Uruguay lies across the Río de la Plata, and the ferry is the usual way to reach it from Buenos Aires. The crossing is easy. The mistake travellers make comes earlier: turning up at the wrong terminal. The ferry companies sail from different terminals that are far apart, so read your ticket for the company name and the terminal name before you order a car.
Where the boats go
- Colonia del Sacramento. The shorter crossing. Many people go and return on the same day.
- Montevideo. There is a longer direct crossing, and there are combined tickets with a ferry to Colonia and a connecting coach to Montevideo.
- Carmelo. Reached by smaller boats that leave from Tigre and cross the delta, not from the city port.
The terminals in the city
- Buquebus terminal, at Dársena Norte. At the northern end of Puerto Madero, close to Retiro and the centre. See our page on the Buquebus terminal.
- Colonia Express terminal, at Dársena Sur. At the opposite end of the port area, towards La Boca. See the Colonia Express terminal page.
You cannot walk from one to the other. If you arrive at the wrong one, you need a car and spare time.
It is an international trip
Short as it is, you are leaving the country. Argentine and Uruguayan immigration checks are both carried out at the Buenos Aires terminal before boarding, and large bags are checked in. Each company sets its own check-in deadline, printed on the ticket. The documents required depend on each passenger’s nationality; check with the official migration authority before you buy.
Getting to the terminal
- Taxi or app. Fine from a hotel in the city. Give the name of the terminal, not just “the ferry”.
- City bus. Some lines pass near both terminals, but the last stretch on foot is awkward with suitcases.
- The company’s own coach. Some companies offer a transfer from certain points; ask when buying.
- Private transfer. Sensible for families, heavy luggage or a very early sailing, and for going straight from Ezeiza or Aeroparque without stopping at a hotel.
Coming back
When a full boat docks, many passengers look for a car at once, and returns from Colonia are often in the evening. With a transfer booked, the driver is waiting at the exit. Our service covers the Buenos Aires side; on the Uruguayan side you continue on your own.