Getting Around Rawson
Rawson is a compact provincial capital, and most of what a visitor needs day to day sits within a walkable downtown core. For anything beyond that core, you'll rely on taxis, remises (private hire cars), and the occasional local bus. There is no rail, metro, or tram network serving the city, so ground transport means road transport.
Walking
Walking is a practical way to cover the downtown area, where shops, services, and the main streets are close together. Beyond the center, distances open up quickly: the La Unión beaches sit well outside the downtown core, far enough that you'll want a vehicle rather than a stroll. Treat walking as your default for the center and plan on motorized transport for the beach run.
Taxis and Remises
The most reliable way to get around beyond downtown is by taxi or remise. Remises are private taxis that work much like a ride-hailing service but charge a fixed rate for a given route rather than a metered fare. The usual way to use one is to call a central dispatch number, which then sends a car to you. If you don't have the number handy, your hotel can call a car on your behalf. In the city center you can also generally flag down a taxi directly.
- Remises: fixed price per route, booked by phone through a central dispatcher.
- Hotels: a convenient fallback for summoning a car if you don't speak Spanish or lack a local number.
- Street taxis: usually available to hail in the downtown area.
Buses and Long-Distance Connections
Rawson's main bus terminal is the Terminal de Omnibus on Gregorio Mayo, open daily from early morning until midnight. Regional buses to other cities depart from here. Be aware that the terminal is basic and run-down, with very few traveler services and notoriously poor bathroom facilities, so don't plan on lingering or relying on the amenities.
For arrivals into Rawson, buses run from the nearby city of Trelew, which is the closest place with an airport, and from Puerto Madryn. The Puerto Madryn services are infrequent, typically only once or twice a day, take roughly an hour and a quarter, and are inexpensive. They are operated by companies including Andesmar, Viatac, and Tramar.
Getting There from the Airport
Rawson has no airport of its own. The nearest city with an airport is Trelew, and flights there are infrequent. From Trelew you have two straightforward options: take a bus into Rawson, or use a local taxi or shared van, which is feasible because the two cities are close together. Given how close Trelew is, taxis and shared vans are a practical alternative to waiting for a bus connection.
Practical Summary
- In the center: walk.
- To the beaches: take a taxi or remise.
- Booking a car: call a remise dispatch number or ask your hotel; hail taxis in the center.
- Regional travel: use the Terminal de Omnibus on Gregorio Mayo, but expect minimal facilities.
- From the airport: fly into Trelew, then take a bus, taxi, or shared van to Rawson.