Viedma-Carmen de Patagones

Viedma-Carmen de Patagones
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Information
Country:	Argentina
State:	Rio Negro
Population:	18.000 (Carmen de Patagones) 47.000 (Viedma)
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Viedma and Carmen de Patagones form a single urban area on the Rio Negro in Argentina. The former, being the capital of Rio Negro, is larger while the latter, across the river in the province of Buenos Aires, was the original settlement. Carmen de Patagones was the more important part of the town until Viedma became first the capital of the entirety of the recently conquered Patagonia region and then remained the capital of Río Negro, at the end of the nineteenth century. A law was passed during the 1980s to make Viedma the new capital of the entire country, though resistance and budget constraints kept the project from ever being realized. Carmen de Patagones is generally considered to be the more scenic and charming of the two, which are connected by two bridges and a small passenger boat service.

The Ruta 3 highway that crosses the entire length of the country from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia runs through the city, though it is important to note that long-distance truckers take a shortcut that bypasses the area.

Hitching Out

Northwest, Southwest, and South towards Neuquen, Bariloche, and the wider Patagonia

Viedma is not very large, but if you're starting by the river and don't want to walk the two kilometres to the edge or town there is a local bus that runs north on Gallardo (a block east of Plaza Alsina, two blocks west of the Avenida Villarino along the river) that will get you right there. (route diagrams can be found here, while scheduling information is available from the Moovit app or calling). It runs west on Del Coihue behind the Axion gas station there at the final roundabout. The station is not very busy but it does get some travellers going quite far in all directions.

Note that there is very little truck traffic that passes through the area (as explained on the page for Bahía Blanca, there is a shortcut they take bypassing the area taking Rutas 22/251), and so if you are looking for a long-distance truck you'll need to get to at least San Antonio Oeste, from where truckers who are heading as far south as Ushuaia get back on the Ruta 3.

OJO: If you are offered a ride to the next town (also the last until San Antonio Oeste), San Javier, proceed with caution. The town is not right on the highway and does not generate much traffic. Vehicles on the highway itself will be travelling at very high speeds by that point and are unlikely to stop, and the road is not so heavily transited that this can be made up for in volume. Movethathoof did not take the time to check before accepting a ride there and was only able to continue their way after a couple of hours waiting with no ride thanks to a woman in a beat-up old car that couldn't top 60 km/hr

North towards Bahía Blanca and Buenos Aires

If you are starting from Viedma you will first need to get across the Ruta 3 bridge. Nearly all of the traffic that crosses is staying in the area, and so there's little point standing there were most drivers aren't going where you want to, though they can help you across to the other side, at least. The second and final roundabout at Boulevard Contin has space for a driver to pull over. There is also a local bus service if you really find yourself out of luck (check the Moovit app or call for scheduling details). Movethathoof decided they would hold out until they got an offer of a ride going farther, but after a couple of offers and too much waiting saw the good sense in making even that hop, and was rewarded with a ride from the other side going much farther within twenty minutes.

Once on the other side you'd do well to walk until at least Calle Juan de la Piedra, where the traffic further thins with vehicles turning into town (and with a few more turning to leave in your direction).