Patagonia Trip: Best bus companies from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia + ferry options in May?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a Patagonia trip in May and I’m trying to travel overland from Punta Arenas (Chile) to Ushuaia (Argentina) instead of flying, both for the experience and to optimize costs/logistics.

From what I’ve researched, there seem to be a few bus companies (Bus-Sur, Tecni Austral, etc.) running this route, with a ferry crossing over the Strait of Magellan, and total travel time around 10–12 hours.

I had a few questions:

Which bus companies are the most reliable and comfortable? What is the cost?

(Bus-Sur says I need to do a few legs in that period).

Are there any direct ferry options from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia?

Part of the reason I’m considering this route is also financial and logistical. A roundtrip flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia is coming out to around $650+, whereas flying via Santiago down to Punta Arenas is roughly half that cost.

It also helps me avoid backtracking all the way to Buenos Aires, which doesn’t fit well with the flow of my itinerary.

At the same time, I’d really like to experience the landscape properly, crossing into Tierra del Fuego, seeing the remoteness, and eventually reaching Ushuaia as a gateway to Antarctic exploration.

I’m also hoping to see some wildlife typical of the region (even if not Antarctica itself), like sea lions or other subantarctic species.