Rio de Janeiro Transportation Guide

Getting around in Rio can be divided into two broad categories - public and private transportation.  You must remember that regardless of where you stay in Rio, you will need some form of transportation.  Rio is very large, about the size of New York City, and major sites (with the possible exception of a beach) are not within walking distance of hotels or anything else.  There are also good security reasons why people should not walk at night or in areas that they do not understand

Public transportation includes taxis, ferries, and buses.  The advantage is that there is very little advance planning required for these services.  Some of these services, like taxis, are available 24 hours a day and you pay only for what you actually use.  This can be very economical, but you may have to wait for taxis and you will probably have to deal with some Portuguese.  See the Rio de Janeiro Public Transportation Guide for a detailed discussion.

Private transportation usually takes the form of a car, van, or mini-van.  This is the most convenient and most comfortable way to get around Rio, and is also the way that most tours are arranged.  Check out our Rio de Janeiro Private Transportation and Tour Guide.

Most visitors will require a driver as Rio can be confusing and all of the traffic information is in Portuguese.  In general, we do not recommend that our guests drive in Brazil except perhaps for very short distances in sub-urban areas.  See Driving in Rio de Janeiro for an important perspective.