Is Buenos Aires Safe? Practical Advice for Visitors

Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Alan Seabright

Buenos Aires is generally a safe city to visit, and most travelers have an uncomplicated stay. The risk most visitors need to plan for is opportunistic theft, particularly phone snatching, pickpocketing and distraction scams in busy places. Serious incidents can happen, as they can in any large city, but a few calm habits make a meaningful difference.

At the time of this fact check, the US State Department advises travelers to exercise normal precautions in Argentina. The UK government’s Argentina safety guidance gives more detailed warnings about petty theft, distraction scams, demonstrations and particular tourist areas. Conditions and official advice can change, so check the guidance relevant to your nationality shortly before traveling.

Your Buenos Aires safety plan in 60 seconds

1. Carry only the cash and cards you expect to use that day.
2. Keep your phone out of sight when you are not using it, especially near the curb, on public transport and beside open vehicle doors.
3. Use a bag that closes properly and keep it where you can see and feel it.
4. If someone spills something on you or insists on helping, keep hold of your belongings and walk into a shop, hotel or café before stopping.
5. Use an official taxi system or a ride booked through an established app, and check the driver and vehicle before getting in.
6. Avoid demonstrations and roadblocks, even when they appear peaceful.
7. Save your accommodation details offline and remember the emergency numbers 911 for general emergencies and 107 for an ambulance.

What to carry and what to leave behind

Do not take every card, all your cash and your irreplaceable documents out together. Unless you need your original passport for a specific task, it is usually more practical to secure it at your accommodation and carry a copy or a clear photograph of the identification page. Some card transactions or official procedures may require original identification, so confirm the requirement before leaving.

Keep a separate record of your passport number, travel-insurance details, bank contact numbers and accommodation address. A cloud copy can help, but make sure at least one essential contact is also available if your phone is lost or has no signal.

Wear what makes you comfortable. There is no need to dress defensively, but expensive jewelry, watches and accessories can attract attention. A small, zipped cross-body bag is easier to monitor than an open tote or a backpack containing every valuable you brought to Argentina.

Protecting your phone and bags

Phone theft can happen quickly. Before checking a map, move away from the curb and stand somewhere that does not leave the phone extended toward the street. In an unfamiliar or very busy area, step into a shop or café rather than remaining absorbed in the screen.

Keep bags zipped on the Subte, buses, at markets and in busy terminals. In a crowd, move a backpack to your front. In restaurants, do not hang a handbag or camera bag on the back of a chair. Keep it on your lap, between your feet with the strap controlled, or somewhere you can see it throughout the meal.

When taking a photograph, stop in a secure position first. Do not step backward into a road or bicycle lane while framing a picture, and avoid leaving another bag on the ground while your attention is on the camera.

Distraction scams and pickpocketing

Distraction theft often involves more than one person. Someone may claim that you dropped money, ask an urgent question, bump into you or point out a stain on your clothes while another person reaches for a phone, pocket or bag.

The best response is simple: do not put your bag down, do not accept help and do not follow anyone around a corner. Walk into a staffed business or hotel before checking your clothes or possessions. The so-called mustard or spill scam is specifically mentioned in current UK travel advice for Buenos Aires.

If something feels wrong, creating distance is more important than being polite. You can say No, gracias, keep moving and deal with the situation somewhere safer.

Public transport, taxis and ride apps

Most public-transport journeys are uneventful, but packed trains, station stairs and crowded platforms make it easier for a thief to work unnoticed. Keep bags closed and in front, put your phone away before the doors open and decide where you are going before standing in the flow of commuters. Our Getting Around Buenos Aires guide explains the Subte, buses, taxis and ride apps in more detail.

For a taxi or app-booked car, check that the vehicle, registration and driver match the booking or official system. Do not accept an unsolicited ride from someone approaching passengers at an airport or terminal. If you are arriving at EZE or AEP, use the current options and pickup guidance in our Buenos Aires airport arrival guide.

At night, a taxi or established ride app is often more sensible than walking a quiet route simply because it looks short on a map. Share the trip details when the app offers that feature, and avoid moving the journey outside the app at a driver’s request.

Neighborhoods, tourist areas and walking at night

It is more useful to think about the situation than to label an entire neighborhood safe or unsafe. A crowded market, transport hub or famous landmark may require more attention to belongings than an ordinary residential street. A quiet street can feel very different late at night from the same place during the day.

