Brasília Getting there & around

Getting there & away

As the capital, Brasília has a large daily influx of sightseers and lobbyists. The international airport connects with all major Brazilian cities. Most visitors fly in, but those who choose to go overland will cover some long distances.

Land

Bus

From the train and long-distance bus station (rodoferroviária; 3363 4045), due west of the city center, there are buses to places you’ve never heard of, but no trains. Prices noted here are for executivo services. Bus destinations include Goiânia (R$34, three hours), Rio (R$179, 17 hours), São Paulo (R$186, 14 hours) and Salvador (R$170, 22 hours). There are also buses to Cuiabá (R$171, 20 hours) and Porto Velho (R$239, 42 hours). Buses run north along Hwy BR-153 to Belém (R$243, 35 hours, three daily), but the road around the Tocantins border can be impassable during the rainy season.

Buses go to Pirenópolis (R$17, three hours, seven daily) and Alto Paraíso (R$27, 3½ hours, two daily) for access to the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros.

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Air

Many domestic flights make stopovers in Brasília, so it’s easy to catch a plane to almost anywhere in Brazil. Flights to Rio are 1½ hours; to São Paulo, one hour 20 minutes.

The easiest way to book a flight is through the travel agencies in the Hotel Nacional complex. Nearly all the domestic and international airline offices here have been consolidated into travel agencies. Exceptions:

BRA (2105 0909; www.voebra.com.br)

TAM (4002 5700; www.tam.com.br)

TAP (3223 7138; www.flytap.com)

That said, to book most domestic and international airlines, see the following agencies at Nacional, respectively:

Air Brazil Viagens (3322 8822)

Ventur Viagens (3223 5002)

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