VidaNaPraia

IMO you should be takng taxis rather consistently. Lapa is still kind of iffy during the day, and also nights on any streets not having popular clubs (other than on Th/Fri/Sat. night when there are people about).

SCSA

Hi all...glomming onto this thread. Long story, but I'm travelling from Salvador to Buenos Aires on Easter weekend and am thinking of doing 24 hours in Rio on the way.

The thought process behind this is that if I go "directly" on Saturday I still have to do a 3.5 hour stopover in GRU on the way. So I'd leave my hotel Saturday morning, arrive at EZE after 20:30 and basically spend the entire day in airports and planes. Not the most desirable way to spend a day of precious holiday time.

For basically the same airfare money I could fly to GIG (unfortunately no direct flights from SSA to SDU) late Friday afternoon, spend the night there, and catch the last flight from GIG to EZE on Saturday at 21:30.

So when deciding whether to do this the big question is how much time I'd actually get to spend in Rio. If I land 19:00 on Friday, what time would I actually get to my hotel, assuming I stay in Ipanema/Copacabana?

If I have a Saturday 21:00 flight from GIG, what time would I need to leave for the airport?

Finally, will bars and clubs be open the night of Good Friday? Will sightseeing attractions be open on Holy Saturday?

Thanks.

VidaNaPraia

(my best informed guess)

In an hour or less by taxi.


About an hour to the airport, to arrive 2 hours min. before flight.



Answered on your other, original thread.

malgudi

Will be arriving Friday morning (around 8:30) and flying out on Saturday (around 9:30p). How long would it take to get to/from the JW Marriott by taxi?

Thanks.

RafKa

Arriving would take around 90 minutes as you'll be caught in rush hour traffic. Heading to GIG on Sat evening on the other hand should take 35-40 mins...

malgudi

Thanks!

Any recommendations for transportation from the airport in Rio (as well as Sao Paulo). Are these guys dependable?

http://www.saopauloairporttransfers.com/

http://www.rioairporttransfer.com/

RafKa

The quotes seem quite outrageous for Rio: U$79 to Copa?? It'll be about R$65 on a regular yellow taxi on a weekday, double that at the pre-paid "special" taxis. Unless you have lots of luggage, I would simply take the yellow taxi (you can pre pay by card at their booth, Aerocoop and Aerotaxi, but the attendants are lazy and absolutely useless and may try to dissuade you from doing so).

In GRU, you can simply use Uber...

malgudi

Glad I asked ... thanks! Yellow taxi/Uber works for me.

Looks like there's a prepaid system at GRU as well.

Cheers.

RafKa

Yes. You can't miss it: just as you exit the terminal there is a booth. Not sure if it compares favourably against Uber (GIG doesn't allow Uber, but apparently GRU does).

jbcarioca

We still can use Uber at GIG. they just must meet us in the public parking areas rather than at the curb. Drop off with Uber is no problem. Until the Uber drivers begin to be attacked I imagine it will continue that way. For the record I use Uber in Rio, but I go to GIG with Aerotaxi, which is actually cheaper when you call to book the return.

RafKa

I'll have to try that next week. Yesterday I tried Uber from SDU and no matter where I placed the pin in the vicinity of the airport, I still wasn't able to call one.

Agree with the return fare from Aerotaxi: R$50 from Zona Sul is unbeatable...

boboqui

LOL

jbcarioca

You're correct! I do not know when it happened, but until now you could choose a location in Ilha do Governador (where GIG is located, for those who do not know that), then advise the driver when they call to make the pickup adjacent to the parking lot. Frankly, it's hardly worth the trouble since Uber does not really save much money here in Rio.

My personal view is that the variable pricing model makes them a good deal for me because I can get Uber cars to my house when none of the other services are prepared to make a pickup here, with the notable exception of Aerotaxi, which makes pickups on time every time.

Leaving GIG I normally use the Yellow Taxis (trying for Aerotaxi) without prepayment. Prepaying at the kiosks costs more than it does with cash to the drivers, but you do need to have Reais. After the current price increase my typical band one (daytime weekdays) normal cost GIG-Alto Jardim Botânico is around R$60 and band two (holidays, nights, Sundays, December) is about R$65. The minimal difference is because even though the band is higher traffic congestion is much less, so the trip is faster, thus relatively cheaper, because of no charge for waiting.

Final comment on Uber in Rio. despite the lack of a waiting charge with Uber, the variable pricing model generally results in Uber being much more expensive during rush hours because often only black cars will be available. That said, you're far more likely to get a Uber car than a call taxi at peak times when you're out of the major tourist areas.

nsummy

There is a bus service from GRU which has worked well for me when I took it, and its cheap too: http://www.airportbusservice.com.br/

Its my understanding that Uber will only take you to the airport in Rio, not pick you up there. And its a flat rate to go. Uber is probably good in Rio if you can't find a cab but its definitely more expensive than a taxi. And a black car in rio is the same as uberx everywhere else.

I tried to get an uber at 4 am on Av Atlantica last week, I watched the driver fly by and the wait time to go from 1 minute to 17 lol.

jbcarioca

Yesterday, April 29, the operations of Uber were ordered suspended in Brazil by a Federal judge in SP. Given the political power of taxi drivers unions and the political situation in the country it is probably safe to say that Uber is finished in Brazil for the foreseeable future.