Getting Around, Salvador Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Salvador, Bahia, Brazil)
The transport infrastructure in Bahia is well maintained, with the Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes International Airport being conveniently located close to the city of Salvador. Those who travel between the airport and Salvador will find that this road is especially scenic, being something of an attraction in itself.
In the city, a number of transport options are available to visitors. These include buses, taxis and metro trains, all of which mean that you can travel between places of interest with relative ease. Bus transport in Salvador is particularly popular, with buses being extremely cheap and running from 05:00 in the morning until midnight (a limited service is offered until 04:00). If you enjoy cycling, then the cycleway running along the eastern coast of Salvador is not to be missed, although do watch out for wandering pedestrians.
If you are based in the Pelourinho district of Salvador and wish to travel elsewhere, then a couple of options are available. Tourists often choose to take the Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda Elevator) down to the Comercio area, while others head to the nearby bus stop at the Praca da Sé.
Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes International Airport (SSA) / Arriving by Air
Address: Praca Gago Coutinho, Lauro de Freitas, Bahia, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 071 204 1010
Situated just under 30 km / 19 miles to the east of Salvador city centre, within the municipality of Lauro de Freitas, Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes International Airport is one of Brazil's biggest and busiest airports, handling over seven million travellers per annum. Around 15 different airlines currently operate at the airport, with international destinations being connected by Aerolineas Argentinas (
Buenos Aires), Air Europa (
Madrid), Air Italy (
Milan), American Airlines (
Miami), Condor (
Frankfurt), Iberworld (Madrid) and TAP Portugal (Lisbon). Domestic Brazilian destinations are supported mainly by Gol and TAM airlines and include the most prominent cities, such as
Belo Horizonte,
Brasilia,
Curitiba,
Fortaleza,
Rio de Janeiro,
Salvador and
Sao Paulo, amongst others.
Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes International Airport is linked to Salvador by the Paralela Expressway and comes with a choice of ground transport. Travel options include metered taxis, air-conditioned minibuses (marked Aeroporto) and urban buses. City centre buses depart from the Praca da Sé (close to the Praca Municipal) and travel on the Avenida 7 de Setembro to Barra, before heading along the scenic coastline. The journey lasts approximately one hour, although in heavy traffic, this time can almost double.
Car Rental
Hire cars usually come with air conditioning as standard, together with the first 100 km / 62 miles (or similar) free. Although it is not difficult to travel around central Salvador by car, you might find the numerous one-way streets and no-left-turns a little confusing. Driving yourself around means that the beaches and attractions in northern Bahia become all the more accessible. The only highway close to the city is the BR-324, which heads in a northerly direction and passes Fazenda Grande do Retiro, Caetano, Campinas de Piraja, Porto Seco Piraja, the Cajazeira Golf Country Club, Represa Curtume and the Parque Florestal da Represa. If you are concerned about driving in
Brazil, you may like to consider hiring a car with its own private driver.
Buses and Coaches
The city's bus station is located roughly 8 km / 5 miles to the east of the city centre and is easy to reach. Those arriving at the bus station will find a rank of taxis ready to transport you to destinations around the Barra and Cidade Alta areas, while regular air-conditioned minibuses travel to and from the Praca de Sé, stopping at beaches such as the Praia de Amaralina, the Praia do Flamengo, the Praia de Itapua and the Praia da Pituba, as well as near the Iguatemi and Lapa shopping malls. Further afield, long-distance bus transport connects top Brazilian destinations such as Aracaju (six hours), Belo Horizonte (24 hours), Fortaleza (21 hours), Ilhéus (eight hours), Joao Pessoa (14 hours), Lencois (six hours), Maceio (ten hours), Natal (21 hours), Penedo (seven hours), Porto Seguro (12 hours),
Recife (12 hours), Rio de Janeiro (26 hours), Sao Paulo (33 hours) and Vitória (19 hours).
Metro
The recently completed Metro network is a rapid transit system, which currently comprises two lines and eight stations. Operated by the Companhia de Transportes de Salvador, the Metro was designed to ease urban congestion and improve the city's public transportation system.
Taxis
Metered taxi transport is everywhere in Salvador and the city's cab drivers certainly try their best to get you to your destination quickly! The rates tend to rise late at night, particularly when buses stop running at midnight, and so you should be prepared to negotiate in order to ensure you a charged a favourable fare when travelling long distances. Executive taxis are preferred by some visitors since they provide fixed-price travel and are easy to spot, being blue and white in colour. Popular journeys offered by executive taxis include to the airport, to the most popular shopping malls, to the bus station, to the ferry terminal and to prominent hotels.
Boats and Ferries
Being located alongside the Bahia de Todos os Santos, the city is home to a major seaport, which is to be found in the Lower City area. Many international cruise liners and cargo ships dock at the city's port on a daily basis. Just a stroll away, the docks are connected to the historical Pelourinho district by the Elevador Lacerda.
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