Rio De Janeiro is approximately 11 hours flying time from London.
By Air
Rio has five airports. International and most domestic flights land at Galeao International Airport. It is situated on the Governador Island. The second name of the airport is Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport named after the Brazilian musician. It is 20 km away from the city center and main hotels.
The flight time from London to Rio de Janeiro takes almost 11 hours and from New York the flight time is 10 hours. Santos Dumont is situated downtown and operates domestic flights.
- Galeo International Airport
- Santos Dumont Regional Airport
- Aeroporto de Jacarepagu¡
- Campo dos Afonsos - military airport
- Santa Cruz Air Base - military airport.
Highways
Rio's natural setting has its shortcomings. The city roads snake along the coast and the mountains with unexpected bends and turns that make driving difficult and dangerous especially if you are unfamiliar with the routes. Carioca’s are well known for aggressive driving. Rio is connected by highway to major Brazilian cities.
Taxis
Taxis in Rio though expensive serve to be a convenient way to travel to the famous tourist areas. Yellow taxis and radio taxis are available. The yellow ones are cheaper and run by meter. The blue and red taxis have a prepaid system. Main taxi companies in Rio are the Central de Taxi, Ouro Taxi and Yellow Taxi. Taxis can be found anywhere in the street but the taxi services near the airport or hotels are a better option.
Bus
The buses travel on a daily basis to all the major destinations with most bus companies in Rio offering international travel to neighbouring countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. It is better to buy the tickets for buses in advance. You can get the tickets for buses from travel agencies in the city. Buses leave from the Novo Rio after every half an hour. It you are travelling to Rio by bus it is better to take a taxi to your hotel.
Buses in Rio are the most common and cheap means of transportation. Buses therefore offer reliable services but the main drawback is the traffic jams. The buses with air-conditioners charge more. There are bus lines throughout connecting the city.
Railroad Service
Rail travel in Rio is quite limited and not a suitable option. There is no national rail company. The views the train journey offer are no doubt spectacular but the trains are quite slow and the passenger services are few and far between.
Rio's Central Station is also famous because of a movie released with the same name. You can get here by taking a bus or subway. The train travels within and serves mostly local commuter lines so you cannot arrive to Rio by rail. There is rail service to São Paulo and Belo Horizonte.
By Metro
Metro is Rio’s most practical mean of transportation as it’s safer than other public transports. It operates throughout the week. There are two lines ones that runs in the city. The tickets for Metro are available from the train stations.
