Renting a car in Argentina isn’t particularly straightforward, but I have done it, and I am about to share everything you need to know about it.
Argentina is a great place to take a vacation. Its vibrant cities are home to some of the best nightlife venues in South America, and the sprawling rural areas have some of the most stunning landscapes on earth. That’s why I keep going for more!
This is a land of diverse cultures, intriguing history, and culinary delights.
By day, you can explore amazing natural wonders such as Iguazu Falls, the Valdes Peninsula, Tierra del Fuego National Park, Nahuel Huapi National Park, and the wonders of Patagonia. After the sun goes down, head out for a night on the town in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario, Mendoza, or one of the country’s other fabulous cities.
Argentina is such an immense country that unless you have an abundance of time on your hands and plan to stay in the country for a month or so, you won’t be driving from one end of the country to the other.
Distances from one city or region to another are such that it’s best to only rent a car when you’re planning to go to a specific destination. I did that when I was in Salta so that I could take my time and travel at my own speed when visiting the Quebradas.
If you are considering renting a car in Argentina, you should be prepared. In this post, I share several useful tips on renting a car and driving in this incredible country.
Are you not sure where to go in Argentina? Head over to my posts, A Great Argentina Itinerary and The Best Things To Do In Argentina, to find out some great travel tips for Argentina.
How To Rent A Car In Argentina
Rent a car online with Discover Cars
Discover Cars is the most useful car rental Argentina tool. It has over 8,000 locations worldwide and is very convenient for renting a car in Argentina.
I always use Discover Cars, no matter where I am, and have only positive experiences. It’s not only one of the easiest ways to rent a car, but it’s also the most reliable and affordable. The website is very user-friendly, too. Everything is very straightforward. But here’s a breakdown of how to rent a car in Argentina via Discover Cars:
First, enter all your details to begin the search. This includes your dates, the type of car you want, and the location of pick-up and return. You can actually get a one way car rental Argentina, so you pick it up in a different location than where you return it. This is extra useful for road trips in Argentina.
Next, you can filter by ratings. There will be a wide range of options, so you can narrow it down by looking for highly rated-rentals. I always look for rentals with 8 out of 10 stars or more. These cars tend to be a little more expensive, but they are worth it.
I also recommend full coverage. This is also more expensive, but it covers damage, repair work, lost keys, and the like. While hopefully, nothing happens during your travels, the little extra fee and coverage can make a world of difference.
Once you enter all your data, the search engine will show you a list of car rentals that fit the criteria. The rest is easy; just choose the car you’d like and continue forward through the prompts to complete the rental.
Rent a car with a car rental company
I’m a big advocate of Discover Cars for all car rental needs, but if that doesn’t fit the bill, the next best option is to rent a car directly with a car rental Argentina company.
Argentina has many of the most popular car rental companies, including Europcar, Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise, and National. However, options may be more limited depending on exactly where you are. Buenos Aires in Argentina will have the most options as it’s the largest city.
You can find some really good deals if you book in advance. But if you wait to book, you could easily pay two times or three times the normal cost.
Another disadvantage of booking with rental cars in Argentina is all of the research you’ll have to do. You’ll want to compare prices, cars, and policies between companies. And wording isn’t always super straightforward, either.
Overall, this could be a good route to rent a car in Argentina if you plan ahead of time and don’t mind doing the research. However, it’s still not as easy as Discover Cars based on personal experience.
Rent a car on arrival (not recommended)
If you’re a “go with the flow” type of person, you can always wait until you get to Argentina to organize your rental car. You would land at the airport, head to the rental car companies, and ask about prices and cars available.
There really isn’t any way to go this route unless you were never planning to rent a car in the first place and weren’t prepared.
You’ll likely end up paying a lot more than if you booked in advance, and your car rental options will be much more limited. However, you’ll definitely still be able to find a car and will be able to leave right from the airport with it. So, for some, it might be a good route.
Do You Need Full Coverage When Renting A Car In Argentina?
