SpanishSpeakingPractice🇦🇷 Argentina guide

Taking Uber and taxis in Argentina

Survive the BA traffic, the subte rush, and the chatty taxi driver.

Uber is technically illegal in Buenos Aires but widely used through a loophole: drivers register as 'remises' (private car services). You'll sit in the back, pay in-app, and rarely talk. But the city's iconic black-and-yellow taxis are still everywhere — and their drivers are famous for non-stop conversation about football, politics and the economy. These phrases handle both.

Vocabulary

SpanishEnglish
remisprivate car service (Uber workaround)
taxi / radio-taxitaxi
taxímetrometer
subtesubway (Buenos Aires metro)
bondibus
cuadracity block
esquinacorner
avenidaavenue
tránsito / tráficotraffic
direcciónaddress
dejame en la esquinadrop me at the corner
¿me puede esperar un minuto?can you wait one minute?

Real dialogues

Practice both sides out loud.

Hailing a taxi on Avenida Santa Fe

Outside a café in Palermo, flagging a taxi.

  • You

    ¿Me lleva a Plaza de Mayo, por favor?

    Will you take me to Plaza de Mayo, please?

  • Taxista

    Suba. Con taxímetro, no hay problema.

    Hop in. On the meter, no problem.

  • You

    Perfecto. ¿Puede ir por Callao? Hay menos tránsito.

    Perfect. Can you go via Callao? Less traffic.

  • Taxista

    Sí, pero a esta hora Callao también está complicado. Voy por 9 de Julio, es más rápido.

    Yes, but at this hour Callao is bad too. I'll take 9 de Julio, it's faster.

  • You

    Dale, por 9 de Julio está bien.

    OK, 9 de Julio is fine.

Confirming Uber pickup

Driver calls; you're outside a restaurant in Puerto Madero.

  • Conductor

    Hola, estoy llegando. ¿Dónde está?

    Hi, I'm arriving. Where are you?

  • You

    Estoy en la entrada del restaurante Elena, frente al puente de la Mujer.

    I'm at the entrance of Elena restaurant, across from the Women's Bridge.

  • Conductor

    Lo veo. Voy en un Toyota blanco, dos minutos.

    I see you. White Toyota, two minutes.

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Argentina local tips

Taxi drivers love to talk

Football and the economy are safe topics. Ask '¿de qué cuadra sos?' to break the ice — it's the Buenos Aires version of 'where are you from?'

Uber drivers won't start the trip until you're in

They risk fines if caught. Be ready at the curb and confirm the license plate before getting in.

Subte is fast but crowded

Line B (red) and Line D (green) cover most tourist/expat areas. Buy a SUBE card at any station.

Practice prompts

  1. 01Tell a taxi driver your destination and ask for the meter.
  2. 02Ask the driver to take a specific avenue because of traffic.
  3. 03Confirm an Uber pickup using two landmarks.

FAQs

Is Uber safe in Buenos Aires?

Yes — widely used despite legal ambiguity. Drivers are registered remises, trips are tracked, and the app handles payment. Black-and-yellow taxis are also safe but always confirm the meter.

Should I tip taxi drivers?

Round up to the nearest 10 or 50 pesos. For a $2,350 fare, pay $2,400. No percentage rule — just rounding up.

More Argentina scenarios

Renting an apartment in Argentina

Navigate alquileres, garantías and the famous Buenos Aires real estate dance.

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Ordering at a café in Argentina

Cortados, medialunas and the art of the Buenos Aires café ritual.

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Going to the doctor in Argentina

Book a turno, describe symptoms, and get your prescription — all in castellano rioplatense.

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Opening a bank account in Argentina

Survive the paperwork at Galicia, Santander or BBVA in Buenos Aires.

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Visa and immigration appointments in Argentina

Get through Migraciones in Retiro without freezing up.

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Getting a SIM Card in Argentina

Chip, crédito, and a price we refuse to print.

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