Travel in Brazil can take you to the Amazon rainforest, miles of beaches lined with coconut palms, scenic mountaintops with panoramic views, or to vibrant cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. With so many places to go and so many things to see and do, it is important to know your transportation options when you travel in Brazil. Whether you choose to rent a car in and sightsee on your own, take a scenic train trip, book an interior flight, or take a bus from Rio to Sao Paulo, you have several options available for making your way through and to the cities of Brazil.

Rental Cars in Brazil

Major rental car companies such as Avis and Budget as well as local independent car rental agencies are available throughout Brazil, and cars are available both at the airport and at agencies in the cities. The types of vehicles available include standard size sedans, traditional SUV’s, vans, 4-wheel drive, trucks, and luxury cars and vehicles. Whatever your vacation itinerary includes, there are many options to travel in Brazil on your own—just make sure you get a vehicle that’s suited to the driving you plan to do.

Brazil Map

Bus from Rio to Sao Paulo

There are regularly scheduled buses for travelers interested in taking a bus from Rio to Sao Paulo. The trip takes approximately six hours with an average cost of around $35. A bus trip is perfect for travelers who want to enjoy a leisurely scenic ride without the worry of driving. For travelers who prefer a faster option other than a bus from Rio to Sao Paulo, commuter flights are available and take approximately 35 minutes.

Buses from Sao Paulo

Three bus stations in San Paulo transport passengers to areas throughout Brazil. Terminal Tiete, located on the Marginal Tiete Beltway, provides transport, day and night, to all of the major cities in Brazil. The station also serves passengers traveling to Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina. Tiete has trips scheduled every 10 minutes to Rio every day and up until 2 am. Terminal Barra Funda transports passengers to and from cities in the western region while Terminal Jabaquara, located near the Congohas Airport, provides transport along the coastal cities. Tickets can be purchased at the terminals. During peak season or special events, it is advisable to purchase tickets in advance.

Curitiba-Paranagua Train Ride

The Curitiba-Paranagua train rides provide the perfect option for a leisurely scenic tour of the country. The route covers 62 miles with the train winding its way over the mountains of Serra do Mar. The ride begins in the state capital of Curitiba and ends in Morretes during the week and the quaint coastal city of Paranagua on Sundays. It’s one of the most beautiful ways to travel through Brazil and a very popular option for tourists—if you have time on your trip, don’t miss this one.

Train from Curitiba to Morretes

The train ride from Curitiba to Morretes is another exciting scenic excursion as passengers ride through a series of fourteen tunnels and cross over 30 bridges. An exhilarating portion of the train trip is crossing the 180-foot Sao Joao Bridge built along the mountainside. The trip ends at Morretes, during the weekdays, where passengers have several hours to sightsee, shop, and have lunch in the picturesque eighteenth-century town.

Interior Flights

Multiple airlines offer both nonstop and one-stop interior flights to specific locations in Brazil. Depending on the city, available flights may run anywhere from six to 20 times a day. Some airlines provide larger aircraft with several hundred seats while others use smaller planes with significantly fewer seats. Internal flights in Brazil cover many cities including Rio, Manaus, Sao Paulo, Iguazu, and Ilheus. Common locations for layovers are Salvador, Sao Paulo, and Brasilia.