I took the Colonia Express ferry from Montevideo to Buenos Aires for the first time two years ago. I had been living in Uruguay for months and kept hearing people talk about "la otra orilla" ( the other shore ) like it was some mystical place. Turns out it kind of is.

The Rio de la Plata is not a normal river. It is 220 kilometers wide at the mouth. You cannot see the other side. You just stare at brown water for three hours and then a city appears.

Harbor with boats
The port in Montevideo. Not glamorous, but it works.

Booking the Ferry

There are two companies: Colonia Express and Buquebus. Colonia Express is cheaper. That is the only difference that matters.

You can book online or at the terminal in Montevideo. Online is easier and sometimes has promo fares. I paid around 40 USD round trip last time, but prices go up in summer ( December to March ) and on weekends.

Bring your passport. Not a copy. Not a photo on your phone. Your actual passport. They check it twice.

Colonia del Sacramento old town
Colonia. If you have time, spend a night here instead of rushing to Buenos Aires.

The Route Options

You have two options:

1. Direct ferry from Montevideo to Buenos Aires ( roughly 3 hours on the fast ferry )

2. Ferry from Colonia to Buenos Aires ( 1 hour ) plus a 2.5-hour bus from Montevideo to Colonia

Option 2 is what I do now. The bus ride through the Uruguayan countryside is peaceful, you get to walk around Colonia for an hour if your timing is right, and the ferry from Colonia is shorter. Less time rocking on the water.

The fast ferry from Montevideo is fine too, but if you get rough water, three hours of Rio de la Plata swell is not fun. Ask me how I know.

Sunset over water
The Rio de la Plata at golden hour. Almost makes you forget the motion sickness.

What to Expect at the Terminal

The Montevideo port is functional, not pretty. Get there 90 minutes before departure. Immigration on the Uruguayan side is fast, but the lines build up.

There is a cafe with overpriced medialunas and bad coffee. Eat before you go or bring snacks from a bakery in Ciudad Vieja.

On the Buenos Aires side, you arrive at Puerto Madero. It is a nice area. Walk 15 minutes and you are in San Telmo. Another 10 and you are at Plaza de Mayo. The whole city opens up from that port.

Ship on the water
The ferry is bigger than you think. Still moves in rough water though.

What Buenos Aires Gives You

I go to Buenos Aires for things Montevideo cannot give me: bookshops the size of city blocks, pasta that tastes like my grandmother made it, and streets where you can walk for hours without running out of new neighborhoods.

Also, the coffee. Uruguay has mate culture, which I love, but Buenos Aires has actual espresso culture. A cortado in a Buenos Aires cafe is a religious experience.

I usually go for 2-3 days. Long enough to eat my weight in facturas and visit at least two bookshops. Short enough that I do not start missing the quiet of Montevideo.

Port and buildings along waterfront
Puerto Madero. Where you land. Where the real city begins.

The Return Trip

Coming back is always a relief. Buenos Aires is intense. Montevideo is where I breathe.

The ferry back is the same deal. Check in early, show passport, wait in the lounge. I always get a window seat and watch the coastline disappear and then reappear.

Last time I came back, there was a guy selling alfajores on the bus from Colonia to Montevideo. Bought four. Ate three before I got home. That is the real Uruguay right there.

Thank you :)