Brasil Travel Forum

Hello,

I'm going to Brasil from july 10th to the august 2nd. We're starting in Rio, meeting up with a someone we know, who told us public transport in Rio isn't safe for foreigners. Is this true?

Thx,

Dominique

public transport is not more unsafe for you than for a brazilian.
many rich brazilians won´t take public city busses because robberies do occur there from time to time, but i have taken the bus way more than 100 times in rio and i have never coma across problems.

the rio metro on the other hand is very safe and a fast way to move around the city.

Dominique,
Public transportation from most popular tourist areas to most popular tourist sights during the day is as safe for you, as Cachaseiro said, as for anyone. If you can navigate the buses, use them, and the Metro. Taxis are cheap, though, and at night, or if you want the convenience, use them to get around.

There are a lot of scare stories circulating about Rio and, while crime is a fact of city life for Brazilians and foreigners alike (in Rio as well as any major city in the world), if you let the stories put you off going, or enjoying yourself by constantly walking around fearful, then you'll miss one of the most spectacular and exciting cities in the world. Bring your street smarts, as well as all your energy and enthusiasm, and you'll have a great time.

The idea that the public transport in Rio in general is unsafe, is highly exaggerated. There are lines that are less safe, depending on where they are going to or coming from, but unfortunately this information is not easy available.
As a rule, the airconditioned coach is considered safer than the normal city bus. In Rio they seem to be called "frescao" (because it is freezing in there ?), elsewhere "executivo". Or else a mini-bus, but never the overcrowded and mostly illegal Vans.

Of course, a taxi is the best if you don´t know the way around and don´t speak the language enough to ask.

You probably best take a phrase book along, as indeed only a very few speak enough English to be able to ask the way. Make sure it is Brazilian portuguese, a bus is a ônibus here, not autocarro. The lightrail (there is only one surviving in Rio) is bonde, not electrico, and the train is trem, not comboio.

Yes, the public transport is rather good as it comes to frequency. It is not so good as it comes to information on their destination and route. In fact, I have never seen a map with the busroutes on it. Busstops are usually not indicated with a sign, if there is some kind of shelter there is still no list of busses that are supposed to stop there, or where they are going to, or a timetable.

You HAVE to ask around.

Thx everybody

Thx everybody