Araruama to Cubatão is about 367 road miles (591 km): roughly 7 h 44 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 367 mi (591 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-070 → SP-021 → SP-150 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Araruama to Cubatão is like
BR-116 (176 mi) and BR-101 (46 mi) carry about 60% of the 367 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Araruama to Cubatão, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 6–24 | 18 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 24–70 | 46 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 70–79 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 79–81 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 81–257 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 257–258 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 258–300 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 300–316 | 16 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 316–318 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 318–347 | 29 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 347–348 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 348–366 | 18 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 366–367 | 1 | São Paulo |
- Mile 185 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
What to see on the way from Araruama to Cubatão
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 70), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 229), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 350)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 33), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 350)
- Museums and history: Espaço Cultural da Marinha (mile 66), Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (mile 69), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 70), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 229), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 257), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 290)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Espaço Cultural da Marinha
Overseen by the Brazilian Navy, the Espaço Cultural da Marinha is a cultural center on Rio de Janeiro's Orla Conde, between Largo da Candelária and Praça XV, with about 1,100 square meters of exhibits.
Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
An archaeological site and cultural center in Rio's Gamboa neighborhood, the Cemitério dos Pretos Novos stands over a cemetery for enslaved Africans used between 1769 and 1830, in an 18th-century house.
Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins
A public federal institution in Rio's São Cristóvão district, the Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins studies and shares the history of science and technology in Brazil.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Opened in 1956, the Museu Nossa Senhora Aparecida sits within the basilica complex in Aparecida. Its collection brings together regional objects, among them archaeological finds and religious items.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Photos, furniture, machinery and a period classroom recall immigrant life at the Italian Immigration Museum, housed in the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm, a district of Taubaté.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
Ceramic vessels and stone tools are among the archaeological finds at the Museu de Antropologia do Vale do Paraíba in Jacareí, which also displays sacred art, folk art and paintings.
Parque Natural Estoril
In São Bernardo do Campo, Parque Natural Estoril is a conservation area protecting Atlantic Forest, part of the Billings Reservoir and local wildlife across roughly 373,000 square meters.
Arriving in Cubatão
Santos Botanical Garden
Named for activist Chico Mendes, Santos Botanical Garden is an ecological park that preserves plant species and grows seedlings for the beachfront gardens and other public spaces of Santos.
Museum of Natural Sciences and Cultural Center Jewels of Nature
São Vicente's Museum of Natural Sciences and Cultural Center Jewels of Nature (Joias da Natureza) is a museum of mineralogy and natural sciences in São Paulo state.
Ecological Park of Perequê
Named for the Perequê River that runs through it, the Ecological Park of Perequê (Parque Ecológico do Perequê) is a natural area in the municipality of Cubatão.
More drives to Cubatão
- São Paulo to Cubatão
- Jundiaí to Cubatão
- Bragança Paulista to Cubatão
- Itu to Cubatão
- Campinas to Cubatão
- Limeira to Cubatão
From Araruama to other places in Brazil
- Araruama to Itaguaí
- Araruama to Resende
- Araruama to Penedo
- Araruama to Fumaça
- Araruama to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Araruama to Guaratinguetá
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Araruama to Cubatão?
About 7 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 367 miles.
How far is Cubatão from Araruama by car?
About 367 miles (591 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Araruama to Cubatão drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Araruama to Cubatão use?
In order: RJ-124, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SPI 117/070, SP-070, SP-021 and SP-150. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Araruama to Cubatão?
Closest to the road: Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (museum, mile 70, 0.5 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 175, 0.2 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 229, 0.4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.