World City Guide

Getting There By Air

Aeroporto Internacional do Rio de Janeiro/Galeão Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG)
Tel: (21) 3398 4526/7. Fax: (21) 3393 2288.
Website: www.infraero.gov.br

Rio International Airport is located on Ilha do Governador, in Guanabara Bay, some 20km (13 miles) north of the city centre. It is the main air portal for Brazil and an important hub for flights from Europe and North America, as well as for major domestic flights, serving over six million passengers per year.

Major airlines: Brazil’s national airline, Varig (tel: (21) 4003 7000; website: www.varig.com.br), connects Rio to international and domestic destinations. Many airlines operate frequent flights to Rio International Airport, including Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Iberia, Lufthansa, TAP, United Airlines and Vasp.

Airport facilities: Facilities include a 24-hour bank, several bureaux de change, ATMs, a selection of restaurants, shops, duty free, a pharmacy, post office, 24-hour hospital, tourist information and car hire from Avis, Hertz and Localiza.

Business facilities: Guests at the airport’s Luxor Aeroporto hotel (tel: (21) 2468 8998; fax: (21) 3398 3983; website: www.luxor-hotels.com) may use the hotel’s 24-hour business centre, which has Internet access, fax and phone lines. Diners Club cardholders have access to the Diners Club VIP Lounge (tel: (21) 2462 3380; website: www.dinersclub.com.br), which provides refreshments and business facilities. The lounge is open daily 0600–2300 and is located on the second floor at the international voyages registration desk.

Transport to the city: Real/Reitur Turismo (tel: (21) 2564 2158; website: www.realautoonibus.com.br) operates air-conditioned buses from the first floor of the airport to Barra da Tijuca, via the city centre, the Rodoviária Novo Rio bus terminal, Santos Dumont Airport (see below), Flamengo and along the seafront between Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, where many hotels are situated. The bus runs approximately every 30 minutes daily 0530–2300 (journey time – 45 minutes to 1 hour) and costs R$8 (per journey). Fixed-rate municipal taxis can be booked at the kiosk near the airport arrivals gate. The fare is R$65 to Copacabana and R$47 to the city centre.

Aeroporto Santos Dumont (SDU)
Tel: (21) 3814 7070. Fax: (21) 2533 2218.
Website: www.infraero.gov.br

Situated beside the city, on Guanabara Bay, the domestic airport of Santos Dumont serves the Rio to São Paulo shuttle (departing every 30 minutes 0630–1845, with a limited service on weekends) and other small domestic flights, air taxis and private planes.

Major airlines: National carrier Varig (tel: (21) 4003 7000; website: www.varig.com.br) flies to major destinations in Brazil. GOL, Ocean Air, TAM, Team and Vasp also provide domestic services.

Airport facilities: Tourist information, left-luggage, restaurants, bookshop, souvenir shop, Internet access, 24-hour banking and exchange facilities are available along with car hire from Avis and Hertz.

Business facilities: Diners Club cardholders have access to the Diners Club VIP Lounge (tel: (21) 2532 4271; website: www.dinersclub.com.br), which provides refreshments as well as business facilities, including a fax machine, photocopying, computers and Internet connection. The lounge is open daily 0600–2200 and is located on the main floor in arrivals.

Transport to the city: The airport is served by the Real/Reitur Turismo (tel: (21) 2564 2158; website: www.realautoonibus.com.br) bus service into the city centre (see above), which costs R$5 (journey time – 20 minutes). Taxis are also readily available and cost R$14 to the Centro. A trip to Copacabana costs R$29. It is a 15-minute walk to the Centro from Santos Dumont airport.

Approximate flight times to Rio de Janeiro: From London is 11 hours; from New York is 10 hours; from Los Angeles is 14 hours; from Toronto is 12 hours and from Sydney is 20 hours.

Arrival/departure tax: The international departure tax is US$36. Domestic departure tax is between US$3 and US$5. Both are payable upon departure, in either R$ or US$, although not a combination of the two.