Getting To Rio de Janeiro

Getting To Rio de Janeiro

Rio is served by two airports: Galeão International (GIG), handling long-haul international flights, and Santos Dumont (SDU), handling domestic flights and short-haul connections to São Paulo. Galeão receives direct flights from New York (10h), London (11h), Lisbon (9h), and major European and US hubs. Domestic connections from São Paulo (GRU or CGH) take 1 hour.

• BRT Transcarioca bus from Galeão to city centre (~$1, 45 min)
• Taxi from Galeão to Ipanema: ~$30–40 (use app-booked 99 or Uber)
• Santos Dumont is in the city centre — metro connection nearby

Getting Around Rio

Rio's metro is clean, safe, and excellent — covering Ipanema, Copacabana, Botafogo, Centro, and key transfer points. Buses are cheap but complex for visitors. App-booked rides (99, Uber) are the practical supplement for non-metro destinations and night travel.

• Metro: $0.80 per ride, runs 5am–midnight (24h Fri–Sat)
• Bus: $0.80 per ride — ask your hotel which number to take
• Bike share (Tembici): excellent for the seafront circuits

Visas for Brazil

Most Western passport holders (USA, UK, EU, Australia, Canada) can enter Brazil visa-free for up to 90 days as of 2024. Check the current status for your nationality at the Brazilian immigration website before travelling as policies do change.

• EU, USA, UK, Australia, Canada: visa-free 90 days (2024 policy)
• Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from arrival date
• Yellow fever vaccination card may be required if arriving from certain countries