Transport in Argentina
Transport in Argentina is mainly based on a complex network of routes, crossed by relatively inexpensive long-distance buses and by cargo trucks.
The importance of the long-distance train is minor today, though in the past it was widely used and is now regaining momentum after the re-nationalisation of the country's commuter and freight networks.
A majority of people use public transport rather than personal cars to move around in the cities, especially in common business hours, since parking can be both difficult and expensive[citation needed].
[10] A commuter rail network for Córdoba is planned to complement the existing Tren de las Sierras which currently runs through the city and to nearby towns and villages.
A modern light rail line between the Bartolomé Mitre suburban railway station and Tigre (Tren de la Costa) inaugurated in 1996 operates in the northern suburbs.
[22][23] There is a Heritage Tramway maintained by enthusiasts that operates a large collection of vintage trams on weekends, near the Primera Junta Underground Line A station in the Caballito neighbourhood.
The city of Santiago del Estero is constructing an elevated light rail system to connect itself with its metropolitan area.
Paid for at first with an excise tax on gasoline, the bureau could claim some important accomplishments, like the 1951 opening of the 200 km Santa Fe-Rosario expressway.
Argentina is home to around 9.2 million registered cars, trucks and buses;[28] on a per capita basis, it has long had Latin America's widest accessibility to motor vehicles.
Argentine long distance buses are fast, affordable and comfortable; they have become the primary means of long-distance travel since railway privatisations in the early 1990s greatly downsized Argentina's passenger rail service and plane tickets are more expensive.
[32] Following the break-up, however, several private and provincial railway companies had been created and resurrected some of the major passenger trains that FA once operated, albeit with far more limited services than under state administration.
Trenes de Buenos Aires, Ferrocentral, Ferrobaires, and Tren Patagónico were some of the private companies that managed Argentina's long distance passenger rail network in this period.
[45] Further investment of US$2.5 billion has been agreed with China in an effort to improve freight capacity throughout Argentina and refurbish ageing track segments.
[46] Through this investment, the government ordered 1000 freight wagons from Argentine state-owned company Fabricaciones Militares, while the deal with China included the purchase of 100 locomotives and 3,500 carriages from the country.
A number of steam powered heritage railways (tourist trains) are in operation; the Old Patagonian Express (locally known as "La Trochita") in Patagonia, the Train of the End of the World (Southern Fuegian Railway) in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego and a short run Tren Histórico de Bariloche.
The national government had closed the line after nationalising it in order to restore the tracks, however it returned to service in March, 2015 with refurbished rolling stock and rails under the operation of Trenes Argentinos.
[56][57] Though traditionally more expensive when compared with the other means of transportation, air travel is becoming increasingly common due to more competitive prices.
Since 2003, the Ministry of The Interior and Transport has overseen numerous construction works throughout the country's airports, ranging from the building of new terminals to extending the lengths of runways and improving radar systems.
[58] The national flag carrier is Aerolíneas Argentinas, which was re-nationalised from Iberia in 2008 with the government citing mismanagement under the Spanish firm.
[32] Fluvial transport is not often used for people, with the exception of those who cross the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires to Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo, both in Uruguay.