Third-party insurance is required in Argentina; full coverage insurance is not required but strongly recommended. Third-party insurance basically means that if you get into an accident involving someone else, the insurance will also cover the costs for the other person.
Full coverage insurance is not a requirement, but it usually isn’t much more to add, and it could save thousands of dollars in the unlikely event of an accident.
Discover Cars offers a clear description of their insurance policies, and all are accepted by Argentinian companies.
Reasons For Renting A Car In Argentina
As the second-largest country in South America, Argentina covers 2,780,400 square kilometers.
That’s a lot of open roads to explore! Although the country’s public transit system works well, with long-distance buses covering most areas around the country (and which are actually way more comfortable than the average bus in Europe), you just won’t get the same freedom that you get when you drive yourself around. That’s why renting a car in Argentina is an adventurous traveler’s best choice.
Let me be clear, though. I don’t recommend a road trip around Argentina. The country is simply too big for that. Just to give you some perspective, it takes more than 3 hours to fly from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and 15 hours to drive from Mendoza to Buenos Aires.
You also won’t need a car while in the cities because walking and taking buses is a cheaper and more efficient way of getting around and it’s the best way to really get to know a city. Also, parking can be a nightmare that’s best avoided.
However, renting a car in Argentina is definitely a good idea if you wish to explore areas outside of the cities.
Having a car means you’ll be able to get to the places you want to go much quicker because you won’t have to wait for buses or stick to the fixed schedule of guided tours. You’ll be able to come and go as you please and go where you want on your time.
Many of the country’s most spectacular regions are harder to reach by public transport, and the country is also known for its amazing scenic routes that make for epic road trips. The Route of the Seven Lakes, the Circuito Chico Drive, La Cuarenta—Route 40, the Quebradas, and Cuesta de Lipan are a few of the routes that will take you through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.
Finally, let’s see what you need to know before renting a car in Argentina.
Do you want to have an idea of the prices? Discover Cars is the best international car rental company. I’ve used them for several travels in South America and can confirm it’s easy to use and is a great tool for finding good prices and local car rental companies.
Best Places In Argentina To Explore With A Rental Car
Argentina is massive. You can’t possibly do a road trip across the country unless you have weeks to travel. For that reason, renting a car isn’t always the best way to get around. However, certain regions and travel routes in Argentina are much better with a rental car.
Ruta 40
Ruta 40 is the longest road in Argentina and makes for one of the best road trips in South America. It cuts from northern Patagonia on the Bolivian border down to the southern coast of Argentina. The road runs exactly 5,192 km (3,226 miles) and takes between 1 and 2 weeks to complete with breaks.
While it’s a lot of distance and takes up a lot of time, Ruta 40 cuts through some of the best things to see in Argentina. You’ll pass through the wine country and Mendoza, the highlights of Patagonia, and down to El Calafate and El Chalten (two of the best starting points for Patagonia adventures).
Wine Country
Wine Country in Argentina is one of the best places to rent a car in the country. The area around Mendoza is beautiful, so you’ll definitely want a little freedom to explore. In addition, there are so many great wineries in Mendoza that it might be easier to rent your own car and explore as many as possible.
Additionally, there are some absolutely breathtaking road trips and routes to add to your Argentina itinerary from the wine country region.
I recommend considering driving from Mendoza to El Calafate (in the southwest corner of Patagonia), which is also a large chunk of Ruta 40. The drive itself takes about a day and a half straight through, but there are plenty of beautiful places to stop and break up the journey.
San Carlos de Bariloche, San Martín de los Andes, and El Chalten are all excellent stopping points on the route between Mendoza and El Calafate. You can also visit a few notable places in Chile near the border.
It might also be nice to have a car to explore El Calafate and other parts of Patagonia. El Calafate and El Chalten are amazing starting points for some of the best hikes in Patagonia. Mount Fitz Roy and Laguna de los Tres are two of my favorite hikes in Patagonia.
There are plenty of tours to these activities, but having your own rental car adds a lot more freedom and independence to the journey.
