Life everywhere is permeated pleasantly or, more often, unpleasantly by the role of transport and it is inevitable, that moving to such a vast country as Brazil brings with it, its fair share of travel. As someone who has relocated several times, I have had to regularly acclimatise to different local transport systems and this has brought about a need to evaluate every bus journey or taxi ride for comfort, cost and convenience. Here is a general overview that will hopefully give you a head start.
Flights
I only have a limited experience of flights into and around Brazil. The route I took from the UK was the popular one into Sao Paulo's Guarulhos airport from London Heathrow. I chose to fly via Frankfurt airport with Lufthansa which proved a little cheaper than the direct options. You can also fly via Amsterdam, with KLM, or via Madrid with Iberia Airlines. The direct flights are with Varig (Brazil's main international Airline) or with British Airways.
The significant issue with flights from the UK is, of course, the length. Direct flights are around 10 hours and an extra couple of hours should be added if you are going via a connection. For those who are not familiar with these long flights, it is worth noting the potential problems. I had the popular plan of sleeping as much as possible and only waking for the food, but this proved to be much more difficult than I'd hoped.
Everything just seemed to be timed badly. There was no itinerary to tell me when the food was going to be served and although the in-flight movies were listed, I had no idea when or in what order they were to be shown. In the end, by the time they had finished telling us about the flight and what to do in the event of engine failure, there was just enough time to fall asleep so that you could be woken up by the first meal 10 minutes later. It then took a couple of hours to serve the food and clear away the dishes. At this point, I was just about ready for a film, but was left waiting indefinitely...
...After a while, I started nodding off again, just in time to miss the beginning of the film, but I woke a few hours later, with the dry air making me
feel like I'd swallowed a small rodent. I was then delighted to see the second film start, only to find that I only had the choice of German
or Portuguese to watch it in. So, back to sleep I went, but only for an hour as then it was time for the next meal... You get my point.
Of course, that was just my experience.
Depending on the airline, you might have your own T.V. and depending on the time of day, the meals may be
better organised. I guess what I'm trying to say, is, just be prepared.
There are also internal flights around Brazil, from operators like GOL pictured here, which are reasonably priced. I didn't have the opportunity to try them out during my first stay, but when I returned for 3 weeks in late 2006, I caught an internal flight with another operator, TAM, from Rio to Curitiba, via Sao Paulo. This was definately the most basic flight I've ever taken, with no refreshments offered, and little procedural fuss. When taking off from Sao Paulo on the second leg of the flight, the cockpit door swung open and the pilot tried shutting it with one hand, whilst the other was on the stick, guiding the plane down the runway. Unable to close the door, I was grateful to see an air hostess get up and shut it for him.
Links
You may find these websites useful for finding reasonably priced flights between the UK and Brazil:
- Travelocity
- STA Travel For Students and Young People
- GOL Internal flight Airline
Buses
When I first arrived in Curitiba, I was excited knowing that at last I was going to get the opportunity to try out the
much written about bus system. Certainly, the red bus route, with its own lane, was very impressive. It was nice to know
that the bus wouldn't get stuck in traffic, and as we headed into the centre on my first journey, it became apparent that there
wasn't that much traffic anyway.
The red bus system is very regular and comprises of multi-carriage buses (Still quite rare in the UK),
which are part of a network that resembles a giant spider-web spread out across the whole of Curitiba. This route comes with undercover
bus stops, shown below, where you pay your fare before you travel. I would warn you that the price of one journey (No matter how long) is around 45p currently (11.04.05)
which is comparatively expensive and I would advise you to use them only for long distances.
The other bus routes in Curitiba, which are either green, white or yellow (There may be others), are the same price, but have to contend more with the general traffic and are not as regular or reliable.
If you are like me, you will find that you are able to walk to most places in Curitiba, but unlike in London, the buses are there when you need them.
Coaches
I had been dreading this. I knew that long coach rides were likely to be a regular fixture in my life because of the proximity of various family
members and I visualised a seat shared with a heavily pregnant mad woman and a chicken. Needless to say, a little moderation of my preconceptions was required.
The Executive coaches (Only a little more expensive than the Conventional ones) are air-conditioned and come with leg rests, water and on some journeys, free snacks. On my first ride, which was 7 hours from Sao Paulo to Curitiba, I watched Mission Impossible and the Mean Machine on a TV above my head. Apart from two eastern European girls sitting behind us whose language seemed to consist of clearing their throats and kicking the backs of our chairs, the journey was very pleasant indeed.
My second lengthy coach ride was from Curitiba to Umuarama, where my wife's mother lives. This time it was 9 hours and at night:
without the benefit of films to pass the time. However, I was beginning to enjoy the previously unknown experience of executive coaches. Certainly they vary
and some of the roads here leave a lot to be desired, but the free chilled water, the leg rests and the fact that we were able to book the front seats each time,
which provide a privacy and feeling of space with no-one in front of you to look at, (Travel tip number one) has given me something to look forward to rather
than dread.
The air-conditioning on the coaches was also better than expected and creates the same effect that you have when your plane lands in a hot country and you step out into a known, but yet somehow unexpected, climate. All in all, I would recommend this method of travel. (Especially in the absence of Trains) It is certainly a step up from National Express in England - unless you are forced to opt for the Conventional option, which I would seriously avoid for long journeys. Also be ready for delays. Some of the older buses are notorious for breaking down on long journeys. (I have been lucky so far)
Taxis
As a tourist, or traveller in any country, taxis will sooner or later be an invaluable part of your trip. It is good to feel confident when taking one, as spending time in a foreign land comes with enough unknowns as it is.
The good news is, in Brazil, the taxis in the city tend to come in one colour or design. In Curitiba they are orange and so it is easy to find a licensed taxi when you need one.
The one pictured here is from Rio. The reliability and honesty of the driver is less distinguishable however, and it is a good idea to give the impression you know where you're going when you give the directions.
The cost of a taxi ride is quite reasonable (In Curitiba at least), and a 5-mile (8 KM) journey, is around R$15 Reais, which is about £3. I would guess that the more reasonable price
of fuel is the principal reason for this.
Underground
In Sao Paulo, they have an underground system that is of a similar nature to London's. On several occasions I used it whilst travelling between the coach station, and a stop near to the apartment of my Wife's Aunt. Although the trains seemed to be a little older, the platforms were very clean and remarkably spacious, which any Oxford Street station user would be able to appreciate well. I can only presume that the authorities here, unlike those in London, had the forethought to estimate their number of commuters at more than 7.
Unfortunately, once inside the trains, there is not so much room and you could easily imagine yourself as being between any two London stations. The only discernable difference in the journeys is that in Sao Paulo, many carriages come with their own police escorts. I understand the intention, but I'm afraid I will never feel safe in the vicinity of a firearm, no matter who is carrying it.
