Hello, I'm planning my first tour. I'm flying into Buenos Aires and I'm planning to catch a bus to Junin de los Andes to begin the tour. However I'm unsure how to get my bicycle to Junin. I can't get a definitive answer weather the bus company's will take my bike. One company 'viabariloche' say only if there is space. So i thought about shipping it separate but I have no address to send it to. Has anybody done anything similar?
Thoughts and advice welcome thanks, Craig.
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I can't recall any of my guests being outright refused to have their bicycles loaded on buses from Buenos Aires. December/January is a time of year when buses will tend to fill up more often though (try to avoid travelling on the 1st/31st or 15th/16th day of the month during these months as that is when the traditional quincena vacation periods start and end meaning that there will be enormous amounts of people travelling - generally to the Atlantic coast but also to a lesser extent all over the country).
If things get desperate a generous tip to the luggage handler always helps.
I totally agree with Paul about the generous tip to the luggage handler, I think $100 argentine pesos would be a very generous tip.
They always says your bike needs to be in a box or bag to prevent damages on the other travellers luggage, I usually disasemble the front wheel, frontbar, seat post, pedals to obtain a smaller package.
Try to be the first in the dispatch queue and talk with the luggage handler.
No problem. Be ready to load your bike in a bus trunk yourself, to avoid any damage and save a tip.
Okay, that's very good to know. Thank you so much, you have given me a confindence boost. I'll happily pay $100 ARS if thats what it takes to gauntrentee its spot on the bus. The bike will be boxed still from my flight.
Still, you should know that bicycles are accepted on buses only if there is a space in a trunk after the ordinary bags of other passengers been placed. What’s more, a bike box has a fixed dimensions and (depending on type of the bus ) – to the contrary of a “free”bike, can be difficult to manipulate it in to the trunk when the other bags taken some space. So, be prepared to get your bike off the box if the situation demands this.
Any updates on how this went for you Craig? I am also taking a bus to Bariloche and I am trying to figure out my options.
Any updates on how this went for you Craig? I am also taking a bus to Bariloche and I am trying to figure out my options.
I ended up shipping it separately. I don't speak Spanish, but I went to the bus station with a Argentine friend, and was told they(viabariloche) no longer accept bikes on the bus, as of (1 week before I was getting the bus)
So I used there cargo company viacargo, it took 5 days to get to Junín de los Andes and it cost around 900pesos £35 GBP.