Plan on about 10 h 41 min of driving for the 469-mile (754 km) trip from Araruama to Passos, before any stops.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Total distance | 469 mi (754 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-048 → BR-459 → MG-179 → BR-491 → MGC-491 → MG-184 → BR-265 → MG-446 → MG-050 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Araruama to Passos: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (135 mi) and BR-459 (78 mi) carry about 45% of the 469 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Araruama to Passos: the road sequence
| 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 | 81–216 | 135 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 216–217 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-048 | 217–232 | 15 | São Paulo |
| BR-459 | 232–310 | 78 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| MG-179 | 310–374 | 64 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 374–385 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-491 | 385–391 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-184 | 391–428 | 37 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 428–441 | 13 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-446 | 441–452 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 452–467 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 467–469 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 185 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 237 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Araruama and Passos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Geodiversidade (mile 73), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 33), Reserva Florestal do Grajaú (mile 71), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175)
- Museums and history: Museu Antônio Parreiras (mile 62), Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro (mile 65), Civil Police Museum (mile 69), Museu da Geodiversidade (mile 73), Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre (mile 308)
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.
Museu Antônio Parreiras
In Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, on Rua Tiradentes, the Museu Antônio Parreiras is devoted to preserving the memory and work of Brazilian painter Antônio Parreiras.
Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro
Opened on September 3, 1965, for Rio's fourth centenary, the Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro is a state museum dedicated to carioca culture.
Teatro Carlos Gomes
Established in 1868 in the Hotel Richelieu, Teatro Carlos Gomes is a theater in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Civil Police Museum
Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Museum shows documents and objects tracing the work of the Civil Police in the city since colonial times.
Reserva Florestal do Grajaú
Part of the Tijuca forest, Reserva Florestal do Grajaú is a 136-acre park in Rio's Grajaú neighborhood that covers a slope of the Serra dos Três Rios up to Tijuca National Park.
Museu da Geodiversidade
Created in December 2008, the Museu da Geodiversidade is dedicated to the history of planet Earth and the life that has developed on it.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre
Good Jesus Cathedral is the Catholic seat of the Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
More drives to Passos
- Uberaba to Passos
- Mogi Guaçu to Passos
- Limeira to Passos
- Campinas to Passos
- Piracicaba to Passos
- Jundiaí to Passos
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 is the drive from Araruama to Passos?
About 10 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 469 miles.
What is the driving distance from Araruama to Passos?
About 469 miles (754 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.
Is it safe to drive from Araruama to Passos?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Araruama to Passos?
In order: RJ-124, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-048, BR-459, MG-179, BR-491, MGC-491, MG-184, BR-265, MG-446 and MG-050. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Araruama and Passos?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 33, 1 mi from the route); Museu da Geodiversidade (museum, mile 73, 1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 175, 0.2 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.