International Airport Galeão (GIG)

Galeão International Airport (GIG), Rio’s primary international gateway, occupies Governador Island in Guanabara Bay, 20 kilometres north of the city centre. Its two terminals are connected to central Rio by the Linha Vermelha and Linha Amarela expressways, with transport options to suit all budgets.

Public transport is efficient: the TransCarioca BRT line runs 24/7, linking Terminals 1 and 2 to Barra da Tijuca (via subway connections at Vicente de Carvalho station) and the Novo Rio Bus Terminal. For direct routes, regular buses depart every 10 minutes to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) and downtown (40-minute journey). Taxis are plentiful: book official yellow (standard) or blue (executive) cabs at arrivals desks to avoid inflated fares.

Facilities cover essentials: ATMs, currency exchange, dining options and paid parking. While the airport lacks rail links, its BRT integration simplifies access to ferries, light rail and metro lines.

Address: Aeroporto Internacional do Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim, Avenida Vinte de Janeiro, Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro

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Phone: +55 21 3004 6050

Website: www.riogaleao.com/passageiros

More Information: The official name of this airport is Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG).

Passport / Visa

Brasil can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Israel, UAE, South Africa and most countries in America.
Visitors coming from most South American countries can enter the country with an identity document instead of a passport. Venezuelan visitors, however, need a visa in case of stays longer than 60 days.

Visa-free entry for a period shorter than 30 days is granted to citizens of Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Singapore.
Nationals of Panama, Malaysia, Namibia, Guatemala, Bahamas and Barbados can enter the country visa-free for tourism purposes only. Most African countries' citizens must obtain a visa in advance.

If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country.

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Best Time to Visit

Rio de Janeiro is characterized by hot, extremely humid summers and cool, cloudy winters; therefore, choosing the best period to visit the city depends mainly on individual preferences.
Summer is the best period for hot weather lovers and party people willing to tolerate high humidity and frequent rainfall. From November to February, Rio's beaches are invaded by tourists, especially during the famous Carnival.
From March to May, the Fall season offers Rio's best weather: hot and humid but without the drawbacks of the summer. On the other hand, visiting Rio from June to August, during the cloudy Carioca winter, will allow you to avoid high temperatures, humidity and rainfall; during this season, probably the busiest of the year, accommodation prices tend to increase.

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Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)

Santos Dumont Airport, located eight kilometres downtown from Rio de Janeiro, operates only regional flights, connecting the main cities of the country. It has a range of facilities, including ATMs, telephones and car hire offices.

There are two bus lines that operate from the airport: number 2145 runs to Rio de Janeiro International Airport and number 2018 runs to Rio de Janeiro International Airport and Alvorada.

Taxis are also available.

Address: Praça Sen. Salgado Filho, Centro, Rio de Janeiro

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Phone: +55 21 3814 7070

Website: www4.infraero.gov.br/aeroporto-santos-dumont

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Public Transport

Rio de Janeiro provides many different means of transportation to get around. The subway is the easiest, fastest and safest among them. It is open from 5am–12am from Monday to Saturday and from 7am–11pm on Sunday and consists of two lines (orange and green), linking all the main tourist spots of the city.
Buses are practical, convenient and, above all, needed to get to the many hilly areas of the city. Just remember to be extra careful of pickpockets during rush hour! Night buses are also available.
Trams and trains' limited network makes them less useful to tourists. They are, however, used to reaching a few tourist areas such as Mount Corcovado or the Santa Teresa neighbourhood.

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Website: www.metrorio.com.br

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Ferries

Ferries connect the mainland with some of the nearby islands. They are a good way to avoid road traffic while enjoying the view of the city and its bays. One of the most popular itineraries is the one going towards the tropical Paquetá Island, in Guanabara Bay. Bicycles are allowed on board if you wish to explore when you disembark.

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Taxi

There are plenty of taxis in Rio. They are usually fairly priced, but you must beware of the unlicensed ones and use only those associated with an accredited company: yellow, identified by stickers on the window and fitted with a meter.

Sometimes taking a taxi may not be the best option: Rio is characterized by heavy urban traffic that may slow you down and make your rate increase significantly; on the other hand, during the night some drivers might quote you excessive rates.
Taxis are usually found in the designated ranks outside hotels and airport terminals. When in doubt, ask the hotel or restaurant to call you a taxi, drivers often barely speak English.

You can also request a ride with Uber.

Nettaxi
+55 21 98569 2648

Aerocoop
+55 21 3078 5050

Aerotaxi
+55 21 2467 1500

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Post

There are many post offices around the city of Rio de Janeiro. The name of the national post agency is Correios. Post office branches are quite easy to locate thanks to their blue and yellow sign.

Address: In Copacabana: Avenida Nossa Sra. de Copacabana, 540, Rio de Janeiro

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Phone: +55 21 2256 1439

Website: www.correios.com.br

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Pharmacy

Rio de Janeiro has a number of pharmacies around the city. Large pharmacy chains to look for are Drogaria Pacheco, Droga Raia, Drogaria Pop and Drogaria Venancio.
These chains can be easily found everywhere in Rio and are usually open from 7am–11pm.

The following pharmacies are open 24 hours a day:

Drogaria Pacheco
R. Marquês de Abrantes, 144 - Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro
+55 21 3237 1044

Droga Raia
Av. Nossa Sra. de Copacabana, 919 - Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
+55 21 97195 8296

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Telephone

Country code: + 55
Area code: 21

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Electricity

In Rio de Janeiro, plugs and sockets are of type N. The standard voltage is 110 / 120 V but many hotels also provide 220 V outlets. Standard frequency is 60 Hz.

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