Rio's metro system is dated and not the cleanest. However, it is cheap and can be useful at times. Most tourists stay in the Copacabana/Ipanema area and there are a few stops along this route. I also took the metro to the downtown Centro area to see some museums and it was very quick and convenient. read more

Metrô Rio - Public Transportation Near Me

The metro system for Rio de Janeiro features two lines and, while that doesn't sound like a lot, they are two long metro lines. The reason that the lines are mostly linear and closer to the coastline is because Rio is backed by some fairly massive and tall monoliths, mountains, and dense forests, so they city is laid out in sort of a horseshoe. I had read about how dicey the buses were, and they sort of were, and was expecting to find Metro Rio to be much the same. It's not. It feels safe, it's clean, it's relatively inexpensive, it gets you where you need to go quickly, and interfaces with key bus lines to get you right up to the tourist attractions you want to see. In some cases, you can walk to that tourist attraction. You should still safeguard your valuables on a crowded train and, if you wear your wallet in your back pocket anywhere in Rio, YOU are the idiot. The two metro lines overlap roughly in the center of Rio, with the city's domestic airport being practically within walking distance of one of the downtown stops - Cinelandia. One line extends upward toward the Zona Norte and features the stop for the Maracana stadium while the other line extends into the Zona Sul, which is where the tourists tend to base themselves. http://www.metroeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/rio-de-janeiro-metro-map.png The Metro has inched southward, finally ending its run barely into Ipanema at the General Osorio station. If you're on the top end of Ipanema, you can hoof it to where you need to go. If you're on the south end of Ipanema or in Leblon, then an additonal bus trek or taxi ride will probably be necessary. The addition of two stations within the last decade has taken the Metro below Copacabana's Siqueira Campos station. With this extension, it's almost amazing that a quick subway ride can now safely and inexpensively take a person from a few blocks inward from Ipanema's beach to Rio de Janeiro's central business district in about 20 minutes. read more

Maybe I'm grading on a curve. Maybe I haven't had reliable public transit in so long that my standards are lowered. Maybe the fact that I was able to navigate a train system in a foreign language and new continent made me want to do the Humpty Dance in celebration. Maybe it's all of this and above. At the end of the day, I was just happy to be able to get on a train and get somewhere. A train system is a train system is a train system. You pay for a ride, roundtrip or series of trips. You look for your particular line. You figure out the direction. You get on and ride. Rio is a sneakily expensive city and it's pretty spread out if you want to spend time in its many neighborhoods and not stay beholden to only the touristy areas. Taking a cab to and fro is not the business. Depending on your friends to cart you to and fro isn't fair. This leaves the metro and the bus system. While the bus can get you to more places (and I love the various bus options you have: express, local and cushy), there's something (for me) to riding on a train car that makes me feel wonderfully urban. Despite the language barrier, I found the Metro tourist friendly and easy to navigate. A short bus ride to the station and I was off to explore all sorts of scenes in Rio. Again: Rio: expensive. Taxis: expensive. Friends: not a taxi service. Public transit: take it. You can't get to all areas on the train but you can get to a lot of them. And the ones you can't get to... that's what the bus is for! read more

Rio's metro system has a few good things going for it, and a few bad: + It's the safest mass-transit system in the city. There have been a few robberies the last few months, but security has since been increased. There are also women-only cars in the morning and afternoons - they're painted pink and the schedule is printed on the ground. Usually there are security guards making sure men don't go on them. + Stations are clearly identified and it shouldn't be easy to miss your stop - each approaching station is announced in advance in Portuguese and English. + Clean. People are always around sweeping and making sure there isn't litter. + Well-marked. There are maps and signs everywhere. + Inexpensive. Right now the charge is about R$3.70 to ride, and it doesn't matter if you go one stop or 20. - Not many destinations. Rio is really a city of buses, so if you're trying to get close to a tourist attraction like Cristo or Pão de Açúcar, you're out of luck. However, they are close by most everything else, like shops, bars, and restaurants. - Lots of walking from some station entrances to the actual trains. If you're getting on in General Osório you'll know what I mean. - No schedule. As far as I can tell, even after using the metro for more than a year, they don't have a schedule, so you might end up waiting for a while. There are also frequent delays, especially around Botafogo Station where the lines merge. - Packed. The trains get very very full, even during off-peak hours. - Musicians. Often you'll encounter people begging for money (usually blind people) or guys who think that because they play a tambourine or a flute that you should give them money. Normally they aren't very good and if security catches them (which I always hope they do) they get kicked off. In 2016 the Metrô is scheduled to open up all the way to Barra (Linha 4), so you'll have more options, including Leblon and São Conrado. read more

Efficient subway system in Rio and not complicated at all!! There were two lines, orange and green which could take you to Ipanema to downtown to the stadium. Very clean station and even has a few little shops for you to check out on your way down to the subway. read more