Lesson 9:
Getting Around Town
By Car / Car Rental
Unless you know a city well, it is often better to stick to taxis than rent a car which you may have trouble parking. There is also a zero-tolerance drinking and driving policy. Some car rental companies will offer to rent a car and driver.
Taxis
Taxis in Brazil are relatively cheap when compared to Europe and easy to find in the major cities. Taxis can be stopped in the street, or most cities have a radio taxi fleet that can be booked by phone and will come and pick you up at a pre-booked time.
City Buses
In Brazilian cities, you are never very far from a bus or bus stop. There are thousands of them, and because of this, the main problem for any visitor is finding which is the right bus to get on and going in which direction, as many routes are circular. Pick the wrong one, and you can end up miles off your intended route. So get the right and specific directions.
Metro
Several Brazilian cities, most notably São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, have modern metro services. Most have useful websites in English with maps and information about the stations, such as www.metro.sp.gov.br and www.metrorio.com.br.