If you’re interested in learning more about my favorite hikes in Patagonia, make sure to read my posts, A Guide To Mount Fitz Roy Hike and A Complete Guide To The Laguna Torre Hike, for everything you need to know about each adventure.
7 Lakes Route
If you only want to rent a car for a short period of time, I strongly recommend the 7 Lakes Route or Ruta de los Siete Lagos. This road near Bariloche, Argentina, passes by some of the most scenic lake viewpoints in South America. It’s just a small portion of the famous Ruta 40 that connects northern Argentina with southern Argentina.
You can actually visit the highlights of this route in just one day, so it’s perfect if you don’t want to commit to a long road trip.
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is on the southeast coast of Argentina, and it’s known for its exciting penguin colonies and other outdoor activities.
This one isn’t on Ruta 40, so it’s something a little different. But it’s really nice to have a car to explore this region.
I recommend renting a car in Puerto Madryn and driving to Punta Tumbo (which takes about two or three hours). It’s a very scenic route, and there’s so much to do outside of Puerto Madryn and Punta Tumbo. You’ll certainly be grateful to have your own car.
When not to rent a car in Argentina
There are also some instances in which you might want to avoid renting a car in Argentina. For example, you really don’t need a car in the bustling capital of Buenos Aires. It’s a big city, with a lot of traffic and plenty of public transportation, so it’s not even necessary.
No matter where you stay in Buenos Aires, you can get basically anywhere you want with buses, trains, or even taxis that are relatively affordable. A car rental might honestly just add more of a hassle to your trip.
If you’re planning several tours and trips in different corners of Argentina, you might not want to rent a car. Remember that everything is very spread out, and if you’re short on time, you might want to just take flights and tours.
If you’re visiting Buenos Aires without a rental car, make sure you read my post, How to get from Ezeiza to Buenos Aires, for more information on city transportation.
How Much Does Renting A Car In Argentina Cost?
Renting a car in Argentina tends to be more expensive than in many other countries. A sedan with a manual transmission costs between $35 and $45 USD per day. However, there are ways to ensure you get the best cheap car rental Argentina. Just remember that rates are dependent on demand, so it’ll cost more to rent a car during peak times.
Make sure to check more than one place to compare prices. I recommend Discover Cars, as it allows you to compare car rental prices and conditions across various companies. They also have excellent customer service.
When choosing your car, go smaller and avoid imported brands as, for some reason, they tend to be more expensive. Automatic vehicles also tend to be more expensive than stick shifts.
Bargaining for a discount often works when you rent a car in person, and you’ll be even more likely to secure a good deal if you mention that another company quoted a cheaper price. If possible, consider booking online, as this will yield the lowest prices.
While one-way drop-offs are common in many countries, I don’t recommend them in Argentina. As I have said before, you should only rent a car to explore locally, so it makes sense to return it to the same place where you picked it up. Besides, this will help you keep the costs down.
The cost of gasoline in Argentina
Finally, some good news. Gas is quite cheap in Argentina—at least, it is cheaper than it is in Europe. At the time of writing, a liter of gas costs around $1.12 USD—around $3.672 per gallon (source Global Petrol Prices).
What You Need To Rent A Car In Argentina
Valid driver’s license
Your driver’s license is valid to use in the country as long as it is written in the Latin alphabet. If it’s not, you’re required to obtain an international driver’s license.
Valid passport
You need a valid passport to enter Argentina, and you’ll have to show it again when you rent a car. Make sure that the passport is valid for at least six months after your entry date. They don’t always check the exact date, but this is a general international rule of thumb.
Proof of insurance
You need proof of insurance in Argentina. This should be provided from your rental company, just make sure to keep it in an easily accessible spot in the car in case you need it at any point.
Credit card in your name
You’ll also need a credit card—it has to be in the name of the actual person renting the car. You can’t pay for a car rental in cash.
Minimum age
You need to be 21 years old to book a rental car in Argentina but if you’re over 75, you won’t be able to rent. There is an additional surcharge to pay for drivers younger than 25 years old.
Is It Safe To Drive In Argentina?
Yes, renting a car in Argentina is safe! As with any country, you should always take some precautions, but it’s definitely a safe place to get around.
