San Martín Line
Rail · Buenos Aires · Trenes Argentinos Operaciones
1 line · 22 stations
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Lines
Service information checked . Check the operator before travel because schedules can change at short notice.
Quick facts
- Operator
- Trenes Argentinos operates the San Martín line.
- Route
- The line runs from Retiro through Palermo, Villa Crespo, San Miguel, Pilar, and Doctor Cabred.
- Payment
- Use SUBE for the commuter fare.
- Trains
- Diesel locomotives haul passenger coaches across the full line.
- Accessibility
- Raised platforms improved access at many stations, but step-free routes and boarding gaps still vary.
Mike’s notes
The San Martín line connects Retiro with Palermo, Villa Crespo, La Paternal, San Miguel, José C. Paz, Pilar, and Doctor Cabred. It is a useful east-west option through neighborhoods that are not all close to the Subte.
The route opened west from Buenos Aires as part of the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway in the 1880s. It became the General San Martín Railway after nationalization in 1948. Temporary terminals and platform rebuilding have changed the inner route several times, but trains now use Retiro again.
Pay with SUBE. Retiro's San Martín concourse is separate from the Mitre and Belgrano Norte platforms, so follow the line signs rather than assuming every departure board covers it. Rush-hour trains are crowded through Palermo and the inner suburbs.
Diesel locomotives haul air-conditioned passenger coaches instead of electric multiple units. Acceleration is slower than on the Mitre or Sarmiento, and delays can spread along the long two-track corridor. Many stations have raised platforms, though wheelchair access and step-free entrances are not yet consistent everywhere.
Most trains cover Retiro to Pilar, while Doctor Cabred is the outer end of the passenger line. Check the destination because a Pilar train does not continue through Manzanares to Cabred. The daily Junín long-distance service shares the corridor and also carries a differential coach for selected suburban stops, but it requires its own reserved ticket.
New locomotives and refurbished coaches began entering service in 2026 to improve reliability. The line remains diesel and the upgrade does not create metro-like frequency. Tap SUBE at the start and end of an ordinary commuter trip, and check the live timetable when connecting beyond Pilar because gaps become longer toward Cabred.