Rio de Janeiro airport transfer: GIG and Santos Dumont

At a glance

Rio’s two airports

Galeão (GIG), officially RIOgaleão, Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim, is where international flights land. The airport says it is now part of Aena. Arrivals are at Terminal 2. The metro does not reach the terminal: the airport lists a BRT bus station at Terminal 2 arrivals that connects to the metro at Vicente de Carvalho, which is a long way round with suitcases.

Santos Dumont (SDU) sits in the city centre, at the end of the VLT tram lines to Terminal Gentileza and to Central. If you land here from another Brazilian city, the drive to the beach neighbourhoods is short.

Rio de Janeiro airport transfer from GIG to Copacabana

Most requests we get are for this route. You land, collect your bags and walk into the arrivals hall, where the driver is waiting. We track the flight number you give us, so an early or late landing does not leave you stranded. Then it is a straight drive to your hotel or apartment in Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra da Tijuca or wherever you are staying.

A transfer makes the most sense when:

• you land at night or very early in the morning;
• you travel with children, older relatives or a lot of luggage;
• it is your first time in Brazil and you have no local SIM or mobile data yet;
• you would rather not deal with taxi queues or apps right after a long flight.

Car or van, luggage and night arrivals

For one to three people with normal luggage we book a car; for larger parties, surfboards or a lot of bags, a van. Tell us how many suitcases and large items you have, and we confirm the vehicle in the proposal. Night arrivals are no problem: pickups follow your flight, not office hours.

For seven people or more, see our group transfers.

Child seats under Brazilian rules

Brazil’s traffic council rule, CONTRAN Resolution No. 819 of 2021, sets the seat by age, weight or height: an infant carrier up to 1 year or 13 kg, a child seat from 1 to 4 years, a booster seat from 4 to 7 and a half years, and a seat belt after that. Children under 10 who are shorter than 1.45 m ride in the back. We ask the age, height and weight of each child and book the right seats with the car.

Beyond the city: Búzios, Ilha Grande, Paraty and the other airport

Many travelers skip Rio on day one. The driver can meet you at the airport and take you to Búzios, to the pier in Angra dos Reis for the boat to Ilha Grande, or to Paraty. Ideas for those trips are on our day trips from Rio page.

We also run GIG to SDU connections when your domestic flight leaves from Santos Dumont, and transfers to and from the Rio cruise port. If you want a car for the whole day, look at a private driver in Rio.

What to tell us in your request

• Airport (GIG or SDU) and flight number
• Date and landing time
• Number of people
• Suitcases and large items (strollers, surfboards, golf bags)
• Child seats: age, height and weight of each child
• Drop-off address, or the next destination (Búzios, Ilha Grande, Paraty, the cruise port, the other airport)
• Return transfer, if you need one: flight time and pickup address

Price, payment and cancellation

Price on request, proposal within 24 hours, and our fee is already included in the price. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm. You can cancel free of charge up to 48 hours before pickup and change the date once with 48 hours’ notice if the driver has another slot. If the driver cannot make it, we find a replacement or refund your deposit in full. More on this in how we work. Please check entry requirements on official websites before you fly.