Can someone please recommend a bus company for travel from Santiago to Mendoza, and then from Mendoza to Buenos Aires?

I'll be flying into SCL in early October. Will stay there for 2 nights, then take an overnight bus to Mendoza and stay there for 2 nights. Then take another overnight bus to Buenos Aires and stay there for 4 nights. Since it is kind of a long journey, i'm trying to find an affordable/comfortable/reputable bus company to make the journey with. I'll be on a tight schedule so i would prefer to find a company that i can book online with to have a guaranteed seat.

We are planning to do something very similar next March and have decided to use Andesmar http://www.andesmar.com. There is more information here: http://tinyurl.com/3pcy9wn and http://tinyurl.com/43learq and http://tinyurl.com/3pmu3d9

Yes they are a reputable company.

To the OP....I would take a daylight bus over the Andes to Mendoza. Not sure why you'd want to travel in darkness with so much spectacular scenery to see.

Hiddy, I really wish i could take a day bus, but i am so short on time, -trying to see three far away cities- that i will have to make it an overnight bus. I think i am already pushing it as it is.

Orlando VLC, does Andesmar have an overnight bus? I couldn't find one through my search.

from Santiago to Mendoza, I don't think so, but you can check here: http://www.andesmar.com/shop/default.asp?lang=en I think the trip is too short. But, from Mendoza to Buenos Aires, yes! That is our plan. Take a look at what the first class tickets offer: http://www.andesmar.com/shop/View.as...id=143&lang=en

The overnight buses Santiago to Mendoza are not year round as they coincide when the border is open 24 hours usually most of the year except the winter months.

Always remember how clogged the Chile-Argentina border can get due to closures because of storms and horrendous backups due of holiday travel, strikes, road construction and even events like the recent Copa America.

I recall that there is no non-stop service Santiago to BA as the trip is broken up with a stop or change of buses in Mendoza.

If you are traveling to SCL on a OW airline, you should take a look at LAN's SA Pass and fly SCL-MDZ, MDZ-BUE (and one more segment to qualify for the pass) which may be the same in total as first class service on the bus.

Do you have BA miles? you can do SCL-MDZ(stopover)-AEP for 12.5k + u$s 17.75 or 10k miles + u$s 52.75 ^

If short on time, I'd highly recommend flying one or both legs. Fares on LAN are usually fairly reasonable (more than the bus, yes, but not exorbitant) and as another has pointed out, you may either be able to make use of a SA pass or fly LAN using miles from another oneworld program.

Currently there is no availability for my specific dates (using BA miles). Good idea though.

But, out of curiosity, how would using ba miles price out to 12.5k + $17.5 or 10k miles + $52 on SCL-MDZ(stop)-AEP?

Isn't the only reasonable option, using BA miles, a domestic South America award ? (which would be 10k + tax)? I'm curious where u got the 12.5k from.

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AA chart has a wholly domestic Argentina option for 10k miles too. I plan to call tomorrow to see if there is availability from just MDZ-AEP, using AA miles (would still have to bus SCL to MDZ, but that's okay) . Perhaps there is better availability using AA miles instead of BA miles, since the AA miles include "off peak" dates on their partner award chart?

Remember, SCL-MDZ-AEP is not a domestic flight. BA miles within South America will cost you 25k R/T, SCL(Chile)-AEP(Argentina) one way is just 12.5K+fees ^

I just check October 2011 SCL-AEP (SCL-MDZ-AEP) and I found availability almost everyday, if you check SCL-MDZ you will get the same result but if you look MDZ-AEP you will not find anything (just Oct 19). Since SCL-MDZ-AEP is available everyday you can request an stopover on MDZ but you have to call to BA in order to get that seat ^, if you need more help let me know your dates

It appears there is some availability (with a stop in MDZ) when i type in SCL-AEP. I wonder why nothing shows up when i type in MDZ-AEP. I appreciate the help... but I really need either a MDZ-AEP flight on the 11th (at any time), or possibly a really early morning on the 12th (our schedule is just so tight). As of now, only a very late oct. 12th flight is available MDZ-AEP. That would put us into EZE too late. Then my travel partner would only have 1.5 days in EZE, which is really not enough time for her.

Flying from SCL to MDZ (and beyond) will require another reciprocity fee. Is that a concern here?

The bus plan would eliminate that.

Yes, that would be a concern since i am already paying the SCL entry fee.

I thought there is no reciprocity fee if i first land in MDZ. And then fly MDZ-EZE. I thought that MDZ doesn't collect the reciprocity fee; and that i wouldn't pay an EZE reciprocity fee b/c i wouldn't be on an international flight (i'd be flying in from MDZ). I'm not 100% sure, but it would certainly influence our decision. Are u sure that i would still incur the fee?

Call BAEC or AA and ask them, on Lan.com I see

10/12 MDZ-AEP

4253 (4M) available for 10k Km

4241 (4M) available for 10k Km

4243 (4M) available for 10k Km

4249 (4M) available for 22k Km

BA is not perfect

No reciprocity fee because MDZ-AEP is a domestic flight and MDZ (AFAIK) doesn't collect the reciprocity fee.

The SCL-MDZ(no stopover)-AEP flies the exact same route as SCL-MDZ (stop)-AEP

So i wouldn't be arriving at AEP on an "international flight" either way...

So what determines if i pay the reciprocity fee? Does the immigration officer see that (when departing from SCL) i stopped in MDZ, as opposed to connected in MDZ, and therefore waive the reciprocity fee?