In high season there is no single good time to drive Ruta 2, the dual carriageway from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata and the turn-off for Pinamar and Villa Gesell. There are days and hours when it clogs and others when it runs as freely as in winter. The date matters more than the clock. This guide explains when queues form, where, and how to choose a departure time without promising figures nobody can guarantee.
How the Argentine summer works
January and February are the holiday months, and beach rentals usually run by the fortnight. At the start and middle of each month one wave of holidaymakers leaves as the next arrives, all on the same day. Weekends add their own peaks, and so do long weekends such as Carnival and Easter.
- Heading to the coast. Friday afternoon and evening, and Saturday morning.
- Heading back to Buenos Aires. Sunday afternoon and evening, and the last day of a long weekend.
- Lighter moments. Weekdays away from a changeover, and the first hours of the morning.
Where the delays build
At the exit from the city on the Buenos Aires – La Plata motorway, at the toll plazas, at Dolores, where traffic for Pinamar, Cariló and Villa Gesell turns onto Ruta 63, and at the entrance to Mar del Plata. Service stations fill up too, so a quick stop can turn into a long one.
Choosing when to leave
- Check whether your date falls on a changeover or a long weekend. If you can, move the trip by a day.
- If the date is fixed, leave very early or wait until the peak has passed.
- For the return, choose the morning of the last day or simply the next morning.
- Check the road on the day. The road operator and the provincial road authority report traffic, and map apps show live delays.
- With a flight to catch afterwards, leave a wide margin or come back the day before.
Alternatives to driving
- Train to Mar del Plata. It leaves from Constitución station and is not affected by traffic. Seats sell out in season.
- Long-distance bus. Same road, same delays, but somebody else drives.
- Private transfer. It does not beat the traffic either, which is why we do not promise an arrival time. What changes is that nobody in your group drives, you leave from your door or straight from Ezeiza, and we agree the departure time with you according to the date. With children, stops are made when they are needed.
If you are still deciding where to go, see the guide to weekend getaways.