Getting
Around
Whether you are visiting for a short city break or to explore the country, discover how best to reach your destination and travel like a pro.
Arriving by Air
São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport and Rio de Janeiro’s Tom Jobim International Airport are the main entry points for visitors flying direct to Brazil. There are also international airports in other cities, including Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Manaus, Recife, and Salvador. Convenient connections are available on an extensive network of domestic flights, the preferred mode of transportation for a country as large as Brazil.
Guarulhos International Airport
∑ gru.com.br
Tom Jobim International Airport
∑ riogaleao.com
Long-Distance Coaches
Efficient and reliable long-distance coaches serve the whole country, with luxury express options available on major routes. Traveling by coach is an easy, comfortable, and economical way to see the country. Intercity bus stations, called rodoviárias, are usually located on city outskirts. Buses are operated by numerous private companies, but prices are standardized, and very reasonable. Busca Ônibus is a good source for checking routes, as is Buses in Brazil.
Several categories of buses operate on longer routes; most have onboard toilets. Regular buses (ônibus comum) sometimes do not have air-conditioning, so check beforehand. Comum com ar are regular buses with air-conditioning. The executivo bus is more comfortable – its seats are wider, recline further, and are equipped with footrests. The best buses for overnight trips are known as semi-leito or leito. Semi-leito have seats that recline almost horizontally and have large footrests. Leito buses offer a fully horizontal seat. Both normally offer onboard refreshments, blankets, and pillows. Buy your tickets online or direct from the rodoviária ahead of time, especially on public holidays.
Busca Ônibus
∑ buscaonibus.com.br
Buses in Brazil
∑ busbrazil.com
Boats and Ferries
In many parts of Brazil, boats are a vital form of transport. The network is extensive, and sailings are regular. In the Amazon, rivers are still the major highways, and old-style wooden riverboats are an important part of the transportation system. The most common and popular route runs between Manaus and Belém. The journey takes four days downstream and five days upstream. On this route, there are also several larger and more modern boats, with air-conditioned cabins and enclosed air-conditioned hammock spaces. Continuing right up to Tefé, AJATO runs a twice-weekly speedboat service with airplane-style seating.
On most other routes, the boats are the older, smaller, traditional type, with small wooden cabins and two open decks where passengers sling their hammocks. Meals and water are included in the fare. These old-style boats ply dozens of routes throughout the Amazon Basin. The most common run between Manaus and Porto Velho; Manaus, Tabatinga, and São Gabriel de Cachoeira, near the borders of Peru and Columbia, respectively; and Manaus and Santarém, halfway to Belém. These boats are cheaper and more basic, but what they lack in creature comforts they more than make up for in ambience, with travelers sharing hammock space with locals carrying goods and even livestock to market. The Manaus–Santarém route also has a high-speed catamaran, which makes the journey in a single day.
AJATO
§ (92) 3622 6047
Cruises
A very leisurely way to travel the Brazilian coast is on board a cruise ship. Several companies offer three- to five-day cruises, most typically between Santos, Rio de Janeiro as far as Salvador, or other northeastern cities. Another route starts in Recife and travels to Fernando de Noronha. There is also a regular cruise ship, the Iberostar Grand Amazon, that departs from Manaus on three- and four-day cruises on the Amazon. The old-style Amazon Clipper Cruises can be excellent for a tour of the Rio Negro.
Amazon Clipper Cruises
∑ amazonclipper.com.br
Iberostar Grand Amazon
∑ grandiberostar.com
Public Transport
In most Brazilian cities and towns, the main mode of transportation is the bus and its variations, such as minivans and minibuses. Tickets are generally cheap and the buses plentiful; services run from early morning till late at night. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro also have modern, safe, and clean metro systems that offer quick access to many parts of the city. Taxis are plentiful and quite affordable. In very small communities, where there is little in the way of regular public transportation, people often use motorcycle taxis (moto-taxis).
