Thread: Flying in Brazil is any cheap? What about trains? Or buses...?

I went to Rio long time ago and I wanted to go to Florianopolis for 3 days. I was surprised there was no fast trains in Brazil, not even trains.. How came? Even in India, Russia, Poland you can find trains taking you anywhere...

So, 15 years ago I got stuck in Rio because all buses where full and the tickets to fly were very very expensive, only 3 companies at that time, varig, tranzbrasil and i think the other was Vasp.

So, I am planning a trip to Brazil in May and I would like to know if anything has changed. Any trains available now? Or at least how much will be to fly from Rio to Florianopolis? Any better companies or so?

Thanks,

Jonny

Hello King, nice to meet you.

Yes, Brazil doesn´t invest on railroads and trains, as it should have to do!

After the Military Government, the Brazilian governement (Democracy) has decided to invest only in highways, and a few in railroads to transport commodities to the ports.

Brazilians don´t travel by trains, but only by cars, buses or planes, but the higher cities have been building excelent Subways, but only into the cities.

Today, in many cases, traveling by planes can be cheaper and safer than traveling by buses. Planes are competing to cars and buses, due to lower prices of air tickets.

There is a project to build a railroad for TGV´s (high speed trains) linking São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, and it is expected to be completed in 2014.

Cheap Flights to Brazil - TripAdvisor flights to Brazil.

Hi King, no trains at this time, yet.

Only Military Dictatorship Gov. has invested in trains, during the years of dictatorship in Brazil (1964-1985). I mean that only the militars have buil railroads in Brazil, because the Democracy haven´t buit any railroad, and most of the railroads are abandoned in Brazil.

In Brazil you have only 3 safe ways of transportations: Subways, Buses, and Planes.