Calling to Argentina
Making Calls while in Argentina
Other Information about Long Distance Calling To/From Argentina
Calling to Argentina has never been easier. You'll have more pesos when you get to Argentina if you save your dollars now by using Argentina phone cards.
Information About the Argentine Telephone System
Argentina currently has 8.8 million main line telephones in use (2005). More than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding. There are currently an estimated 22.1 million mobile cellular telephones being used across Argentina today.
By opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology. Fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities, the major networks are entirely digital, and the availability of telephone service is improving. However, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take time.
Important Phone Numbers To Know if Traveling to Argentina
Americans living in or visiting Argentina are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires and obtain updated information on travel and security within Argentina. The U.S. Embassy is located at 4300 Avenida Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina. The main Embassy switchboard telephone is (011)(54)(11)5777-4533. Recorded consular information, including instructions on whom to contact in case of an American citizen emergency, is available at tel. (54)(11) 4514-1830. The main embassy fax is (54)(11) 5777-4240. The Consular Section fax is (011)(54)(11) 5777-4205. Additional information is available through the Embassy's web site at http://argentina.usembassy.gov/ embassy, which has a link to the Consular Section's email inquiry Address: buenosaires-acs@state.gov.
Other Important Information to Know About Argentina
Time Zone:
GMT -3.00 hours. Current time in Buenos Aires
Currency:
The Argentine Peso is approximately 3 pesos to a US dollar, or 5.2 pesos to a British Pound. Current exchange rates for Argentine Pesos.
Population:
37,032,000 (Ethnic mix: 95% Caucasian, 5% other)
Holidays:
Public holidays include most of the Catholic holidays, though holidays of other faiths are respected. The main historic holidays include the anniversaries of the May Revolution (May 25), the Independence Day (July 9), National Flag day (June 20), and the death of national hero José de San Martín (August 17).
Argentines celebrate religious holidays more festively than national holidays, using the latter for leisure time or to do household repairs. On Christmas Eve, the extended family gathers at 9 p.m. for dinner, music, and often dancing. Candies are served just before midnight, when fireworks displays begin. The evening also includes opening gifts from Papá Noel (Father Christmas). New Year's Day is marked with fireworks as well. Other holidays include Good Friday and Easter; Labor Day (1 May); Anniversary of the May Revolution (25 May); Malvinas Day (10 June); Flag Day (20 June); Independence Day (9 July); Death of General José de San Martín, who is known as “the liberator” of Peru, Chile, and Argentina for his defeat of the Spanish in 1812 (17 Aug.); Student Day (21 September—first day of spring, marked by students gathering in parks for picnics and soccer); and Columbus Day (12 Oct.).
Language:
Spanish(also called Castellano), but you can get by well with English. If you want to learn or improve upon your Spanish before you get here, an effective option is Rosetta Stone's Spanish learning software (backed by her 6-month money back guarantee)
Climate:
Generally mild and humid. Temperatures range from 35° Celsius (95° Fahrenheit) in January to 10° Celsius (50° Fahrenheit) in July. The mean annual temperature is 18º C (64.4º F), making extremely hot and cold days very infrequent. Visitors can thus enjoy walking along the city in any season. From December to the end of February the city can become extremely hot with an average humidity of 65%. In the winter months of June, July and August the level can increase to up to 95%. Most rainfall is during the summer. Current conditions and 5-day forecast for Buenos Aires.
Fun Facts About Argentina
- Argentina was the first independent nation state in the Southern Hemisphere and its Legislature and ruling political party have passed resolutions calling for the national independence of Puerto Rico, which would make it the last independent nation state in Latin America
- The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba is the second oldest university in South America.
- Five different Argentines have won the Nobel Prize (for Chemistry, Medicine and Peace)
- The city of La Plata was the first in South America with electric street illumination.
- The Buenos Aires Subway was the first built in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere
- The city of Mendoza is one of the eight wine capitals of the world
- Argentines have the highest consumption in the world of red meat.
- Argentines are very nocturnal by nature. A dinner is typically at 10pm, and a good time to go to a bar is midnight. At 2am you can think about entering a nightclub. Plan your evenings with this in mind--most restaurants don't even open until 8pm!
- Argentines love to practice and speak in English, especially the young college going crowd. Feel free to speak in English if you find yourself struggling with your Spanish vocubulary.
- Gregarious and talkative, the Buenos Aires locals (called porteños, people from the Port, the port of Buenos Aires), can be perceived as somewhat aggressive by single foreign women. Don't worry, they mean well...this is a city where love and romance is in the air all the time, and people just can't help flirting with you.
- Argentina is a very laid back, informal society-not known for it's punctuality-which can be frustrating to foreigners. If you have Argentine friends, expect them to be 15-30 min late for a coffee/dinner/etc. (business commitments are different, they are punctual!).
- Telephone calls from your hotel room can be very expensive in Buenos Aires. A much better option is to go to the telephone/internet cafes (called lucutorios), located on almost every street corner of Buenos Aires-the rates are much cheaper.
- You will find a "Disco" in Buenos Aires every few blocks. It is not a nightclub, it is a supermarket chain.
- Buses are called Micros or Colectivos in Argentine Spanish.
- If you want to change money in at the Foreign Exchange offices (located in the center of the city), you will need to show your passport, so take it with you.
- Argentines greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. Men greet men with a kiss as well, this can throw off some tourists.
- Smoking is very common in Argentina. Most restaurants do not have smoke free areas.
- It is easy to find ATM's which accept foreign cards. You can draw money directly in Argentine Pesos, and the rate you get from your card will almost always be better than trying to change your currency at the Foreign Exchange office.
- The only English newspaper in Argentina is "Buenos Aires Herald". It is easily available on all newsstands in the city.
- Visit San Telmo on a Sunday afternoon. That's when you have some really high quality live Tango performances in the Square (Plaza Dorrego), and also the antiques market.
- Avoid the neighborhoods of La Boca and San Telmo in the night, unless you know exactly where you are (some streets are safe, others not). On the other hand, Microcentro, Palermo, Puerto Madero and Recoleta are pretty safe all night long. Walk there freely, and feel the city 100%!
- Cross the streets with care--the cars have the right of way, even when the walk signal is green for you.
- Argentine women are known for their obsession with looking good and wearing good clothes. This can throw off many a foreign men and women alike. If you are a foreign woman, take some nice clothes with you, you just might blend in... If you are a guy, avoid turning your head to check out a beautiful woman when crossing a busy street...
- Many subway trains in Buenos Aires have small mirrors next to the doors. The women (and men) can fix their faces up yet again...
- The addresses in Buenos Aires are by the usual street number and street name. Try to get the information on the intersection, the cross street, where you want to go. This will help you get there faster, taxi drivers and passers by can often locate intersections, but have difficulty locating numbers of streets.