Originally Posted by
Richym99
If you have a layover in GIG of more than about six hours (like a same day turnaround on an MR from the US), you should have no problem in getting to the beach for some sun, sand and a meal for a few hours. There is even time, on a ten hour stop, to get up Corcovado or Sugar Loaf using public transport, if you plan it right.
I think it's a bit gutsy to make that claim based on a single recent visit. I'm hoping/assuming you visited on a weekday. True, congestion in Rio has eased quite a lot simply due to the massive recession we're going through: decimated oil industry, and record high unemployment mean less jobs to drive to. Add to that no money for petrol, cars being repossessed, and you have a lot less cars out on the road. But right now we're in the first week of school holidays, and some people would have got a headstart on getting away last week so traffic may have been unusualy light during your visit.
Case in point: early June I had an 8:00AM flight on a Thurs to Bogota, and I was driving to GIG at 5:30AM and I could see a queue of cars a mile or so long on the opposite direction heading into town.
Agree with your points on the walking distances and *A lounge.