From the airport to the city centre Brazil

Brazil is usually reached via the airports of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, sometimes Belo Horizonte and Salvador. Domestic flights serve all Brazilian states and many of the country's cities. It is not advisable to change money at airport exchange counters when arriving in Rio and Sampa, as the rates are very unfavourable. The downtown area can be reached from the airports by shuttle bus, cab or Uber.

From São Paulo-Guarulhos airport to downtown: several options are available with Airport Bus Service. The company's routes include: Terminal rodoviario Tietê and Barra Funda (served by the metro), Avenida Paulista, Praça da República. Fares are R$50 and depart every hour or so - allow 30 to 40 minutes. At the airport, tickets can be purchased in front of the arrivals hall in Terminals 1 and 4.

Cabs cost around R$150 from Monday to Saturday during the day, and between R$70 and R$80 for an Uber.

If you arrive with the airline TAM, you can take the free shuttle bus to the more central Congonhas airport, where the cab will be cheaper.

From Rio-Galeão airport to the south of Rio: by bus, the buses serving Rio belong to the Real company. There are two bus stops, one in front of the blue area of Terminal 1, level 1 (arrivals), and the other on level -1 of Terminal 2. Directions line 2018: Centre, Santos-Dumont airport, Botafogo then Zona Sul: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Barra da Tijucá. The 50-minute journey to Copacabana costs around R$16, and buses leave at very frequent intervals from 5:30 am to 10:30 pm. These buses are air-conditioned, with free wi-fi and luggage in the hold, very comfortable and direct. If you're going to a hotel, let the driver know and he'll tell you the best place to get off.

Shared cabs (yellow) are the cheapest; they operate with a meter(taximetro). These cabs don't have a reception desk in the airport, so you'll have to leave the airport hall to catch one, and their exact location is clearly indicated. Be sure to ask the driver to start the meter when the cab leaves. The fare to downtown will cost you around R$70, to Flamengo, Botafogo or Laranjeiras around R$90, to Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon around R$100 and to Barra de Tijuca around R$130, depending on traffic. You can usually negotiate before boarding. Radio cabs and pre-paid cabs are more expensive. On the other hand, don't trust the "pirate cabs" that will discreetly accost you as you leave the airport. Don't be fooled by the pre-determined fares shown on the phone - they are excessive.

Domestic flights: given the distance between the country's different cities, domestic flights are sometimes a must, even if you want to reduce your carbon footprint. All major cities and many tourist towns have airports or are located close to one. Foz de Iguaçu, far from other destinations, is very well served. Ouro Preto is a few hours by bus from Belo Horizonte. Jericoacora can only be reached after many hours by bus and van from Fortaleza. Brazilian airlines Gol (www.voegol.com.br), Azul (www.voeazul.com.br) and Latam (www.latam.com) are the main domestic carriers. Gol and Azul offer pass systems that can only be purchased in France or in the traveler's country of origin once the round-trip ticket to Brazil has been purchased. Tickets for domestic flights can be purchased directly on the airline websites, as well as on all specialist websites.

Arrival by train Brazil

Brazil's rail network is underdeveloped, apart from small tourist networks such as the Serra Verde Express between Curitiba and Antonina, the Maria Fumaça mini-train between São João del Rei and Tiradentes and the Trem da Vale between Ouro Preto and Mariana. The Brazilian TGV project linking Rio and São Paulo no longer seems to be on the agenda.

Arrival by boat Brazil

Ferries(lanchas) are available in Rio and Salvador. They cost R$6.10 between Salvador and the island of Itaparica and between Rio de Janeiro (praça XV) and Niterói. From Itaparica Island, you can take a fast lancha to Morro de São Paulo (morrodesaopaulocatamara.com).

Connections to the islands. Ferries run from Conceição do Jacaré (Rio State) to Abraão (Ilha Grande) and from São Sebastiao to Ilha Bela (São Paulo). Daily ferries operated by Banav(banav.com.br) link Belém to Camara, on the island of Marajo.

River connections between Belém and Manaus. The Amazon is crossed by ferries and cruise ships. Ferries link Belém to Manaus, via Santarém, in 4 to 5 days, either with normal ferries (navegacaobomjesus.com.br), or privately (www.voyage-amazonie.com).

Public transport Brazil

Public transport, both intra-urban and inter-urban, is highly developed and fairly inexpensive.

