Getting Around, Curitiba Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil)

Curitiba is home to a rather impressive public transport network, known as the Rede Integrada de Transporte, or 'RIT' for short. This is a rapid travel system with articulated buses split into three different sections and each day transports more than 80 percent of Curitiba's total population, which equates to over 1.5 million passengers.

Many cities have been inspired by the local public transport, copying these high-capacity express buses (Expresso Biarticulado). Those choosing to travel around Curitiba by bus should pick up a route plan from the bus station (rodoviaria), which depicts the somewhat complicated colour-coded system. Express buses are red, 'interbairros' (inter-neighborhood) are green and 'linha direta' (direct lines) are silver, while other bus routes include the 'circular centro' (downtown circular), the 'alimentador' (linking to express buses) and the 'linha turismo' (tourism line).

Afonso Pena International Airport (CWB) / Arriving by Air

Address: Avenida Rocha Pombo, Sao José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 041 3381 1515
Afonso Pena International Airport is located approximately 18 km / 11 miles to the south-east of central Curitiba and within the neighbouring city of Sao José dos Pinhais. Daily flights travel to and from many major cities across Brazil, such as Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Foz do Iguacu, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo, amongst others. The choice of international destinations is less extensive and includes Asunción (Paraguay), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Montevideo (Uruguay).

There are a number of different travel options at Afonso Pena Airport, connecting the city and its train station. Bus transport runs between Curitiba and the airport at least twice an hour, while shuttle buses are also on hand, tending to be more frequent, more comfortable and faster. Taxi cabs are also available and extremely convenient, although they are more expensive.

Car Rental

Whilst driving in Curitiba is possible, it is best left to the more confident of drivers, since there are numerous one-way streets, roads and lanes used solely by buses, and lots of parking restrictions. That said, if you are intending to travel outside of the city, then your own set of wheels allows a certain level of freedom, particularly if you are planning a day trip to the easterly beaches of Paranagua and Pontal do Paraná.

Book your Curitiba Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

Several different buses operate in Curitiba, with the Linha Turismo (Tourism Line) bus being especially popular with sightseeing tourists. Linha Turismo buses travel around both the city centre and the suburbs, stopping at prominent tourist attractions, parks and general places of interest along the way.

The main bus station (Estacao Rodoferroviaria) is combined with the railway station and is located just 2 km / 1.5 miles from the city centre. This large complex features three main terminals, where long-distance buses depart for towns and cities throughout Brazil, operated by transport companies such as Catarinense, Sulamericana and Viacao Graciosa. Popular destinations include Florianopolis (four hours), Foz do Iguacu (ten hours), Joinville (two hours), Paranagua (one hour and 30 minutes), Porto Alegre (11 hours), Rio de Janeiro (13 hours) and Sao Paulo (six hours). Long-distance buses also travel across the border and into Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.

Trains

Although Curitiba does not provide any passenger train services as such, the city does offer a very popular train to Paranagua, which travels via the Serra do Mar and is ideal for tourists looking for a memorable day out. Dating back to the 1885 and now known as the 'Serra Verde Express', this train heads to the coast via Morretes, boasting breathtaking views of mountain canyons, cascading waterfalls, lush jungle lowlands and the Atlantic Ocean.