Transportation · Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro Airport Transfers: Getting from the Airport to the City
How to get from Rio de Janeiro's airports into the city: train, taxi flat fares, transfers and typical costs, plus arrival and entry notes.
Updated 2026-07-25
Airports serving Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International (GIG) — 20 km from the centre
Uber/99 R$100–150 to Copacabana in 45–75 min; premium taxi (buy in terminal) R$180–220; BRT TransCarioca + metro R$16 in 90 min (not recommended with luggage).
Santos Dumont (domestic) (SDU) — 3 km from the centre
15 min walk / 5 min Uber R$25 to Copacabana; used for São Paulo shuttle.
Arriving by train
No long-distance rail. Coastal luxury buses (Costa Verde, Águia Branca) reach Búzios (3h), Paraty (4h), São Paulo (6h).
Entry and arrival formalities
Polícia Federal immigration; eVisa printout + passport required for US/CA/AU citizens.
Since April 2025, US + Canadian + Australian citizens need Brazilian eVisa (US$80) via vfsglobal.com/brazil-evisa. UK, EU, Japanese, Argentine, Chilean + Mercosur nationals enter visa-free for 90 days. Passport valid 6+ months. Yellow fever vaccine strongly recommended (not mandatory).
Getting into the city
Metro (Line 1 to Ipanema/Copacabana) is safe, clean and cheap — BRL R$7.50 per ride. Buses go everywhere but require Portuguese and street sense. Uber and 99 are cheap and universally used (R$15–40 per ride) and much safer than street taxis. GIG airport to Copacabana R$120–150 by Uber (45 min) or BRT connector to metro in 90 min.
Metrô Rio (Line 1)
Reaches Copacabana, Ipanema, General Osório, Cantagalo, Botafogo, Centro. R$7.50 per ride.
Uber / 99
Cheap and safe — R$15–40 per ride. Always confirm price before boarding.
BRT TransCarioca
Airport connector + Barra da Tijuca; requires transfer to metro.
Ônibus (city bus)
R$4.30 per ride but requires Portuguese + street sense; not for first-time visitors.
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