Travelling to Rio de Janeiro

Money

The currency of Brazil is the real (the plural is reais), which is broken down into 100 centavos.

Here’s a roundup of what you can expect to spend in Rio, with prices in British pounds:

For up to date rates and more information on the Brazilian real, check out our dedicated pounds to real guide.

Travelling around Rio

Travelling from the airport

You’ll find Rio’s Galeão-Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport just 12 miles north of the city centre. To get into the centre of Rio, there are multiple routes to choose from and takes around an hour. The buses run regularly from outside the airport and you may find 24 hour a day services, directly from the airport to the Alvorada Bus Terminal.

If you want to take a taxi from the airport, don’t take one from directly outside Arrivals as these are likely to charge you hugely high tourist rates. Instead walk around to Departures and grab one that’s dropping passengers off. You should be able to ride to Ipanema (25 mins) to Copacabana (30 mins).

Rio’s other airport, Santos Dumont Airport, operates domestic flights from Brazil’s biggest cities and is sat right next to the city centre by the Guanabara Bay.

Travelling around Rio

Taxis are a stress-free and affordable way to travel around Rio in style – just make sure that you leave yourself some extra time for your journey, because the city’s traffic jams are notorious. The city’s yellow taxis are in wide supply and can be flagged down anywhere. The so-called ‘radio taxis’ are usually blue, green or white and can be pre-booked by calling them (or ask your hotel) and agreeing a fixed price for your journey.

Buses are also a frequent, cheap and convenient way to get around Rio. The modern and clean Metrô Rio offers two lines around the city, and a one-way ‘unitario’ ticket.