty import duties on goods purchased abroad. More often than not, you will simply be waived on through customs, but you may be required to place some of your bags on an xray screening conveyor.

 

Last stop. After you collect your bags and before you exit through the doors into the real world of Argentina...look to your far right. There you will find a branch of the Banco de la Nacion, where you can exchange your dollars for pesos at the right rate. If there is a long line at the window, not to worry. Head through the exit doors where you will enter into an area surrounded by booths offering a variety of transportation and hotel services....Some of these booths offer services at inflated prices, some do not. Money exchange in this area must be avoided once again. However, if you do need to change money, change as little as you can. Taxis and limos take debit and credit cards.

 

Once you clear the booths you will see people waiting for arriving passengers...Once you are in this area, make a U turn, on the outside of the area cordoned off with the booths...Another window for the Banco de la Nacion is ahead of you, and an ATM is located at the Bank's entry. The exchange rate you will receive here is as good as you will recieve anywhere, so go ahead and exchange with confidence. They will give you mostly 100 peso bills, make sure you pass back one (they won't do more) and ask them to break it into 10s or 20s. Just make certain you use the Banco de la Nacion and not Global, which offers a pathetic exchange rate. Another ATM for HBSC is just adjacent to the LAN airlines baggage office as well.

 

If you have not arranged your transportation yet, go to the blue and white "Taxi Ezeiza" taxi booth standing by itself in the middle of the lobby. Pay the fee for your in-town destination. A worker will escort you out the door to a waiting taxi. Total cost should be about 150 pesos to the downtown central district (as of 5 Jan 2011) plus a small tip for the person who helps you with your bags. (Note: Tipping taxi drivers is not at all expected in Buenos Aires. If you're paying a fare to the driver, simply round up to the nearest Peso.)

 

There are other services to town, such as "remis', which is spanish for Limo, or a bus service offered by Manuel Tienda Leon. The bus will cost half of the taxi fare, but the bus fare is per peson and the taxi is per taxi...so if there are two of you the fee is about the same. The bus will drop you off in the downtown area near the Buenos Aires Sheraton Hotel ...from there you can catch a cab on to your final destination.

 

Departure

 

.

 

If you're travelling on a domestic flight from J Newbery Airport (AEP), this airport is very close to downtown and there's no need to prebook a taxi. Any cab in the street will take you there quickly and cheaply on a metered fare. Allow 30mins max journey time.

 

Do not carry any valuables or electronic equipment in your checked-in luggage. There are unscrupulous employees who steal these things from bags after they've been checked in (they know how to open a zipper even if there's a locker). Wrap your bag/s in plastic for extra security. The plastic wrap at the airport costs around 40 pesos (as of Nov 17, 2009), or if you fancy DIY, you can use food wrap from the supermarket (you'll need a 20-meter roll for a medium-large sized bag.).

[JoAnneV]

It was great! We felt much more confident knowing what to expect. Thank you!