The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, which includes the City and the Province, is linked by a network of highways that millions of Argentines travel on every day, whether to work, study or carry out procedures. If you are a foreigner who plans to travel around Buenos Aires and not just limit yourself to the City, it is key that you at least have an idea of what these highways are and where the main accesses are.
Except to the east, where the Río de la Plata is its natural limit, the City of Buenos Aires is surrounded in the remaining cardinal points by the Province. In this sense, if you want to leave the city or enter it, you must use some of the highways or avenues that connect them to each other.
Here we explain what the main accesses, exit points and highways are so that you can easily locate yourself.
What are the main highways in the City of Buenos Aires?
9 de Julio Highway
The 9 de Julio Highway is part of the urban highway network in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It spans 3.5 kilometers, passing through the neighborhoods of Constitución and Barracas. Starting from the intersection of San Juan and 9 de Julio avenues, it connects with the 25 de Mayo Highway, distributing traffic towards Avellaneda, La Plata, Acceso Oeste, and Ezeiza Airport.
The highway follows a viaduct, passing landmarks like the Church of the Immaculate Heart and Plaza Constitución, before running between Herrera and General Hornos streets, eventually reaching the Riachuelo River.
Here, it utilizes the existing structure of the Nuevo Puente Pueyrredón, providing routes toward Mitre and Yrigoyen avenues in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. It has access points at Caseros and Suárez avenues, and Brandsen, California, and Río Cuarto streets.
Doctor Ricardo Balbín Highway
Also known as National Route 1 or the Buenos Aires-La Plata Highway, the Doctor Ricardo Balbín Highway links the 25 de Mayo Highway and Paseo del Bajo in Buenos Aires with Provincial Route 11 near La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires Province.
The highway passes through the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Boca and the municipalities of Avellaneda, Quilmes, Berazategui, and Ensenada, running close to the Río de la Plata.
With a traffic volume exceeding 2.2 million vehicles and six million people monthly, it is a crucial route. At kilometer 31, it connects with A004, a vital link for those heading to the popular tourist destinations of Mar del Plata and other cities along the Atlantic coast.
Lieutenant General Pablo Riccheri Highway
The Lieutenant General Pablo Riccheri Highway, also known as National Route A002, connects General Paz Avenue with Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza.
Spanning 16 kilometers, it begins as an extension of the Luis Dellepiane Highway at General Paz Avenue and continues southwest through the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, passing through La Matanza, Esteban Echeverría, and Ezeiza. This highway is commonly used to access the southwestern region of Buenos Aires Province from the city.
Brigadier General Juan Manuel de Rosas Avenue
Brigadier General Juan Manuel de Rosas Avenue is the main arterial road of La Matanza, Buenos Aires Province. It is part of National Route 3 between kilometers 14 and 47, covering nearly its entire stretch within Greater Buenos Aires.
The avenue extends 33 kilometers from its intersection with General Paz and Juan Bautista Alberdi avenues, running northeast to southwest as a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction. It serves as a significant route in the western suburbs of Buenos Aires.
Western Access Highway
The Western Access Highway is one of the primary routes into Buenos Aires from the province. It serves the western suburbs of Buenos Aires, which not only include a population of over 4 million but also various industrial, commercial, and residential areas. This highway is the direct route to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján and El Palomar Airport.
It starts at the interchange with General Paz Avenue and extends along National Route 7 until Route 5 (km 62). Within the city, it continues as the Perito Moreno Highway, passing through the neighborhoods of Versalles, Liniers, Villa Luro, and Parque Avellaneda before merging with the 25 de Mayo Highway.
Provincial Route 201
Provincial Route 201 is a 16-kilometer urban road connecting General Paz Avenue and Buenos Aires with Campo de Mayo through the municipalities of Tres de Febrero, Morón, Hurlingham, and San Miguel.
Provincial Route 8
Provincial Route 8 is a 45-kilometer paved road that begins at General Paz Avenue on the border of Buenos Aires and continues to Pilar. It passes through San Martín, Tres de Febrero, San Miguel, José C. Paz, Malvinas Argentinas, Los Polvorines, Grand Bourg, and Tortuguitas, traversing industrial areas, commercial centers, military installations, modest residential neighborhoods, and gated communities.
Pan-American Highway (Buenos Aires)
The Pan-American Highway is a segment of National Route 9, stretching from Florida to Campana in Buenos Aires Province. It is one of the main access routes to Buenos Aires. The highway begins at the Acceso Norte interchange on General Paz Avenue. At kilometer 20, National Route A003 (Tigre Branch) branches off toward Tigre.
At kilometer 32, the highway splits into the route toward National Route 8. The central portion of the highway continues until kilometer 75 in Campana, where it transitions into the Buenos Aires-Rosario Highway, leading to Rosario.
General Paz Avenue
General Paz Avenue is a 24.3-kilometer highway that begins at Lugones Avenue and ends at Puente de la Noria over the Matanza-Riachuelo River, forming much of the boundary between Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires Province.
It serves as a key access route to the city for residents of the northern and western suburbs, as well as for vehicles traveling to and from the north and west of the country.
It is the most heavily trafficked road in Argentina, passing through neighborhoods such as Núñez, Saavedra, Villa Urquiza, Villa Pueyrredón, Villa Devoto, Villa Real, Versalles, Liniers, Mataderos, Villa Lugano, and Villa Riachuelo.
Doctor Arturo Umberto Illia Highway
Also known as AV1 Norte, the Doctor Arturo Umberto Illia Highway provides access to downtown Buenos Aires from Leopoldo Lugones Avenue to 9 de Julio Avenue. It passes over Villa 31 and the San Martín, Belgrano Norte, and Mitre railway lines.
This 3.5-kilometer stretch allows drivers to travel from General Paz Avenue, via Lugones Avenue, to the Obelisk in just eight minutes, except during peak traffic hours.
25 de Mayo Highway
The 25 de Mayo Highway is one of the key highways in Buenos Aires’ urban network. It spans 9.5 kilometers and is an elevated highway. It begins at the intersection of Teniente General Luis J. Dellepiane Avenue and Perito Moreno Highway and ends at Ingeniero Huergo Avenue, where it connects with the Buenos Aires-La Plata Highway and Paseo del Bajo.
The highway provides access to major avenues in the southern part of the city, including Ingeniero Huergo, 9 de Julio, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, Boedo, La Plata, José María Moreno, and Carabobo, passing through the neighborhoods of Parque Avellaneda, Flores, Parque Chacabuco, Boedo, San Cristóbal, Constitución, and San Telmo.
Paseo del Bajo
Paseo del Bajo is a 7.1-kilometer highway that runs through Buenos Aires. It connects the Illia, 25 de Mayo, and Buenos Aires-La Plata highways, passing through the neighborhoods of San Telmo, Monserrat, San Nicolás, Puerto Madero, Retiro, and Recoleta. The highway has four exclusive lanes for trucks and long-distance buses, and eight lanes for light vehicles, with four lanes in each direction.
(Featured Image Source: Horacio Rodríguez Larreta/flickr.com)
