Dates
The following information is provided by the Secretariat for the use of participants at the WG-SAM meeting to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 26 to 30 June 2017.
Venue
Palacio San Martín, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship
Arenales 761 (Main Gate)
Buenos Aires
Arriving at Buenos Aires
There are two main airports in Buenos Aires:
Ministro Pistarini - Ezeiza Airport (EZE): Located 45 minutes outside the city. Most international flights arrive in and depart from this airport.
Shuttle services are a good way to get downtown. The transport booth area is beyond customs and has a couple of companies with frequent shuttles into town (e.g. Manuel Tienda Leon). The same companies offer private car services.
For taxis, go past the first transport booth area to the reception area in arrivals, inside the terminal building. There you will find the official taxi stand (a blue sign says ‘Taxi Ezeiza’).
AR Bus Shuttle: The most affordable choice, but it only takes you to Aeroparque Airport. From there, you will need to find other means of transportation.
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP): Close to downtown and easily accessible by local bus or taxi. Some international flights (mostly regional) arrive in and depart from this airport.
Shuttle and private car services are available at the arrivals sector. The transport booth area is in the arrivals terminal, outside the doors after baggage pick-up.
For taxis, go past the arrivals hall. Once outside, you will see the ‘Taxis’ sign and queue.
The AR Bus Shuttle services 6 areas of the city, one of which is Retiro Terminal (the city’s main bus station, a 15 minute walk to Palacio San Martín).
Registration
On the first day of each working group/workshop meeting, participants will enter San Martín Palace through its main gate and will register (photo ID or passport required). Late arrival participants will need to register on the first day they attend the working group/workshop.
Badges will be provided upon registration. Delegates must wear their badges at all times and return them after their last day of attendance.
Hospitality
During the meetings, morning and afternoon coffee will be provided.
Lunch: There are several restaurants and coffee shops in the neighbourhood.
On 14 July, there will be a closing event at Salón Libertador, Palacio San Martín.
Internet connection
Participants will have access to Wi-Fi connection in all the rooms of the venue.
Entry requirements
To enter Argentina, participants will need a valid passport. For citizens of MERCOSUR and other associated States, other valid photo IDs are sufficient (you can check here if your ID is valid to enter the country).
Some participants may require a visa. You can look for visa information here or at the Argentine Embassy or Consulate in your country.
Currently, no vaccines or medical examinations are required for entering Argentina.
Accommodation
There are plenty of hotels around Palacio San Martín. The following hotels will provide a special rate for participants:
LOI SUITES ARENALES
Arenales 855
+54 11 4324 9400
LOI SUITES ESMERALDA
Marcelo T de Alvear 842
+54 11 4131 6800
www.loisuites.com.ar
Rates (incl. breakfast):
Studio (1 or 2 guests): USD 65 + tax*
1 bedroom suite (1 to 3 guests): USD 79 + tax*
To make a reservation, participants should send an email to reservas2 [at] loisuites [dot] com [dot] ar or mclonghi [at] loisuites [dot] com [dot] ar, letting the hotel know they will attend the ‘CCAMLR meetings’.
ARGENTA TOWER & SUITES
Juncal 868
+54 11 4325 4100
www.argenta-tower.com.ar
Rates (incl. breakfast):
Single Studio: USD 79 + tax*
Double Studio USD 90 + tax*
Reservations should be made to ventas [at] argenta-tower [dot] com [dot] ar, indicating full name, dates, reference to ‘CCAMLR meetings’ and credit card information.
SUIPACHA SUITES
Suipacha 1235
+54 11 4819 3600
www.suipachasuites.com
Rates (incl. breakfast):
Junior Suite: USD 70
Reservations should be made to recepcion [at] suipachasuites [dot] com, indicating full name, dates, reference to ‘Cancillería meetings’ and credit card information.
*Foreign Nationals are exempt of the 21% VAT tax (guests should present their passport or MERCOSUR ID and payment should be made with an international debit or credit card).
Other hotels close to the venue are: NH Hotel Buenos Aires, Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center.
Currency
The only valid currency in Argentina is the Argentine Peso (ARS). Its equivalence to other currencies changes daily, so it is advisable to check its value before travelling. Approximate current exchange rate is USD 1.00 – ARS 15.50.
