Getting Here and Around

Brasília's international airport, Aeroporto Juscelino Kubitschek (BSB), is one of the busiest in Brazil. To get to the city center, taxis are your only real option. Trips to the hotel sectors along the Eixo Monumental take roughly 15 minutes and cost about R$40. City buses, which cost about R$3, make many stops and don't have space for luggage.

Interstate buses arrive and depart from the Estação Rodoviária. Real makes the 15-hour trip between Brasília and São Paulo. Itapemirim buses run to and from Rio de Janeiro (17 hours). As in most cities in Brazil, the public transportation system is based on commuter buses. Most bus lines depart from Estação Rodoviária, and from there you can go to virtually any part of the city. Rides within the Plano Piloto cost about R$3. Although Brasília does have a subway, it is mainly useful for commuters from suburbs, such as Taguatinga and Samambaia. The regional government has also announced plans to construct a tramway linking the airport with the Eixo Monumental.

The best way to get around is by car—either taxi or rental car. Taxi fares in Brasília are a bit lower than in the rest of the country, and most cabs are organized as cooperatives with dispatchers ("radio taxis"). It's best to tackle the Eixo Monumental and then to visit the Praça dos Três Poderes first, and then choose other sights farther away. For this, hire a cab or join an organized tour. Alternatively, combine walking and bus rides with lines 104 and 108, which run by the Eixo Monumental.