Metro
The metro is the safest form of public transport in Rio and São Paulo. Both cities have very convenient metro systems, offering reliable transportation to a number of tourist attractions. It is often easier and faster to take the metro closest to a destination, particularly if far away, and then take a taxi, rather than figure out a complicated and traffic-clogged bus journey.
In Rio de Janeiro, MetrôRio has three main lines, which run from 5am to midnight Monday through Saturday, and from 7am to 11pm on Sundays and public holidays. The metro runs nonstop throughout the five days of Carnaval. The stops of most interest to visitors are downtown and along the southern beach neighborhoods, as well as the first few stops along the northern line to the Maracanã Stadium and Quinta da Boa Vista.
Metrô São Paulo is the largest metro system in Latin America, with six lines covering a large part of the city. Line 1 runs through the city centre, connecting with the Tiete main bus station. Trains run from 4:40am to midnight every day.
Rechargeable smart cards called Bilhete Único can be used on the metro systems of both cities. Sold at stations for about $4, they can be topped up with cash or bank card, online or via phone apps, saving time and money. A range of combined metro-bus-train tickets can also be bought; passengers must ask for a special integrated ticket (integração) at the time of purchase. In Rio, these tickets offer useful connections on air-conditioned buses to many of the city’s attractions that are off the metro system, such as Sugar Loaf and Ipanema.
Free metro maps are available via phone apps and at most ticket booths of both systems.
MetrôRio
∑ metrorio.com.br
Metrô São Paulo
∑ www.metro.sp.gov.br
Buses
Buses are plentiful in bigger towns and cities, with the majority listing their destination in large letters on the front window. Most lines in Rio and São Paulo run 24 hours a day, but with fewer circulating in the middle of the night. In Rio, most buses going from the south to the center will go to Copacabana. Buses are often crowded and frequently get stuck in jams. They are also often the target of thieves, particularly during rush hours. To avoid pickpockets, try to sit at the front of the bus, keep valuables out of sight, and avoid the busiest hours of the day. Tickets are sold on the bus by a ticket seller, who sits at a turnstile, or by the driver. Keep small change handy, or use the Bilhete Único card, which is integrated with the metro network. Brazilian bus drivers can drive fast, so hold on at all times. Taking buses is safest in the day; in the evenings, it is advisable to take taxis, especially if travelling with bulky luggage.
In São Paulo, a couple of the main bus transfer points are at Praça da Republica and the busy Terminal Bandeira, where it is also possible to catch buses to distant destinations within the city.
Terminal Bandeira
∑ sptrans.com.br
Taxis
Taxis are a plentiful and speedy mode of transportation. Most taxis work on the meter: “tarifa 1” all day except from 11pm to 6am, Sundays, and in December when “tarifa 2” is used. The only taxis allowed to charge a flat rate are radio taxis or cooperatives at airports, bus stations, or other specific locations. The price will be set before the passenger gets in and is typically 40–80 percent higher than metered taxis. Another option is the moto-taxi, more common in smaller towns. It is a cheap and fast one-person ride, although it may also be hair-raising and not recommended if carrying heavy luggage. The driver carries an extra helmet, and the passenger just hops on the back and rides pillion after fixing a price.
Driving
Brazil has a total of 932,000 miles (1.5 million km) of federal, state, and local roads but, of these, only 49,000 miles (79,000 km) are paved and in decent condition. Driving around the country can be a challenge due to the long distances and the poor quality of many public roads. Traveling by night is best avoided – with few exceptions, highways are poorly lit and completely lacking in reflective paint, reflective signage, and reflectors showing the edge of the road.
Driving can be a convenient way to visit attractions close to the cities, though, and car rentals are widely available. However, in larger cities such as São Paulo, Salvador, and Rio, traffic is very chaotic, with long tailbacks during peak hours. Parking, expecially in cities, can be tricky due to security and space constraints. It is worth paying extra for a hotel with a lock-up garage facility. Do not leave valuables in the car.