Intercity buses can be booked at rodoviárias (bus stations). Tickets can be booked online at www.clickbus.com.br. It is advisable to book online for the busiest routes or at weekends. The major companies are reliable and the buses clean. Luggage is only handed over in exchange for the coupon given at boarding. The air-conditioning is cranked up to the max, so bring a sweater to cover up. There are numerous bus companies throughout Brazil.

City buses are often more complicated to use, but if you get help at the pousada or from locals, it's an interesting and fairly inexpensive experience. You need to know the routes and use them only in busy, safe areas, and only during the day. The small frescao buses are taken on the fly, with destinations marked on the windshield. You pay directly at the cobrador.

The underground metro is limited to the cities of Rio and São Paulo, but there are surface metros in Brasilia, BH, Porto Alegre and Salvador. In Rio and Sampa, it is very safe, but with limited extension. Metro tickets can be bought at stations and recharged. You can buy tickets for a day or a week. Metro maps make it easy to find your way around. In some cities, tramways and BRTs complete the transport offer. Bus tickets cost R$4.4 in São Paulo (R$7.65 integração) and R$6.5 in Rio de Janeiro. You can buy cards for the day or the week and recharge your card.

Bike, scooters & co Brazil

Bicycles are on the rise in Brazilian cities, as they are in all the world's metropolises. In Rio and São Paulo, part of the city is reserved for cyclists, scooters and rollerbladers on Sundays. The rest of the week, more and more spaces are dedicated to "soft" transport. In general, cycle paths are found mainly in safe areas of cities (Rio's Zona Sul, Salvador's Barra, etc.). It is important to follow general safety instructions and remember that driving in Brazil's big cities is unpredictable. Group outings are organized on a regular basis. A self-service bicycle system similar to Vélib' has now been developed in many cities, on the same lines as in France (https://bikeitau.com.br). In Rio, São Paulo, Salvador, Recife and Porto Alegre, you can rent a bike on the same terms as in France. If you follow the safety instructions, discovering Brazilian cities by bike is a real pleasure, as you get a better feel for the soul of the city and its natural surroundings.

With a driver Brazil

Cabs and VTCs are also highly developed in Brazil. Cabs can be pre-paid when you pick them up at the airport; otherwise, the fare is calculated by the meter, which the driver has to turn on, unless you negotiate the price in advance. There are two cab fares (day and night; the night fare generally starts at 6pm). A basic safety precaution is not to take a "pirate" cab. You can have your cab hailed from the hotel or restaurant, or take it from the head of the station. Avoid hailing them in the middle of the street, especially at night.

Uber-styleVTCs are very much in evidence, offering an alternative to traditional cabs. Cabs do not appreciate this competition, which they consider unfair. You can book a chauffeured VTC vehicle on the Uber website for longer distances.

By car Brazil

All major international car rental companies are present in Brazil and there are many rental points. Renting a car can make sense if you want to travel to many places (not too far away) and be free to choose your itinerary (coffee valley, colonial cities of Minas Gerais or Chapada Diamantina for example). The person renting a vehicle must have a driver's license for more than 2 years (or an international driver's license) and an international credit card with sufficient credit to cash the deposit. The average daily rental fee is 35 euros, but prices vary widely. If you book from France, you can get better rates. It is necessary to make sure that the roads are passable (they are impassable in rainy weather in the Pantanal for example). Many radars control the speed of vehicles: 40 km/h in built-up areas, 70 km/h outside built-up areas and 110 km/h on highways. At the risk of repeating ourselves, it is important to avoid driving at night and to make sure that the area you are visiting is safe (the outskirts of large cities should be avoided). It is not necessarily necessary to rent a vehicle in Brazil to have a successful trip.

Accessibility Brazil

Brazil is not a good student in terms of accessibility of public transport and public transportation for strollers and people with reduced mobility. Some residential and/or tourist areas (south zone of Rio) have made efforts but the sidewalks, especially when they are so beautifully paved, are uneven, with many holes and obstacles that are difficult to cross.

Tourist traps Brazil

At all costs, avoid "pirate" cabs, which are mainly found outside airports and major tourist attractions. Only take cabs from station heads or those you have arranged to be hailed, and only buy bus tickets or admission to attractions from agencies. Don't change money on the sly. In Rio in particular, you can easily change money in travel agencies at very attractive rates.