Road Trip In Brazil. Advice?

[jurarol]

Any of you did any road trips in Brazil? Driving from Sao Paulo area to Rio de Janeiro and maybe to Buzios. Any problems renting a car there? Ideas?

 

[Amargo]

Renting a car is not a problem. But are you SURE you want to drive in Sao Paulo?
The roads are full, the traffic is a nightmare. But that is not even the problem. If you do not know your way and somehow end up in the wrong area, it can be VERY dangerous.
Rio is also not so safe, but I would say for driving from one of the airports directly to Buzios should be ok.
Drivers behave pretty much as in Argentina, excepting bike riders in Sao Paulo, who can get really agressive if you don't leave enough room for them to go between cars at the traffic lights (they will kick your car or smash one of the mirrors to 'educate' you)

 

[lamarque]

Try to not get lost and end in the wrong area

 

[camberiu]

As a Brazilian myself, let me warn you: It will be a stressful drive.

 

[Thereandbackagain]

I did exactly this trip some time ago and it was a dream. Leaving from Sao Paulo to Santos, following the coast Caraguatatuba, Sao Sebastiao, Ilha Grande, Ubatuba, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro. I haven`t noticed any security problems.

My only serious advice: void driving in the city. Spend a nice day or two in Sao Paulo, go my Bus or Cab to the Guarulhos Airport, get a car there and leave directly. You do not have to cross the city and immediately can enjoy the beautiful landscape. When you get to Rio, leave the car in the Airport e.g. and spend some days in the city afterwards.

You should definitely stay a day or two in Paraty, absolutely beautiful. If you want to drive back from rio to SP you may take the other route and pass by Maua, a small place in the mountains of Rio with some beautiful waterfalls.

I plan on repeating this some time soon too.

 

[jurarol]

I did exactly this trip some time ago and it was a dream. Leaving from Sao Paulo to Santos, following the coast Caraguatatuba, Sao Sebastiao, Ilha Grande, Ubatuba, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro. I haven`t noticed any security problems.

My only serious advice: void driving in the city. Spend a nice day or two in Sao Paulo, go my Bus or Cab to the Guarulhos Airport, get a car there and leave directly. You do not have to cross the city and immediately can enjoy the beautiful landscape. When you get to Rio, leave the car in the Airport e.g. and spend some days in the city afterwards.

You should definitely stay a day or two in Paraty, absolutely beautiful. If you want to drive back from rio to SP you may take the other route and pass by Maua, a small place in the mountains of Rio with some beautiful waterfalls.

I plan on repeating this some time soon too.

Thank you sooo much for the info.
I've been driving in Buenos Aires for 4 years now and my husband is argentine, so i hope the experience will help, since driving there is pretty much like here. What car rental company did you use? I see they are not cheap. For a fam of 5 we need something bigger

 

[Thereandbackagain]

I can`t remember which company I used but it was a brazilian one, none of the internationals. I just compared the prices of the various companies in the airport and chose the cheapest. They needed as always and everywhere a valid drivers license and a CC. Usually it is cheaper use ethanol instead of nafta, so you may pick one of those. Many cars area also equiped to be able to digest both fuels. Outside of the big cities driving in Brazil is quiet comfortable. Big and good roads and outside of peak hours and vacation times traffic is not so bad on the rutas.

 

[PaulBee]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, (and maybe my episode isn´t relevant) but I was in the countryside in northern Brazil, which is supposedly safer than Sao Paulo/Rio. The bus stopped at a restaurant in the evening and waited until there were a convey of perhaps 10 buses as it was considered dangerous for just one bus to travel at night.

I was also in Rio, and agree fully about not ending up in the wrong area. Practically tucked amongst some good areas are dangerous favelas.

 

[camberiu]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, (and maybe my episode isn´t relevant) but I was in the countryside in northern Brazil, which is supposedly safer than Sao Paulo/Rio.

Who told you that? Since I was a little kid growing up in Brazil I've always known that the Northeast was the poorest and most violent part of the country. We always referred to the North as "Marlboro land", meaning lawless land. As bad as Sao Paulo and Rio are, the North has historically been always MUCH worse.

 

[cbonanni]

Do not worry. it is a nice trip. Be careful as always , do not drive at night. Plan to arrive in daylight. No recommendations for car rentals.