Connecting argentina to Uruguay
Buenos Aires is a great city in Argentina filled with tons to do and explore and one of its luxuries is that it has a port with ferries that bring you to Uruguay. If you have extra days in Buenos Aires or think why not check out Uruguay since I am so close by you are in luck because of this. You can even take a day trip to Uruguay by checking out its cute colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento. Likewise, if you have a few days extra in Uruguay and want to explore Buenos Aires while you are visiting this is a great way to cross the border. You can easily get to Colonia from Buenos Aires on a ferry.
the ferry
There are two main ferry lines Colonia Express and Buquebus. I chose Buquebus but I am sure either would be great. Both ferries take 1 hour and 15 minutes to cross between countries from Colonia del Sacramento and Buenos Aires.
the Buenos Aires and colonia ferry schedule
Buquebus
There are departures from Buenos Aires everyday at 8:15 and 11:45 in the morning. Depending on the day there will be an evening departure at either 18:00, 18:55 or 22:00.
Return ferries from Colonia to Buenos Aires run at 10 AM every day and 17:00 and 20:45 on Mondays through Fridays and 16:00 and 19:45 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Colonia Express
There are departures from Buenos Aires to Colonia at 8:15, 12:30 and 18:15 and returns from Colonia to Buenos Aires at 10:30, 16:30 and 20:15.
Colonia Express also offers tours that include walking tours, wine tours, bicycle tours and more.
other routes and options
You can also elect to take a longer ferry ride to Montevideo which takes approximately 4 hours 45 minute. You can also take the ferry to Colonia and catch a bus from Colonia to Montevideo.. You can purchase this as a combined ticket.
I elected to stop in Colonia for day to truly get to experience it and then headed on a bus to Montevideo on another day. The bus can be purchased in town and is approximately $12 and takes about 3 hours to get there.
Furthermore, there are ferries that run directly to Punta del Este from Buenos Aires at 7:30 AM every day arriving in Punta del Este at 12:30 PM.
cost of ferry
This can vary dramatically based on holidays, weekends, and demand. You can book in person or go a few days in advance to the ferry terminal to book if you would like. I chose to book online. Both Colonia Express and Buquebus have online book options. When booking they recommended a paper copy to board. I did this trip in 2019 so the policies may have changed but I did book this prior to arrival in Argentina and printed it to have on my person. The cost of my ferry was about $32 USD one way without a bus.
things to do
Top Things to do Colonia del Sacramento
While in Colonia you should walk the Barrio Historico and marina area. You should check out El Faro Lighthouse, Calle de Los Suspiros, Plaza de Armas, and the Basilica del Santisimo Sacramento. If you are into wineries there are some wine tours in the area.
Top things to do Buenos Aires
While in Buenos Aires you should check out the Palermo, la Boca, and San Telmo neighborhoods, Paseo del Rosedal, Recoleta Cemetery, and the Plaza de Mayo.
