I understand that it is an easy day trip from Buenos Aires to Colonia. Or from B.A. to Montevideo. How about both in one day?

Am staying at the Sheraton in Retiro, so it looks like I can walk to the ferry pier. Ferry to Colonia, bus to Montevideo, then ferry back to B.A. Can you give me a link to the ferry schedules?

I am leaving B.A. on the United flight to IAD. It is a night flight that originates in Montevideo. On my last day, a Sunday, I am considering taking the ferry to Colonia and sight see, bus to Montevideo and see sights, and then taxi (?) to MVD where I would catch the 7:15 PM flight to EZE. That sounds like a bit much, what do you think?

www.buquebus.com for a schedule.Since your time is limited, you might want to consider taking the hovercraft instead of the ferry. The cost is about 100 pesos more. The hovercraft takes 45 minutes, the ferry three hours.

Thanks, drdawggy, I do want the hovercraft. My Spanish is not so good. Looks like the boat name is Albayzin and takes 1 hour.

Departures from Argentina
Daily at 11 AM.
Sundays at 18:15 and 21:30
Mon-Sat at 19:15

That's to Colonia and then a 2hr 30 min bus ride to Montevideo (I didn't realize that it is about 100 miles from Col to Mvd).

Departures from Colonia to B.A.
Daily at 9:15
Sundays at 16:30 and 20:00
Mon-Sat at 17:30

and "si" there is a cafe/bar on the boat.

Am I reading this schedule correctly?

Ok, I think I understand it. I just saw the description of their flota and the Juan Patricio goes at 47 knots, faster than the Albayzin. Now I understand that the J.P. boat sails to Mvd and takes 2h 45 min.

So the triangle B.A. - Col - Mvd - B.A. would take 6h 15 min of surface traveling.

Hi, You can easily do Colonia in one day, it is a tiny town. THe interesting part is the old town ( from the Colonial days) but doing Montevideo in the same day sounds too much.
Another story would be to stay one night in Montevideo, there nice hotels and some are not expensive at all, like $50 dollars, I am thinking of the Melia Confort by the Golf Course, near a Sheraton , and the Best Western Paladium in front of the River Plate also near a Mall. From the hotels to the Airport it is like
30-40 minutes. But of course for security you would have to be some time before the flight.
The hovercrat is very inexpensive and there is not much difference between the First Class and Tourist Class. Almost the same. There is a coffee shop where you can get most anything, snacks I mean, coffee, sodas and even whisky. Also a free shop on board.
In Montevideo even the best hotel a Chateaux and Relais where Mrs. Clinton , Prince Charles and many other famous people stayed is not expensive at all and very nice.

the combination of the SLOW ferry at 9 am and the FAST one at 5:30 is the best way to visit colonia. A relaxing morning and a quick come back. The length of the visit is the same, there are 2 restaurants in colonia, take the
Renata one, food is better and the diff in price is very little.