Introduction: Ferry from Colonia to Buenos Aires
There is a total of 3 companies doing the line between Colonia and Sacramento:
- Buquebus
- ColoniaExpress
- SeaCat
The 3 companies are roughly the same. From what we saw the Colonia Express ferry is smaller than the Buquebus one.
Table of Contents
Purchasing the ticket
To purchase the ticket, you can either do it online on the ferry company or at the port in Colonia. As the port is near the old center, we went directly there and got a ticket with Colonia for 10:30am the next morning.
The ticket cost is 1034 Pesos UYU each. To get the ticket you will need the passport of each passenger. Once you get the ticket, you will also be told that you need to be in the port terminal one hour before departure.
Our ticket was “Super Economca”
The ferry terminal in Colonia
We didn’t really think about it but it’s right that it make sense to be one hour earlier to the terminal as you need to pass the customer. Actually, Uruguayan and Argentinian custom are made in the terminal prior the departure.
We had our ticket for 10:30am with Colonia Express. This morning we had breakfast while chatting with another couple from the Netherland in our guesthouse and weren’t in rush. We walked to the terminal and we in the end were there for 9:20am.
First, we went to the check-in counter where we received our boarding passes (we received 3 each and we kept our backpacks).
Second, we went to the immigration, past our backpacks in a scanner and then headed to a counter. There, was done the exist stamp of Uruguay. Once done, you don’t past the counter but backward toward another line to do the Argentinian entry stamp.
For us, it was now 9h30 and we were in the waiting area. Which is the same for all 3 ferry companies.
The Ferry
We started boarding maybe 15min prior the departure. You simply follow the line and the signs. Once on board we were free to take any seat we wanted. There were lower and upper deck to be used. We stayed on the lower deck where there is also an outside deck. During the whole trip you are free to stay in or go out for the view.
We arrived at 11h50 in Buenos Aires port.
It was a comfortable ride, lots of free space, AC and WC.
The terminal in Buenos Aires
Once, we arrived we exit the ferry and head to the terminal in Buenos Aires. Once out, we headed right back inside from a door a few meters on the right as we would need Argentinian Pesos. There was an ATM, but we exchange euros in a shop there.
If you need to do the same, you can simply ask the shopkeeper if he exchanges money.
From there, you can either take a bus or taxi to the city. As we were running late and didn’t know how to take the bus yet nor have a SUBE card, we took a taxi.
“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac
Where to stay in Buenos Aires
- Budget: Airbnb Maia Apart
- Mid-Range: Duque Hotel Boutique & Spa
- Luxurious: Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
