Airlines Aerolineas Argentinas, Peru 2 (tel 011/4340-7777); Aeroperu, Av. Santa Fe 840 (tel 011/4311-4115); Air France, Paraguay 610, 14th Floor (tel 011/4317-4747); Alitalia, Suipacha 1111, 28th Floor (tel 011/4310-9910); American Airlines, Av. Santa Fe 881 (tel 011/4318-1111); Austral, Parana 590 y San Martin 427 (tel 011/4340-7777); British Airways, Viamonte 570, 1st Floor (tel 011/4320-6600); Canadian Airlines, Av. Cordoba 656 (tel 011/4322-3632); Cubana, Sarmiento 552, 11th Floor (tel 011/4326-5291); KLM, Reconquista 559, 5th Floor (tel 011/4312-1200); LAER, Maipu 935 P.B (tel 011/4311-5237); LADE, Peru 714 (tel 011/4361-0853); Lan Chile, Paraguay 609 (tel 011/4311-5334); LAPA, Carlos Pellegrini 1075 (tel 011/4819-5272); Lufthansa, Marcelo T. de Alvear 636 (tel 011/4319-0600); Southern Winds, Florida 868, 13th Floor (tel 011/4312-2811); Swissair, Av. Santa Fe 846, 1st Floor (tel 011/4319-0000); United Airlines, Av. Madero 900, 9th Floor Torre Catalinas Plaza (tel 011/4316-0777).

Airport Enquiries Ezeiza (tel 011/4480-9538); Aeroparque (tel 011/4773-1406).

Buses Retiro bus terminal is at Avenida Antartida and Ramos Mejia (tel 011/4310-0700). Note that it's almost impossible to get through on the station's general information number. If you know the name of the bus company you want (usually available by calling the relevant casa de provincia ), you could call direct to check the timetable and, in most cases, make a reservation or credit-card purchase. Otherwise, you're probably best off visiting the terminal in person, where there is a useful information booth to help you make sense of the hundreds of boleterias or ticket counters. There are often many different companies going to the same destination: apart from obvious differences such as timetables and prices, deciding factors may include availability of student discounts (rare but worth enquiring about) and type of service.

Car Rental AI Rent a Car International, M.T. de Alvear 678 (tel 011/4311-1000; rentacar@ssdenet.com.ar ); Avis, Cerrito 1527 (tel 011/4326-5577); Budget Rent a Car, Santa Fe 869 (tel 011/4311-9870); Dollar, Esmeralda 684, 8th Floor (tel 011/4393-5454); Express, Carlos Pellegrini 1576, local 24 (tel 011/4326-0338; recova@express-rent.com.ar ); Hertz, Ricardo Rojas 451 (tel 011/4312-1317), also at Sheraton Hotel (tel 011/4313-2525) and Ezeiza (tel 011/4480-0054); Localiza, Maipu 924 (tel 011/4315-8384); Ezeiza (tel 011/4480-0431); Aeroparque (tel 011/4776-3993); Tauro, Posadas 1590 (tel 011/4807-1002; maxicar@movi.com.ar ).

Embassies and Consulates Australia, Villanueva 1400 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2-5.30pm; tel 011/4777-6580); Bolivia, Av. Belgrano 1670, 1st Floor (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm; tel 011/4381-0539); Brazil, Cerrito 1350 (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm; tel 011/4815-8737); Canada, Tagle 2828 (Mon-Thurs 8.30am-11.30am); Chile, San Martin 439, 9th Floor (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm; tel 011/4394-6582); Ireland, Suipacha 1380, 2nd Floor (Mon-Fri 9.30am-3.30pm); New Zealand, Carlos Pellegrini 1427, 5th Floor (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2-5.30pm; tel 011/4328-0747); Peru, Av. Cordoba 1345, 11th Floor (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; tel 011/4811-4619); UK, Dr Luis Agote 2412 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm; tel 011/4803-7070); United States, Av. Colombia 4300 (Mon, Wed & Fri 8.45-10.30am); Uruguay, Ayacucho 1616 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-12.30pm; tel 011/4807-3040).

Exchange Buenos Aires is the only city in the country where you will find it relatively easy to change travellers' cheques, but it can still turn into a lengthy transaction. The majority of bureaux de change are located around the financial district; particularly along San Martin - rates are similar at all of them and opening hours are generally Monday to Friday 9am-6pm. Only a few open on Saturday morning. American Express, at Arenales 707, changes its own cheques commission free.

Hospitals Consultorio de Medicina del Viajero, Hospital de Infecciosas F.J. Muniz, Uspallata (tel 011/4304-2386); Hospital Britanico, Perdriel 74 (tel 011/4304-1081); Hospital De Clinicas Jose de San Martin, Av. Cordoba 235l (tel 011/4961-6001 or 4961-7575).

Internet There are an increasing number of places offering Internet access in Buenos Aires, though in comparison with some of the provincial towns, they tend to be rather expensive. However, prices are dropping all the time, and various places along Florida run competitive offers from time to time - watch out for leaflets given out in the street. Throughout the city, many locutorios provide Internet access. Cybercafes to try include Al Cyber, Chile 1202 ( www.alcyber.com.ar ); Cybercafe, Maure 1886 ( www.cybercafe.com.ar ); Goethe Institut, Corrientes 319 (Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 1-7pm; www.siemens.cafe ); Las Vegas, Carlos Pellegrini 469 ( usatotal@aol.com ); Libreria de Mujeres, Montevideo 370 ( www.sion.com/libreriamujeres ); and Web Cafe, Alto Palermo Shopping, 3rd Floor, Av. Santa Fe 3253 ( www.webcafe.com.ar ).

Laundry Via Suipacha, at Suipacha 722 (tel 011/4322 3458); Laverap, at Av. Cordoba 466 (tel 011/4312-5460), plus many others across the city.

Pharmacies Farmacia Portena, on the corner of Parana and Corrientes; Hiperfarmacia on Corrientes, just past the intersection with Callao. Both open 24hr.

Police Lavalle 451 (tel 011/4322-8033) and Suipacha 1156 (tel 011/4393-3333).

Post Office Correo Central, Sarmiento 189 (Mon-Fri 10am-8pm). As well as standard post and parcel facilities, there is a poste restante office on the first floor, which charges $1.50 per item. There are numerous smaller branches throughout the city, open from 10am to 6pm. Outside these hours, there are many post office counters within stationery shops ( papelerias ) and at kiosks.

Taxis and remises Ordinary taxis are plentiful throughout the city, though if you have any difficulty, there are a number of radio taxi firms: City Tax (tel 011/4585-5544); Radio Taxi Pidalo (tel 011/4932-2222); Taxi Ya (tel 011/4953-4206). For longer journeys, booked ahead of time, your best option is a remise: A.C.A.R (tel 011/4831-0715); Agencia Barrio Norte (tel 011/4811-1334); Tres Sargentos (tel 011/4311-4832).

Travel Agents and Tours Agreste, Viamonte 1636 (tel 011/4373-4442) offers adventurous camping trips across the country to destinations such as the Saltos de Mocona and the Valle de la Luna. Buenos Aires Tur, Lavalle 1444, Office 16 (tel 011/4371-2304), offers city tours of Buenos Aires, including tango shows, and visits to Tigre and nearby estancias. ASATEJ, Florida 835, 3rd Floor, is a young and dynamic travel agency, affiliated to STA Travel and offering the cheapest flight deals in the city - be prepared to wait as the office gets very busy. Lihue Expediciones, Maipu 926, 1st Floor (tel 011/4311-9610), offers imaginative literary walks through the city, based around the writings of Borges, Cortazar and others.