Getting There
San Rafael is a 1 1/2-hour drive south of Mendoza down Hwy. 40. The first half of the trip goes through lovely rural towns. The second half crosses a desert wasteland. Many buses leave Mendoza's main terminal heading for San Rafael. Nueva Chevallier (tel. 2627/446697) and Andesmar (tel. 2627/427720) are the main bus companies. Aerolíneas Argentinas (tel. 0810/222-86527; www.aerolineas.com.ar) flies five times a week (currently Mon-Fri only) from Buenos Aires to San Rafael.
Getting Around
The town center is compact and easy to explore on foot. Rural areas will require either a remise (call Remises Del Sur, tel. 2627/430646), rental car, or bicycle. For rental cars, try Hertz (tel. 2627/436959; www.hertz.com) or Rent A Car San Rafael (tel. 2627/437447; www.rentacarsanrafael.com.ar).
San Rafael is flat, so biking is a great way to explore. To rent a bike, try Biciletas Rosales (tel. 2627/430147) or Bicicleteria Dapratto (tel. 2627/427738). Rates in San Rafael generally run about $10 (£6.80) for a day's rental.
There are many companies that offer transfers out to the fertile Valle Grande and Atuel River, including Transportes Iselin (tel. 2627/446463), which departs from the bus terminal, and Atuel Travel (tel. 2627/429282), which also organizes sightseeing and wine tours.
Visitor Information
The municipal Tourism Information Office is at Av. H. Yrigoyen 745 (tel. 2627/424217; www.sanrafaelturismo.gov.ar). It's open daily 8am to 9pm.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
