How to Get To and Travel in Bariloche

Get in

By plane

San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport

• Lade flies from El Calafate. A ticket cost around Ar$260.
• Aerolineas Argentinas flies from Buenos Aires. A ticket costs around Ar$830 (Nov/05)
• LAN Argentina flies from Buenos Aires. A round-trip ticket costs around Ar$1100 (us$360). Data of Aug/08
• Lan Chile flies from Santiago twice a week. It is a pleasant flight over the Andes, and you don’t have to change airports.

By car

To go by car to Bariloche from Buenos Aires takes about 22 hours. One of the best alternatives is to go to Neuquen on the first day (a distance of about 1200 km) and then to continue the second day driving about 450 kilometers.

There is more than one route to get to Bariloche by car from Buenos Aires:

• Short route: Take “Ruta Nacional Nº 5”, then take “Ruta Provincial Nº 1” nearby Lonquimay. Then, take “Ruta Provincial Nº 18” nearby “Macachin”. Take “Ruta Nacional Nº 35” south for 22 km, and then turn right and follow “Ruta Nacional Nº 152” through General Acha and until the “Casa de Piedra” where the route name changes to “ruta provincial Nº 6”. You must follow this until the intersection with “Ruta Nacional Nº 22”, where you must turn right again through Cipolletti – Neuquen. These big cities are connected by a bridge with an Ar $0.65 toll. Follow through the “million” traffic lights until you exit the city. Approximately 32 km later, stop in Arroyito and sleep deeply. Continue driving South using “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”, which will lead you to Bariloche.
• Long route: take “Ruta Nacional Nº 3” South. Rest in Azul for 15 minutes, follow South until Bahia Blanca, rest for some time. Follow South; take “Ruta Nacional Nº 22”, set the air conditioner on and turn on your CD player; don’t travel too slowly, or you might fall asleep! Rest in Choele Choel. Drive through lots of tiny cities and through Cipolletti – Neuquen, big cities which are connected by a bridge with an A$R0.65 toll. Follow through the million traffic lights until you exit the city. Approximately 32 km later, stop in Arroyito and sleep deeply. Continue driving South using “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”, which will lead you to Bariloche.

By bus

If you decide to travel by bus you can choose between different companies, such as “Via Bariloche”, “El Crucero del Norte”, “Andesmar”, etc. The first 2 companies offer different services, where the main variable is comfort and price. You can take “supercama”, which has wide and large seats. “Cama” has wide seats. “Semi-cama” has the normal distribution of 4 seats per row. “Supercama” and “cama” take as long as 19 hours (summer); “semi-cama” makes several stops and takes as long as 22 hours (summer).

Different routes to get to Bariloche by Bus from Buenos Aires are:

• Non Stop: “Ruta Nacional Nº 5” – “Ruta Provincial Nº 1” (la Pampa) – “Ruta Provincial Nº 18” (la Pampa) – “Ruta Nacional Nº 35” – “Ruta Nacional Nº 152” – “Ruta Provincial Nº 6” (Río Negro) - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” – NEUQUEN – “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”
• Stopping: “Ruta Nacional Nº 3” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” – NEUQUEN - “Ruta Nacional Nº 22” - “Ruta Nacional Nº 237”

By boat

You can arrive or depart Bariloche by taking a series of ferries that wind through several lakes and connect by short bus rides from the Pacific at Puerto Montt, Chile. It’s a one day trip unless you opt to stay overnight at Hotel Peulla near the pass.

• icon