You should avoid driving at night. First, because the roads aren’t very well lit outside of the cities, and because the dark can also make it harder to see the roads and animal crossings.
You should also always have your documentation in the car and easily accessible. There are occasional checkpoints, and they’ll ask for your proof of insurance, license, and other documentation.
Finally, always pay attention to your surroundings. Things can be really chaotic in Buenos Aires, where you’ll have to deal with a lot of traffic and confusing directions. Patagonia and other cities are much more calm, but you might also have to deal with challenging road conditions.
Depending on where you are, you might come across windy roads, steep roads, checkpoints, animal crossings, and other inconveniences. But if you pay attention, everything should be fine!
Useful Tips When Renting A Car In Argentina
Book ahead of time
If you’re traveling during peak tourist season, it’s best to rent your car online to ensure there’s one available when you arrive. This is particularly important if you only drive automatics because they tend to be rented quickly. Booking ahead of time during high season is actually a useful Argentina travel tip in general.
When booking a rental online, you can go directly through local rental companies or use a third-party booking site—I actually recommend that as it allows you to compare the prices of the various rental companies. Some local car rental companies include Sunnycars, Budget Cars, Europcar, Hertz, Avis Localiza, Alamo, and Winterfell Rent a Car.
If you wish to book after you arrive in the country, you can do so at the airport or at one of the many car rental offices that are located in every city.
How to pick the best car rental
You don’t want to go with the first budget car rental Argentina. Here are my best tips to pick the best car rental in Argentina for your needs:
- Choose fully prepaid cars — avoid having to pay anything on arrival.
- Pick a supplier with 8.0 or higher ratings – customer reviews matter!
- Check out the deposit amount. Remember, the main driver must have a credit card. You can also select companies that only request a debit card.
- Pick Full-to-Full fuel policies so that you don’t have to pay unexpected fuel charges at the end of the trip.
- Beware of the allowed mileage — this is particularly important in Argentina, where distances are longer.
- Read the pick-up instructions carefully. Pay attention to the location types—locations in the terminal are more convenient than shuttle buses to the pick-up place.
Want to get an idea of prices? Check out the Discover Cars website for more information about the various rental cars in Argentina and prices for your dates.
Insurance is required to drive in Argentina
Insurance is mandatory in Argentina, and full coverage is your best option in the event you’re involved in a collision or other driving mishap. When you book your car rental, the agent will likely try to sell you insurance. This should never be your first choice if you want to save money!
Call your credit card company first and see if you’re covered for car rentals. Alternatively, if you drive a car at home, you might be covered by your policy. A quick call to your agent will determine this, and if you’re not covered, they may be able to add some extra coverage to drive internationally.
No matter where you get your insurance, make sure to read all the fine print to make sure you are covered for the things you expect to be covered for.
Avoid scams
Although uncommon, some drivers become victims of traffic scams. This is most common in the northeast region of the country and involves a police officer demanding that a fine be paid on the spot. Be aware that it’s illegal for a police officer to do this.
Even if the officer becomes aggressive and threatens to have your car towed, stand your ground and demand that they write a formal ticket. Doing this usually results in the officer giving up and not writing a ticket at all.
What to do if your car breaks down or you get in an accident
If the car breaks down, the very first thing you should do is call your rental company. They can help organize a way to get to helpful details. You should also take note of Argentina’s emergency numbers:
- Buenos Aires Emergency and Province: 911
- Police: 101
- Fire: 100
- Medical Emergencies: 107
- Tourist Police: 0800-999-5000/0800-999-2838
If you get in an accident, you should also call your insurance company if you need medical attention and exchange contact information with anyone else who is involved (of course, after making sure you are okay).
What side of the road do you drive on in Argentina?
Argentina drives on the right side of the road. This is the same as the United States, Canada, and most of Europe.
What is Driving Like in Argentina?
“Challenging” is one word that can be used to describe driving in Argentina’s cities. Even if you don’t rent a car to explore a city, you’ll likely face city driving at some point during your journey and you should be prepared for rudeness from local drivers. I am from Italy, and quite used to it—not to mention, most Argentines are actually of Italian origins!
