Find out how easy it is to get around Rio by public transportation systems!

It is not possible to compare Rio de Janeiro's public transportation system to the ones of the european capitals, but knowing well how it works, it is possible to get easily everywhere, including the turistical spots. This post presents a list of alternatives and respective descriptions that can be really usefull to the ones who pretend to know Rio without spending a lot of cash.

SUBWAY

The Subway has only two lines, the first one conecting the North Side (starting at Pavuna station) until the South Side (ending at Botafogo Station) and the other one leaving also from the North Side (Tijuca), heading to the South Side (Ipanema). This is the safest and fastest way to get around, but sometimes it's not very confortable. During the peaks (monday to friday between 6:00 and 8:30 heading to the South Side, and between 16:00 to 19:00 heading to the North Side).There are some integration buses that complete the routes, you can find all the details on the Rio Subway official website also available in english.

BRT

BRT Stands for Bus Rapid Transit. This system counts on exclusive lanes, offering a faster way to travel from Santa Cruz to Campo Grande, and all the stops between them like Barra da Tijuca for example. You can also chek more details of it's complete path on the website.

You can also check the BRT's map, that includes all the connections with other transportation systems. The only problem about the BRT is that it is recent and still need some development.

FRESCÃO
Frescão is such a good tip that it has a post for itself. It is a very economic and confortable way to get from the airports and bus terminal to your destination. Check this link!

REGULAR CITY BUSES
Connects the whole city through many buses. You can find the main stops written on a pannel placed on the windshield of each bus. It is always a good idea to ask the driver if the bus is heading to where you want to go before getting up, altough they don't speak english, they will probably understand the name of the place you are trying to reach.

FUTURE PROJECTS THAT MAY START WORKING SOON:

VLT
The VLT is a light rail vehicle that will help to divide the city traffic. It's construction already began and is expected to be done in 2016.

SANTA TERESA'S TRAMWAY

The Santa Teresa tramways used to be a very popular transportation way for the cariocas. After being disactivated in the past years, it will be activated again, most likely on 2015.
Besides the charm of the neighborhood, also named Santa Teresa, you can find great restaurants, bars, a great view of the city and parks, forming a nice mix between new and classic Rio de Janeiro.

If you have any doubts or suggestions, please leave comments or questions, and stay tunned for more tips!

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Know the Frescão, an economic way to get where you need in Rio de Janeiro!

The city of Rio remains beautifull, and also more expensive. That includes the prices of cabs, and in this post you will find a tip already known by the cariocas, but many times ignored by unwarned visitors: the "Frescão".
Rio has two main airports, "Antônio Carlos Jobin", also known as "Galeão", and the second one named " Santos Dumont". The first one is the biggest, and also furthest from the center, while the last one stays much closer from the center and the South Side (Zona Sul) of Rio.
For the ones who pretend to arrive by bus, the destination is the terminal "Novo Rio", located next to the city center.

After the arrival, the first problem faced by the tourist is getting to the host place, and usually the private transport services charge a large amount of cash. Depending on the localization and the ammount of luggage, it worths paying for these services, but mostly there are way cheaper alternatives.
One of these alternatives is the bus service prested by "Real Auto Ônubus" Company. Their buses popularly known as "Frescões", because of their air conditioning sistems, cover routes starting from the airports/bus terminals heading to destinations where tourist are most likely to stay during their trips. If you intend tho stay on the South Side of Rio (Copacabana, Leblon, Botafogo, Ipanema, Flamengo,etc...)it definetely worths spending a few minutes planing.
Through Real Auto website and the adress of your host place, it is easy to identify the number of the bus that you will need, departing from the bus terminal (Real or VIP section on the site) and departing from the airports (Premium section). On the website, it is posible to find all the routes and streets that will be covered by the Frescão. If there is any doubt yet, you can ask the driver where to get off the bus. Enjoy!

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