Car Rental
All cities and most smaller towns offer car rental services. These include both the main international companies, as well as Brazilian firms such as Localiza, Movida, and Unidas. Rental offices, known as locadoras, can be found at every airport.
Foreigners will need to show a valid driver’s license from their home country, province, or state; a valid passport; and a major credit card. It is also a good idea to carry an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). Rental agreements can be with full or partial insurance, with unlimited driving or with a per-kilometer charge. A four-door midsized sedan with unlimited driving and full insurance will cost about $382 per day in a city. In smaller towns and remote areas, prices go up by 50 to 100 percent.
Localiza
∑ localizahertz.com
Movida
∑ movida.com.br
Unidas
∑ unidas.com.br
Planning
Rotas Brasil is a good tool for planning your journey, and gives detailed routes, distances, tolls and traffic information. Vehicles in Brazil run on either gasoline or hydrous alcohol. Service stations selling gasoline are more common, especially in remote areas. On long-distance trips, service stations may be few and far between, so ensure that you have enough fuel and that the car is in good condition.
Rotas Brasil
∑ rotasbrasil.com.br
Rules of the Road
Brazilians drive on the right side of the road. Unlike the USA, right turns on red lights are not allowed. Roundabouts are common only in Brasília. The right of way is always with the car already on the roundabout, or to the left. On highways, keep headlights on or risk being fined. Seatbelt laws are also rigorously enforced. Al drivers are also legally obliged to carry an emergency triangle and fire extinguisher in the vehicle.
Be aware, however, that Brazilians can be aggressive drivers. They tend to drive fast and overtake often, and when they cannot, hang on your back bumper. Most drivers, including bus drivers, switch lanes constantly, normally without signaling. However, the use of photo radar and regular alcohol checks has improved driving conditions. In case of an emergency, it is best to call the Polícia Rodoviária (Highway Police).
Polícia Rodoviária
§ 191
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At a Glance
Public Transport costs
RIO DE JANEIRO
SÃO PAULO
BRASÍLIA
TOP TIP
Use Bilhete Único contactless smart cards to pay on the Rio and São Paulo metros.
need to know Getting Around
Speed Limit
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GETTING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT
| Airport |
Distance to city |
Taxi fare |
Journey time |
| Guarulhos International Airport |
17 miles (28 km) |
$210 |
40–120 mins |
| (São Paulo) |
|
|
(in rush hour) |
| Tom Jobim International Airport |
12 miles (20 km) |
$170 |
40–90 mins |
| (Rio de Janeiro) |
|
|
(in rush hour) |
| Magalhães International Airport |
17 miles (28 km) |
$230 |
40 mins |
| (Salvador) |
|
|
|
| Guararapes International Airport |
11 miles (18 km) |
$125 |
20 mins |
| (Recife) |
|
|
|
| Eduardo Gomes International Airport |
10 miles (16 km) |
$170 |
25 mins |
| (Manaus) |
|
|
|
| Salgado Filho International Airport |
4 miles (6 km) |
$60 |
15 mins |
| (Porto Alegre) |
|
|
|
need to know Getting Around
ROAD JOURNEY PLANNER
This map is a handy reference for travel on Brazil’s main roads. The table below shows distances from Rio de Janeiro. Journey times include refilling gasoline, as well as comfort stops, which coaches typically make every two to three hours.
| Belo Horizonte |
5.5 hrs |
| Brasília |
14.5 hrs |
| Cuiabá (Pantanal) |
26.5 hrs |
| Florianópolis |
14.5 hrs |
| Fortaleza |
46 hrs |
| Foz do Iguaçu |
25 hrs |
| Manaus (via Cuiabá and Porto Velho) |
69.5 hrs |
| Natal |
38.5 hrs |
| Porto Alegre |
18.5 hrs |
| Recife |
33.5 hrs |
| Salvador da Bahia |
24 hrs |
| São Paulo |
5.5 hrs |
