Adventures in South America

Random Observations: Colectivos

Seth and I have found the bus system here to be very efficient. It is very different than the system we are familiar with in NY. There are literally 100s of colectivo (buses) lines here. With so many colectivos, figuring out the system was complicated at first. We had to purchase a guide book called the "Guia T". You have to use a somewhat complicated grid system to determine on the map which buses go from the grid you are currently in to the one you want to go to. Then the real challange begins... figuring out exactly where the bus stop is. For that you usually have to ask at one of the many newstands, they can usually point you in the right direction.

Once you are finally at the correct bus stop, you must wait at the end of the orderly line of people waiting to board the bus (people here take the line seriously, which is great - NO CUTTING!). When you see your bus coming along the horizon, you must then HAIL the bus as if its a taxi so that it will stop (don't forget this step... the bus while zoom right past you otherwise). Once you have boarded the bus, move as far into the bus as you can... the bus driver will start to move as soon as the last person in line has ONE foot in the door. Now the paying part - the fare is either $.80 or $.75 centavos depending on how far you are going. You have to let the bus driver know which fare you are to pay (or where you are going) and then you drop the corresponding COINS (no paper money can be used here) in the machine behind the driver. The corresponding change comes out of the bottom of the machine as well as your small ticket receipt. Don't forget to HOLD ON TIGHT the entire time, many of the bus drivers drive as if they are Formula 1 racers.

All in all, it is a great way of getting around the city - cheaper than taxis, covers more land than the subte (which basically only runs to the center), and runs 24 hours (the subte closes at 10pm). Its also very cheap and is a good way to observe local Porteños (everyone takes the bus here!)

posted by Kathy T @ 12:22 PM