Getting Around, Porto Alegre Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
Porto Alegre is an important transport hub for Rio Grande do Sul, being home to a busy airport and one of Brazil's biggest ports, which is located on the eastern side of the Guaiba Lake. In the city centre, you can travel by metro trains, bus transport and taxis.
The efficient metro system provides a fast way to travel between downtown Porto Alegre and both Salgado Filho International Airport and the long-distance bus station, where daily services connect international destinations in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Those based in the city centre will find that many places of interest are just a 15-minute walk from the final metro stop - next to the Mercado Publico.
Salgado Filho International Airport (POA) / Arriving by Air
Address: Avenida Severo Dulius 90010, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 051 3358 2000
Salgado Filho International Airport is located just 10 km / 6 miles to the north-east of downtown Porto Alegre, where it is an extremely busy air facility serving almost six million passengers annually. This is a modern airport with excellent facilities, which include a large selection of shops and restaurants, and even a cinema. Major domestic destinations throughout
Brazil are connected by Salgado Filho Airport, such as
Brasilia,
Fortaleza,
Rio de Janeiro,
Salvador and
Sao Paulo, while
Buenos Aires,
Lima and Montevideo are popular international flight destinations. Although a metro railway station is to be found close to the airport, most travellers would agree that bus transport is far more convenient, since buses head directly into the city centre. If you prefer to travel alone, taxis are on hand, with this journey lasting approximately 15 minutes.
Car Rental
Car hire is popular with tourists wishing to travel around Rio Grande do Sul and a number of rental agencies are located at Salgado Filho Airport. Several different highways surround Porto Alegre, with the BR-290 heading east to Cachoerinha, Gravatai, the Laguna dos Barros, Osorio, the Brazilian municipality of Uruguaiana and even
Argentina, and west (via the BR-116) to Eldorado do Sul, Arroio dos Ratos and Butia. If you are planning to drive to the north, then you will find that the BR-116 passes Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia do Sul, Sao Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo. However, drivers should bear in mind that the BR-116 is known to become congested during the busiest periods.
Buses and Coaches
The city's long-distance bus station is situated on the Largo Vespiano Julio Veppo, on the north-eastern side of central Porto Alegre, where it is next to the Rua da Conceicao, the Metro Estacio Rodoviaria and the docks. Connected by regular bus transport, popular destinations in Rio Grande do Sul include Cambara do Sul (six hours), Canela (two hours and 30 minutes), Gramado (two hours), Pelotas (three hours), Santo Angelo (seven hours) and Torres (three hours). Further afield, long-distance buses travel to and from Chui - on the Uruguay border (seven hours),
Curitiba (11 hours),
Florianopolis (seven hours),
Foz do Iguacu (14 hours) and Rio de Janeiro (25 hours), and to international destinations such as
Buenos Aires (18 hours), Montevideo (12 hours) and Santiago (36 hours).
Metro
The network of urban Metro trains is operated by the Trensub company and stretches for just over 40 km / 25 miles, with 17 stations spread around the northern metropolitan area. Each day, more than 125,000 passengers use Metro transport to reach destinations such as Canoas, Esteio, Novo Hamburgo, Sapucaia do Sul and Sao Leopoldo. The Metro's final stop is at the centrally located Mercado Publico (Public Market), where the main attractions are no more than a 15-minute walk away.
Taxis
There are lots of taxis serving the city of Porto Alegre and although they are a little on the pricey side, they are convenient and safe, and more reliable than buses. Taxis can be found at a selection of central 'taxi stops', which are never far from places of interest. Alternatively, available cabs can simply be hailed from the street or arranged by telephone.
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