Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Getting around Rio de Janeiro

How to travel around Rio de Janeiro — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Metro

Clean, air-conditioned and connecting Copacabana, Ipanema and the centre.

Cost: BRL 6.50
Tip: By far the safest way to move between the south-zone beaches and downtown.

2. Uber and 99

Both widely used and generally preferred to street taxis.

Watch outAvoids the unlicensed drivers touting at the airport and bus terminal.

3. Cable car and cog train

The Sugarloaf cable car and the Corcovado cog train to Christ the Redeemer.

Tip: Book the Corcovado train slot online; cloudy days give you nothing at the top.

4. Buses

Extensive but hard to navigate without Portuguese, and a known pickpocketing risk.

Watch outPhone snatching on buses and at stops is common; keep phones out of sight.

5. Walking the beachfront

The Copacabana and Ipanema promenades are the city's main public space.

Watch outTake only what you can afford to lose; beach robbery is common and phones are the target.

Booking apps in Brazil

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

The largest ride-hailing operator in Brazil.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Avoids the unlicensed drivers touting at airports and bus terminals, and records the route.

99

Brazilian ride-hailing app, often cheaper than Uber locally.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.