Information Offices
Río Gallegos Dirección Municipal de Turismo is very helpful and friendly. The branch at the bus terminal can help orient you as soon as you hit town, providing a map, help finding a room and information about services and attractions (Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-8 p.m., weekends and holidays 7 a.m.-noon, 6-8 p.m. Tel.: 44-2159, E-mail: terminalriogallegos@santacruzpatagonia.gob.ar). The main office in downtown (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Roca 1587, Tel.: 43-6920, E-mail: turismo@riogallegos.gov.ar, URL: www.turismo.mrg.gov.ar). In summer is an additional kiosk in a wagon on San Martín, near Roca. The Secretería de Turismo de Santa Cruz provides information about destinations throughout Santa Cruz province (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Roca 863, Tel.: 43-8725, URL: www.epatagonia.gov.ar).

Other useful offices in Río Gallegos:
– Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-noon. Zapiola and Fagnano, Tel.: 43-7417)
– Gendarmería Nacional (San Martín 1306, Tel.: 42-0287)
– Jefatura de Policía (Piedra Buena 64, Tel.: 42-2272)
– Automóvil Club Argentino (Gobernador Lista and San Martín, Tel.: 42-7010)
– Consulado de Chile (Moreno 148, Tel.: 42-2364)
– Consulado de España (Casa España) ( Roca 866, Tel.: 42-2131)
– Viceconsulado de Italia (Gobernador Lista 138, Tel.: 1562-2887)

Money
Banking hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. All have ATMs that accept MasterCard, Cirrus, Visa and Plus cards. Many supermarkets and gas stations also have cajeros.
– Banco Santa Cruz (Roca 812)– Also exchanges travelers checks, US dollars, Euros, Chilean peso
– Banco de la Nación Argentina (Roca 799) – also exchanges US dollar, Euro; Western Union agent
– Banco Galicia (Roca 739) – Also exchanges US dollar, Euro
– Banco Tierra del Fuego (Roca 831) – Also exchanges US dollar, Euro, traveler check
– BBVA– Banco Francés (Roca 936) – Also exchanges US dollar, Euro, Chilean peso, Brazilian real, travelers check
– Banco Patagonia (Sarmiento 47) – Also exchanges US dollar
– HSBC (Fagnano 44) – Also exchanges US dollar, Euro

Río Gallegos’ casa de cambios offer more exchange services:
– Cambios Thaler (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fagnano 20.) – Major Western and South American currencies, Yen; American express, Citi, MasterCard, Visa travelers checks
– Integración Austral (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 4-7 p.m. Roca 908, local 4, Galería Roca) – US dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling, Yen, Chilean peso,
– Lopetegui (Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-noon, 3-7 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) – US dollar, Chilean peso, travelers checks

Communications
Post letters at the Correos (Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Roca 893). Telefónica locutorios have both internet with Skype ($1.15 per hour) and phone facilities. Many are along Avenida Roca.

Medical
Río Gallegos public health facility is Hospital Regional (José Ingenieros 98, Tel.: 42-0025, emergency: 107). Many pharmacies are located on the main drag Avenida Roca. They follow the de turno system, in which one is designated to be open at night or on weekends. Farmacia Moderna is open 24-7 (Roca 057, Tel.: 42-0277).

Laundry
La Española is both a lavadero (laundry) and tintoría (dry cleaners). Wash-dry costs $7.15 per large basket and $8.60 for wash-dry-iron. Drop it off in the morning, and by evening your clothes will be ready (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 5-7 p.m. San Martín 903, Tel.: 42-2503).

Camera
No-one repairs cameras. For cameras, film, digital cards and other accessories, try ABC Color (Roca 1030, Tel.: 43-7492) or Tommy Color (Roca 1101, Tel.: 43-5964). Besides camera necessities, Roil also has on display old photos of Río Gallegos and the region (Zapiola 166).