Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
This is the link I'm using. The cheapest fare is called "Tarifa Programada" and the box with its conditions pops up in Spanish, although the boxes explaining some of the other fares such as Primera do show me the conditions in English, which seem to say that these are tickets good for 365 days etc.
The fare I'm seeing for Tarifa Programada is 236 outbound (Buenos Aires to Colonia) 8:45-10:00 am and 251 for the return 4:30-5:45 pm, for a total of 487. This sounds like the $105 ticket that someone else reported.
Am I doing this right? The next step seems to be to fill out a form with passport information.
Yes, you are doing it right. Like airfares, the cheapest tickets have the most restrictions, the more expensive ones are refundable, etc. I recommend the cheapest. There is also a first class ticket, but completely not worth it for a one-hour boat ride. Although it does include a free micro-coffee and cookie upon boarding.
As it is an international trip, you need to provide the passport info. And we will go through a cursory customs and immigration once each way. You exit Argentina in one window, and 12 inches over is the Welcome to Uruguay window. It is done before boarding the boat.
Programada = Cheap Ticket
Flexible = Flexible, changeable
Primera = First Class
Primera Especial = On the slow boat, (a 3-hr trip) there is a higher first class
Bodegas = Driving a car onto the ferry
If anyone is having issues buying the ticket, I would be happy to walk you through it, or explain the different words and screens. Just PM me...