How to Get to Iguazu Falls From Buenos Aires (Three Ways)

Iguazu Falls

Posted 12/02/2025 | 12th February, 2025

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Located on the border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, Iguazu Falls is one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders. 

This massive waterfall system consists of approximately 275 individual falls spread across 2.7 kilometres. The height of the falls reaches 82 meters, and once you’re up close and personal, the sheer scale of Iguazu is mesmerising. 

The most famous section is the “Devil’s Throat,” a U-shaped, thunderous cascade. Surrounded by lush rainforest teeming with diverse wildlife, Iguazu Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination.

In my opinion, Iguazu Falls is the perfect addition to any trip to Buenos Aires. From the crazy city to this incredible natural wonder, what an incredibly diverse trip! So, here is exactly how to get from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls. 

Iguazu Falls

Option One: Fly 

Flying to Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires is undoubtedly the most efficient way to get between the two hotspots. 

It’s the method I would recommend. The flight takes just under two hours and providing that you book with enough notice and flexibility, prices are very reasonable. Fly Bondi and Jet Smart both offer frequent flights with prices starting from just $35 USD. 

You will first need to take an Uber from your accommodation in Buenos Aires to the airport. The traffic in the capital is absolutely crazy so depending on the time of day you are travelling, I would allow at least one hour. From the Palermo area, this will cost around $25 USD. 

From the Aiport to Puerto Iguazu

Once you land in Iguazu, you will have a few options for transport at the airport in order to get into the town of Puerto Iguazu. 

🚌There is a public bus operated by Rio Uruguay, which connects the airport to the centre of town. Almost all accommodations are walkable from this bus station. To catch this bus, just head outside of the arrivals terminal and you will see the stop. 

🚐 There is a minibus service which will take you from the airport door directly to your hotel. These don’t run on any set time but will depart when they are full. This is a great option if you want door-to-door service but don’t want to pay for a private vehicle. You can pay in cash or card at the counter inside the arrivals hall. 

🚕 The third option is a private taxi. Uber does not work in Puerto Iguazu, therefore you will need to negotiate the price with your driver and pay using cash. There will be lots of taxi drivers waiting at the airport entrance. 

🚗 The fourth and final option is to rent a car. Although this allows you maximum freedom, I wouldn’t recommend this. You’re going to spend all day at the falls and everything within the town is very walkable. 

Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls

Option Two: Bus

If you’ve travelled much within Latin America, you will appreciate how amazing their long-distance buses are. The seats are comfortable, there is plenty of space and they are very affordable. 

However, travelling by bus from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls is no small journey. The bus takes at least 18 hours, and surprisingly, doesn’t actually save you much money. 

In fact, buses start from around $75 USD. Meaning, it’s often cheaper to fly from Buenos Aires to Iguazu, even when you factor in the cost of checking a bag. 

Nevertheless, the bus is an excellent option if you want to travel Argentina completely overland, or simply don’t want the hassle of dealing with airports. 

For long-distance buses I always use Busbud. It’s slightly more expensive than booking directly at the bus station. But, it allows you to pay using a credit card, compare all of the various companies, and you can cancel for free up to 24 hours in advance. 

Iguazu Falls

Option Three: Drive 

A huge number of foreign tourists rent a car and drive around Argentina. It’s such as vast country with an excellent connection of highways, therefore, it seems like a great way to explore the country. 

Renting a car and driving in Argentina is affordable and particularly popular with those who are exploring Patagonia in the south.

However, there are two main issues when renting a car to drive between Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls.

⏰ The first problem is the sheer distance. It’s a 16-hour drive, covering over 1300 km in distance. There isn’t a huge amount for tourists to see and enjoy between these two Argentinian highlights. Therefore, you have a huge drive ahead of you without anything interesting to break it up. 

🚗 The second issue is that it is challenging and expensive to find a car rental that will allow you to pick up and drop off in completely different areas of the country. Therefore, if your trip ends in Iguazu, or continues into other countries in the region, you will first have to return to Buenos Aires to drop the car. 

That being said, who doesn’t love a road trip in a new country? If you’re someone who enjoys independent, off-the-beaten-track travel, then renting a car and driving between Buenos Aires and Iguazu might just be the answer for you. 

I recommend using Discover Cars to compare the various car rental services in Argentina. 

Iguazu Falls Brazil Bird Sanctuary
Iguazu Falls Brazil Bird Sanctuary

Visiting Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires in One Day 

Is visiting Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires in one day feasible? Yes. 

Would I recommend doing this in one day? Absolutely not. 

If you literally only have one day left on your Buenos Aires itinerary, and this will be the only opportunity you have to visit these incredible falls – then I would say go for it! However, this will be a very long, and very expensive day trip. 

There are flights early in the morning, which will get you to the park before lunchtime. You could then take the last flight of the day, which usually departs around 10 pm. This would mean you would need to arrive at the airport around 8 pm, leaving enough time for a nice dinner in Puerto Iguazu beforehand. 

This Iguazu Falls day trip includes round-trip flights, private transfers to the park, and a bilingual guide once inside the park. 

Of course, doing a day trip to Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires means there will not be enough time to visit the Brazilian side – which is a shame! 

All that being said, I would highly recommend you dedicate a couple of days to visiting Iguazu Falls, it is a breathtaking experience and certainly worth your time. 

Useful Links for Travelling Argentina

🚢 Get Your Guide & Viator for booking the best day trips

🛌 Booking.com & Hostelworld for your accommodation needs

🚌 Busbud for long-distance buses 

🚙 Discover Cars for comparing car rentals in Argentina

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How to get from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls
Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires

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