Getting Around, Recife Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil)
Recife is an important transport hub, with an international port being based in the city itself, and a further port being located close by, in the neighbouring town of Ipojuca (Suape Port). Taxis and buses provide the easiest way for visitors to travel to these ports.
The bus station is located approximately 17 km / 11 miles to the west of central Recife and is known as the Terminal Integrado de Passageiros (TIP). Local bus transport connects many destinations around Pernambuco, with tickets being available to purchase at various outlets around the city centre.
The Metro system in Recife is certainly impressive and is one of Brazil's biggest, with a number of its terminals being successfully integrated with bus routes, including both Barro and Joana Bezerra. In fact, it is actually possible to travel on both buses and Metro trains using the same ticket.
Guararapes International Airport (REC) / Arriving by Air
Address: Avenida Mascarenhas de Moraes, Imbiribeira, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 081 3464 4000
Recently expanded and upgraded, Guararapes International Airport is located just 11 km / 7 miles to the south of Recife city centre and handles around 5.5 million passengers per annum. Gol Airlines and TAM Airlines connect most major cities in
Brazil, such as
Belo Horizonte,
Brasilia,
Curitiba,
Fortaleza,
Foz do Iguacu,
Manaus,
Natal,
Porto Alegre,
Rio de Janeiro,
Salvador da Bahia and
Sao Paulo. International destinations include
Lisbon,
Madrid and
Miami.
Being so close to central Recife, getting to Guararapes International Airport is easy, with ground transport options including buses, shuttles and taxis. Those headed to Boa Viagem Beach will find that it is just a matter of minutes away from the airport.
Car Rental
A group of car rental agencies are available at the airport, should you be planning to explore Pernambuco and require your own set of wheels. These include Avis, Budget and Localiza, all of which will be happy to accept advance reservations. There are two main highways around Recife. The BR-232 heads in a westerly direction and connects Alto do Colina, the Reserve Ecologica Mata de Jangadinha, the Reserve Ecologica Mata de Mussaiba, Santo Aleixo and Jaboatao dos Guararapes. Also of note is the BR-101 highway, which travels north to Paulista, Abreu e Lima and Igarassu, and southwards to Cabo de Santo Agostinho.
Buses and Coaches
Tel: +55 081 3452 2824
In the Boa Viagem area, buses head south along the Avenida Domingos Ferreira, and northwards on the Avenida Conselheiro Aguiar. Further buses run along the Avenida Dantas Barreto and the Avenida Martins de Barros - to Cais de Santa Rita, and on the Avenida Conde da Boa Vista and the Avenida Guararapes - to the historical district of Recife Antigo. Those wishing to travel to nearby Olinda by bus will find stops located outside of the metro station, on the Avenida Dantas Barreto and on the Avenida Conde da Boa Vista, all of which stop at the Praca do Carmo in central Olinda.
Long-distance buses travel between many prominent Brazilian towns and cities, such as Caruaru (two hours), Fortaleza (12 hours), Joao Pessoa (two hours), Maceio (four hours), Natal (four hours and 30 minutes), Rio de Janeiro (40 hours) and Salvador da Bahia (14 hours).
Metro
Metro trains currently serve 28 stations in total and are split into two main lines, the red Linha Centro (Central Line) and the blue Linha Sul (South Line). The Central Line provides an affordable way to travel to the nearby cities of Camaragibe and Jaboatao, while the South Line runs to Largo da Paz, the 'Shopping Recife' mall, the airport (Aeroporto), Porta Larga, Monte dos Guararapes, Prazeres and Cajueiro Seco.
Taxis
Taxi transport is convenient and ideal for short journeys, with a taxi to the neighbouring city of Olinda taking around 15 minutes and being competitively priced. Metered-taxis are available at Guararapes Airport, travelling into the city centre and Boa Viagem, although it should be noted that regular cabs are noticeably cheaper than special airport taxis.
Ferry / Port
The city's port is located within the Recife Antigo neighbourhood, next to both the Beberibe River and the Capibaribe River, and is used for shipping cargo and cruises. Regular cruise liners depart from here, transporting passengers to the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, various Caribbean islands, and cities along the coastline of South America.
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