GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Brazil’s national airline is TAM Airlines (JJ) (Internet: www.tam.com.br). TAM Airlines (JJ) flies to many Brazilian destinations from Frankfurt to São Paulo as well as from London, Madrid and Paris.
Lufthansa (LH) (Internet: http://www.lufthansa.com/) flies daily from Frankfurt and Munich and five times a week from Zurich to São Paulo.
TAP Portugal (TP) flies from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Brasilia, Porto Alegre, Natal, Campinas and Belem and Manaus; from Porto to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. There are feeder connections to Lisbon from Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich.
The following airlines also fly to Brazil: Air France (AF), Alitalia (AZ), British Airways (BA), Iberia (IB), KLM (KL) and Swiss International (LX).
Flight times
Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro: 14 hours; Frankfurt – São Paulo: 11 hours 45 minutes; Zurich – São Paulo: 12 hours
Air passes
The TAM Brazil Airpass is only available in conjunction with an international TAM ticket or in conjunction with transatlantic flights from other international airlines with which TAM has a multilateral or bilateral agreement (does not apply to TAM codeshare flights). TAM passengers pay less for the Airpass than travelers who fly across the Atlantic with other airlines. The Airpass for up to nine destinations is valid on all domestic routes with TAM flightsYY and YY * in economy class – OW / RT / CT OJ. The pass may only be sold to permanent residents outside of South America. The destinations served are decisive for the price of the Airpass, not the number of coupons.
According to computergees, the TAM South American Airpass is valid on all routes of the participating airlines within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile (with the exception of Easter Island), Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The participating airline is: TAM (JJ). The pass is valid for stays of a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 45 days and is only available to passengers who are resident outside of South America in conjunction with an international round-trip ticket. A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 countries must be visited. A maximum of 8 flight coupons are allowed (9 if Iguazú is being flown to), with a maximum of 2 flight interruptions (stopovers) per country. The flight route must be specified in the ticket and firmly reserved. Flights may be rebooked, but the flight route may not be changed. Children under 12 years of age receive a 25% discount, infants under 2 years of age (without their own seat) 90% discount.
The Oneworld Visit South America Pass is valid on routes operated by participating airlinesAmerican Airlines, British Airways, LAN, Qatar Airwaysas well as the associated airlines within South America in the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Applicable only to passengers residing outside of South America. Valid for a maximum of 6 months from arrival in South America. The Airpass includes at least 3 coupons. The number of coupons is not limited. A coupon is required for each section of the route. The stopovers are limited to the number of coupons purchased. Children from 2 years of age: no discount. Infants under 2 years of age are free (no seat occupancy). The reservation of the entire route must be made before departure or the ticket is issued. A fee will be charged for each route change or change in the flight date. Cancellation: With cancellation fees prior to departure, No reimbursement after departure. Purchase of tickets / issue before departure in Germany.
Arrival by car
You can travel to other Latin American countries from Rio de Janeiro, but the journeys are very long (travel time from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires (Argentina) is 44 hours, for example). Further information is available from EMBRATUR (see addresses).
Arriving by train
There are limited connections to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Uruguay. The main routes include Rio de Janeiro – Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro – Santiago, Rio de Janeiro – São Paulo – Montevideo, São Paulo – Bauru – Corumba – Santa Cruz – La Paz, São Paulo – Antofagasta.
Arrival by ship
The largest port is Rio de Janeiro, where many cruise ships dock. Other well-known ports are Manaus, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador and Vitória. The shipping company Grimaldi Freighter offers cruises from Europe. Other cruise companies include: Holland Amercia Line, Swan Hellenic, Celebrity, Mediterranean Shipping, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
NIGHTLIFE
Introduction
The most varied offer can be found in Rio and São Paulo. In the bigger nightclubs in Rio, shows don’t start until after midnight; numerous small night clubs (boites) offer programs every evening. The nightspots in São Paulo are generally more elegant, with more choices. Many shows start earlier than in Rio.