Credit cards like Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted at restaurants, hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants and gas stations.
Cash is needed to pay for taxis and some other services.
Moving around Buenos Aires
With hundreds of bus lines and six subway lines, Buenos Aires is an easy city to manage on public transport.
A single bus ride costs between ARS 6.00 and 6.50, depending on the distance you travel. A subway ride costs ARS 7.50, no matter the distance or the lines you take.
A SUBE card is required to pay the fare in all public transport system in Buenos Aires. It costs ARS 25 and it can be purchased and loaded at any subway station and most ‘kioscos’, where it can also be topped up once it runs out of credit.
You can find the best way of getting to your destination by using the official Buenos Aires map.
Taxis are easily spotted around the city. To hail one, just look for a black and yellow taxi with the red and white ‘libre’ (free) sign light lit up. While most taxis are perfectly safe, it’s best to look for one with the ‘Radio Taxi’ logo on top or side of the car.
The drop rate (as of May 2017) is ARS 23.20 during the day and ARS 27.80 at night, between 10pm and 6am, and goes up ARS 2.32 (during the day) and ARS 2.78 (at night) per 200 meters.
The Easy Taxi app is a good alternative if you don’t feel comfortable hailing black and yellow taxis on the street. Uber and Cabify are also available.
Electricity
The electrical current in Argentina is 220V.
Two types of sockets are in use in Argentina:
It’s recommended that you bring a universal adapter.
Shopping
Downtown Buenos Aires is filled with all kinds of stores. Close to the Palacio San Martín, it is worth it to take a stroll down calle Florida, which is a pedestrian street catering to shopping. You will be able to find all kinds of stores.
Galerías Pacífico is a shopping mall located in a beautiful historical building, around a 10 minute walk from the venue, at the intersection between Av. Cordoba and Florida Street. Another option is the Patio Bullrich on Posadas Street, also a 10 minute walk away.
In other neighbourhoods, you can expect shopping to be quite good. Palermo is quite trendy and full of boutique shops and name brands catering to men and women alike, and San Telmo is the place to go if you are looking for antiques. The streets of San Telmo are filled with different kinds of antique shops where finding a hidden treasure is not that hard. San Telmo also has a good number of boutique clothing stores that cater to the bohemian vibe of the neighbourhood. Make sure to explore San Telmo on a Sunday, when the whole Defensa Street is closed off to traffic and becomes a large market where individual merchants selling all kinds of things cover the streets.
Safety
The same primary safety precautions that apply to all big cities apply to Buenos Aires. Do not exchange foreign currency on the street and always use exchange houses or banks.
Emergency numbers for Police are 101 or 911.
Health and Emergencies
Argentina has a universal health care system, which is comprised of public medical facilities that are universally accessible to everyone in the country, including visitors.
Within the private health sector, Clínica y Maternidad Suizo Argentina, Instituto Argentino de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento and Hospital Alemán are recommended to the participants in case they need medical attention, as they are closely located to the venue and they provide multi-disciplinary services and 24-hour emergency attention. Please note that hospital bills are the sole responsibility of the patient.
Obtaining international health insurance is highly recommended.
Emergency number for medical emergencies: 107.
Social events
Nature reserve walk and lunch, 8 July, 10am
In the context of the upcoming WG-EMM meeting in Buenos Aires, Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina (FVSA) and the Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) are organizing an outing for representatives to take place during the morning ofSaturday 8 July, prior to the start of the meeting. These organizations are hosting an event that will include a visit to the urban nature reserve "Reserva Costanera Sur", located in the heart of Buenos Aires on the La Plata river shores. The event will start at 10 AM and after a short welcome words and introduction to the place, the group will be invited to a guided walk along the paths of the reserve, providing for an excellent opportunity for bird-watching.
The Costanera Sur Reserve is well known to be a unique place to do bird-watching in the city, and although winter is not the best time of the year, it would be an excellent opportunity to get to experience and enjoy this natural habitat. After the walk, a standing lunch will be provided at the reserve visitor center.
For organization purposes, we kindly ask representatives to confirm attendance to the event by contacting Mariano Aguas (FVSA) and Rodolfo Werner (Pew)) at: marianoaguas [at] gmail [dot] com and rodolfo [dot] antarctica [at] gmail [dot] com
