Visit Brazil - Bus Travel in Brazil

When traveling around Brazil be ready for the Buses! Here are some helpful tips for Bus Travel in Brazil.
1. you can buy some tickets online, but without an official Brazilian government number you may not be able to buy tickets online.
2. There are a number of bus companies in Brazil and they serve different destinations. Make sure you look for bus companies that specifically focus on travel to where you want to go.
3. There are different levels of bus service in Brazil. The more you pay, the better the service.
4. Always have your ticket with you, they check it multiple times.
5. Keep all important stuff with you on the bus. Big backpacks go under the buy, but have a small day pack with your tickets, passport, snacks and drinks with you.
6. Bring screwtop bottles of drinks as the rides can get bumpy.
7. The buses are relatively on time, but do not push it with tight connections if you are looking to get a flight as traffic can be crazy in Brazil.

Filmed in Ouro Preto, Brazil
Copyright Mark Wolters 2016

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[juliobastosjb]

I'm from Brazil and I like your videos because they offer a different perspective over things we are so used to here. And I like very much the polite and passionate way you talk about us brazilians and about our land!
Please, keep doing them. You and your family are always welcome here!

Abraço! Desculpa o inglês macarrônico, hahaha!

[ThiagoEliasRezendeSilva]

Something people should know, is that here in Brazil traffic rules says that children below 7, 5 years old must use special chairs attached to seat belts, and these special chairs changes according to age, so if you hire a Driver and have children, he probably would not accept to carry children aboard (because most of the time they don't have the special chairs) and some of these chairs use the space of 2 people.

[goscmoi]

Your tips are exactly on point! I'm from São Paulo and I've been traveling by bus here since I was 15 yr old... I never bought a bus ticket online... If you're not on a packed Holiday like Carnaval or New Year Eve, you're good, there's tickets to everywhere everyday... best company by far is "Cometa".

[CALEBEGAMEPLAYS]

Que bom q vocês amam nosso país assim como amamos o mundo

[MoiraLAbbate]

yes, taxis are very expensive and it is very hard to get to the airports on Brazil, but fortunatelly Uber is already here :-)

[karaboBenson]

I will like to apologize to always forgetting to like and comment on your videos. I am always focused on the information. But you have made my travel life very easy. Thank you

[thamaradasilvafigueiredo]

I LOVE your videos about Brazil!! It is so nice to know other people points of view about our country. And you are very enthusiastic about it. Lol. Also, I think I can agree with almost everything. Traffic really sucks here. Specially in Rio... I once spent 10 hours on a bus on the road as well... My god! You just want to dye.

[Sheppesh]

This will be my third trip to Brazil and I must say that your assessment of travel by bus is spot on. But for whatever reason most Americans associate riding the bus with poverty and low class, probably because of their judging the quality of Greyhound in the U.S. Also, unique to residing in the U.S. south, riding buses is frowned upon because of the extreme gap between economic classes whereby which most Americans in the south assume driving places puts them in a higher social status. Only the new concept of lightrail has helped open minds to public transport. I see where many are coming from as the best public transport mixing bus with train or tram I’ve personally experienced was in Seoul, JP rail in Japan, the metro rail and sea bus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and the green focused mix of electric and diesel in Seattle. The need for speed and desires to arrive at locations discourages typical Americans from experiencing the gems that are truly Brazilian.

[wellerson]

Your videos are greats!!! I learn about every places in the world and I training my listen skill. Thanks a lot.

[BillGreenAZ]

Latin America has such charming churches.

great to know that it's not your first time here in brazil.

[RodolphosTech]

Nowadays at least in my homestate most people buy airplane tickets which can be found as cheap or even cheaper than buses...most people prefer to rent a car and go by car to different locations but car traffic is horrible and loads of accidents so a bus might be a good idea for tourists but always choose executive class...conventional is too bad
There's the first class buses which are amazing...only 12 seats and reclining seats like in airplanes and you even get food and drinks.

[julianajurema]

Every year I travel To Belo Horizonte from Sao Paulo and always takes soooo looong, I got stuck in the traffic for almost 5h and the 6h trip became 12h

[tosht]

Enjoyed this video, Wolters even though I'm really not keen on long distance bus travel. The longest trip I've taken as an adult is from Vaclav Havel to Old Town, Prague (~9 miles). 😀

[vlogrodas]

Let's not forget, if you have the money, buy a  ticket bus leito or leito-cama, it is worth the comfort. 
To have a idea, google ônibus leito or onibus leito cama.

Mark,
Show some pictures from the buses in Brazil Marcopolo Double Decker Leito or Leito cama.

[stefanoscha]

hey Walter, when are you coming in cyprus???

[Pining_for_the_fjords]

It sounds like they care a lot about making sure somebody else doesn't go away with your luggage. Whenever I've travelled by coach before where you can leave luggage in the storage compartment, they just relied on people being honest and only taking their own luggage.

[Yurinsm]

If you're travelling between states you have to show your ID, if it's within the same state you don't.

[macferthi]

Don't maybe use the seatbelt, always buckle first.

[flamepeace]

freeways, roads, higways.. are dangerous