If you are planning to visit São Paulo during your trip to Rio, or if you're arriving to Rio from another Brazilian city, you may find yourself at the Santos-Dumont Airport. This airport is used by tourists, residents and business executives for quick service to São Paulo, as well as some additional short domestic flights and general aviation. It is located on Guanabara Bay, just a few blocks from the heart of downtown Rio. Santos-Dumont is perfect for shuttle flights to and from Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, allowing for connections to other Brazilian cities.

Ground Transport

If you have arrived at Santos-Dumont Airport, you will find that the airport resides in the business section of Centro and the historic area known as Downtown. To travel to Copacabana, Ipanema or one of the other neigborhoods in the South Zone typically frequented by tourists, the easiest way to travel will be by a short taxi ride. (Click here for detailed taxi information and representative fares). Additional ground transportation options near the Santos-Dumont airport include public buses and the subway.

If your return destination will be departing from the International Airport, it is helpful to know that a bus (Bus #2101 and #2145 for R$ 10,00) runs every 30 minutes from the Santos Dumont Airport to Galeão - Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG). Additionally, you will find that other buses going to the international airport have "Aeroporto Internacional" written on the front. These buses can generally be found on the routes near the major hotels. As with most international flights, plan enough time to arrive two hours before departure to clear security and immigration.

Photos : Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz not affiliated with MyDestination.com