In Argentina, driving is done on the right-hand side, so if you’re accustomed to driving on the left, this will present an extra challenge. However, once you are out of the city, driving is much easier and slower-paced.
Argentines are known the world over for being some of the most aggressive drivers. Expect to see a lot of cars tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds, overtaking on blind turns (I have even seen a bus do that!), and running stop signs.
It’s common for local drivers to drive at speeds double the posted limits. However, if you remain vigilant and practice defensive driving, you’ll be fine.
Keep in mind that most of the main highways are privately owned toll roads. Most of the roads and highways around the country are well-maintained.
If you plan to drive on remote gravel roads, make sure to rent a vehicle with 4×4 capabilities. Some of these roads are in bad shape, and potholes are common.
Most road signs are in Spanish, and although you’ll likely understand what most of them mean, it’s still a good idea to study them before you head out on your own.
Finally, make sure to keep your doors locked and windows up, especially when stopped at traffic lights in urban areas, because robberies do happen.
Driving in Patagonia
If you plan on road-tripping in Argentina, you likely have your eyes on Patagonia, and you should. Many people think that driving in this region of the country is dangerous because it’s a remote mountainous region with adverse weather conditions. However, it’s no more dangerous than any other area of the country.
Driving through Patagonia is generally more relaxed, with less traffic and very low crime rates. However, not all roads are paved with visible markings, and you won’t see as many service stations here as you do elsewhere in the country.
Get a full tank of gas before arriving, and consider carrying some extra gas in case of emergencies. You will also want to download an offline map (or keep a physical road map handy) because many places have zero cell phone coverage.
Driving in Patagonia at night can be hazardous because there are no street lights when you leave the villages. It’s also hazardous to drive during and immediately after heavy rains because the roads become muddy and unstable. Another constant hazard you’ll need to watch for is animals. Llamas, deer, coyotes, and foxes are often spotted on the roads.
Make sure to read my post What You Must Know Before Visiting Patagonia before heading to Patagonia. There are so many little things you might not think of or plan for, so it’s best to be prepared.
Rules of the road in Argentina
Before heading out onto the open road, it’s important to know the rules. Most of the rules are pretty standard. Wear your seatbelt at all times, don’t drink and drive, and only use a cell phone with a hands-free device.
You also must have your driver’s license, proof of insurance, and passport on hand while driving.
An important thing to know about driving in Argentina is that you must drive with headlights on in all areas at all times. By law, all vehicles must be equipped with two safety triangles, a first aid kit, a reflective vest, and a fire extinguisher.
Parking in Argentina
Parking can be tricky in the cities for two main reasons: crime and availability.
The safest place to park is in a garage marked with a big “E” sign. The “E” stands for Estacionamiento, which means parking garage in Spanish. These garages are safer than parking on the street, but you’ll have to pay a set fee.
If you must park on the street, remember that it’s illegal to park on sidewalks or the opposite way on a one-way street. Park in a well-lit, high-traffic area. Be aware of your surroundings when you exit your vehicle, and don’t leave any valuables behind.
If the street you park on has free parking, watch out for the Trapitos or guards who expect to be paid to “watch” your car in your absence. Some people have claimed that their cars were keyed or damaged in some way after refusing to pay for this illegal service. The best way to handle this situation is to just hand them a small sum of cash, and they’ll back off.
Useful apps to use when driving in Argentina
There are a number of apps available to help you get around Argentina safely and effectively.
Como Llego, which means “How to Arrive” in English, is a great app for navigating the city of Buenos Aires. It’s a government-affiliated public transit app available in Spanish and English.
BA Turismo is another great government-affiliated app for exploring any area of the country. It provides information about many tours, museums, and other attractions that you might want to check out along the way. The app is available in English.
Also, make sure you download Google Translate and Google Maps for offline use if you’ll be traveling and driving around. This can be very useful if you lose cell phone reception but need to communicate with someone or find your way around.
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