In La Boca, stay within the well-visited Caminito tourist area unless you are with a knowledgeable guide or have a specific plan. Current UK travel advice also recommends particular caution outside the designated tourist zone. In any neighborhood, favor busy, well-lit routes after dark and ask your accommodation or guide about the journey you actually intend to make.

The same ordinary precautions matter in popular places such as San Telmo, Palermo, Retiro, Florida Street and the area around the Obelisk. This does not mean visitors should avoid them. It means keeping control of a phone and bag while enjoying them.

Demonstrations and travel disruption

Demonstrations are part of life in Buenos Aires and are particularly common near Congress, Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada. They can block roads and public transport, and an event that begins peacefully can change.

Do not try to push through a march or roadblock. Move away, follow the advice of local authorities and check your route again. Allow extra time when traveling to an airport, ferry terminal or fixed appointment. Your map app may show a short journey without understanding why traffic has stopped.

Nightlife and meeting new people

Buenos Aires is a late-night city. Use the same habits you would in another major destination: keep your drink with you, do not accept an open drink from a stranger, stay aware of how much you have had and arrange the journey home before you are tired.

If you meet someone online, choose a public place and tell a friend where you are. Do not give a new acquaintance access to your accommodation, passport, cards or banking apps simply because the evening feels friendly.

Money and ATMs

Handle cash discreetly and put it away before leaving an exchange counter, bank or ATM. When possible, use an ATM inside a bank, shopping center or another controlled space rather than one exposed directly to the street. Do not accept exchange offers from strangers.

Argentina’s payment and exchange situation changes more quickly than its basic safety advice. Our maintained guide to money, cards and exchange rates in Argentina is the right place for current payment guidance.

What to do if something is stolen

1. Get to a safe, staffed place before concentrating on the loss.
2. If you are being robbed, do not resist over a phone, bag or wallet.
3. Call 911 for an immediate emergency. Call 107 for urgent medical assistance.
4. Use another device to lock or erase your phone and suspend cards or banking access.
5. Ask your accommodation, insurer or embassy what report and documentation you need.
6. If your passport is missing, contact your embassy or consulate promptly.

The City of Buenos Aires lists a specialist Tourist Police service and a Tourist Ombudsman for visitors who need help. Because contact details and office arrangements can change, use the current numbers and locations on the city’s official Health and Security page.

Buenos Aires emergency numbers

• 911: General emergencies
• 107: SAME medical emergencies and ambulance
• 100: Fire service
• 103: Civil Defence and city emergencies
• 144: Assistance related to gender-based violence

These numbers are listed by the City of Buenos Aires and are intended for calls within Argentina. Save your travel insurer and embassy details separately.

Safety on a BuenosTours walking tour

A guide adds local awareness, but every guest still needs to control their belongings and follow the guide at crossings and on public transport. Before your tour, read our separate Walking Tour Safety Instructions. It is a short, practical checklist covering shoes, weather, valuables, traffic, pace and what to do if you become separated from the group.

If you are planning your first day, the small-group Buenos Aires Essentials Tour is designed to help the city make sense while keeping the group to a maximum of seven guests.

Frequently asked questions

Is Buenos Aires safe for solo travelers?

Many solo travelers visit without difficulty. The same practical habits matter more when nobody else is watching your bag or noticing a distraction: keep a phone under control, plan the journey home, use busy and well-lit routes at night and tell someone where you are going when meeting a new person.

Is it safe to use a phone on the street?

You can use a phone, but choose the moment and place. Stand away from the curb, keep a firm grip, avoid becoming absorbed in a crowded flow of people and put it away near open train, bus or car doors.

Should I carry my passport?

Do not carry it automatically. Secure it at your accommodation unless you need the original for a specific transaction or official purpose. Keep a photograph or copy of the identification page and confirm any ID requirement in advance.

Is La Boca safe to visit?

Caminito is a major visitor area with a visible tourist presence. Stay within the well-visited zone unless you are with a knowledgeable guide or have reliable local advice, and use suitable transport rather than wandering into unfamiliar surrounding streets.

Should I avoid the Subte?

No. The Subte is useful and heavily used. Crowded trains and platforms require ordinary pickpocket awareness: close your bag, keep it in front and put your phone away near the doors.

What if a demonstration blocks my route?

Do not try to cross the demonstration or a police line. Move away, check an alternative route and allow extra time. Follow local-authority instructions and current news when disruption is extensive.

• Category: Buenos Aires