We want to take the bus ride from Bariloche to Pucon via San Martin de los Andes (as i believe that is the more scenic route)

Can somoene help me if there is such a service ?

If not then my plan is to travel to San Martin de los Andes from Bariloche on 25 March 2011 and take the bus from San Martin to Pucon on 26 March 2011. The problem is I do not seem to find if there is such a service and the timings.

Help Please soooooooooon

There is nothing which goes directly from Bariloche to Pucón as you use different passes over the Andes. There are two ways you can do it: take a bus from Bariloche to San Martin de los Andes. You will have to spend the night there as the buses to Pucón leave very early in the morning: Igi Llaima or San Martin. They usually go on alternate days, one a day except in high season. The road is paved on the Argentine side and partially paved on the Chilean side. You might be able to book the San Martin de los Andes to Pucón bus in Bariloche, but I doubt it. The other way is to go from Bariloche to Osorno in Chile and take another bus from there to Pucón. If you leave Bariloche on an early bus you should have time to catch a bus to Pucón the same day. I don't know if you can buy both tickets in Bariloche.

If I were you, BUKU, I would try to find a Travel Agent in Bariloche (or wherever you currently are) to help you secure those tickets and be assured of the times etc.

Huentetu, as usual, gives invaluable advice.

But an Agent could have access to agents where you want to go who can help you get the tickets you need, etc.

Keep us posted on your arrangements and your trip, please.

~MarnieWDC

Thanks Huentetu and Marnie WDC.

I realised that I will not be able to go direct from Bariloche to Pucon via San Martin. So I decided to spend a night in San Martin. Having problems with getting a reservation in San Martin (we are 3 of us).

Am currently in India and leave tomorrow night on a 5 weeks trip. Hvae been unable to get the bus bookings done online or through travel agents so far. So i will possibly try once i reach BA or then from Bariloche.
Thanks for your help and advise.

Just a thought but have you considered renting a car for the Bariloche-San Martin trip. We did the trip in reverse from Pucon to Bariloche in Oct 2008 and had a great time. The drive through the seven lakes area was spectacular (although the weather was not great). Loved both San Martin and Pucon (I could happily live in either!). We arranged the bus at the bus station for travel the next day but that is probably not possible at this time of year. We managed to find a room on arrival on both places but again that miay not be possible. Check ou www.hostelworld.com or www.hostelbookers.com. We found them excellent in South America.

Some photos of our trip:

Entrie 69-71 cover our time there

If you are traveling in March you probably won't have trouble booking the bus the day before, but below is the list of tour agencies in San Martin. They could perhaps book a hotel and the bus for you.They are unlikely to want to just book the bus.
http://www.interpatagonia.com/sanmar...uristicos.html
The only one I know is Chapelco Turismo and they don't have a website, so maybe email the ones you can and see what they come up with.

On the list of 3 star Hosterías (better than the hotels in SMA) in town are:
Hostal del Esquiador
La Casa de Eugenia
La Cheminee
Las Lengas
Las Walkirias
etc
Make sure there is a street address and not Ruta 234 (that will be well outside town) or Ruta 7 Lagos (which will be even further).

We stayed at La Casa Eugenia and loved it's charm and comfort and good service.

~Marnie