The Wayro route from Bauru to Petrópolis is 480 miles (773 km), about 9 h 34 min of driving without 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Total distance | 480 mi (773 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-300 → SP-209 → SP-280 → SP-015 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-493 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Bauru to Petrópolis drive plays out
SP-060 (175 mi) and SP-280 (122 mi) carry about 62% of the 480 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Bauru to Petrópolis, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | São Paulo |
| SP-300 | 4–58 | 54 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 58–60 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-209 | 60–72 | 12 | São Paulo |
| SP-280 | 72–194 | 122 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 194–195 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-015 | 195–205 | 10 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 205–380 | 175 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 380–429 | 49 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 429–431 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 431–460 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 460–476 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 476–480 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 350 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Petrópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Memorial da Inclusão (mile 201), Desinfectório Central (mile 202), Itatiaia National Park (mile 359)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Geológico do Varvito (mile 152), Itatiaia National Park (mile 359), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 467)
- Museums and history: Memorial da Inclusão (mile 201), Desinfectório Central (mile 202), Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo (mile 205), Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro (mile 257), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 277), Valongo Wharf (mile 460)
Parque Geológico do Varvito
Glacial lakes about 280 million years ago left behind the layered varvite now visible at this closed quarry in Itu. The site is a protected geological monument, and visitors can walk right past its walls.
Memorial da Inclusão
In São Paulo's Barra Funda neighborhood, the Memorial da Inclusão tells the story of the disability rights movement in Brazil and worldwide, focusing on the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Desinfectório Central
Built in 1893 by the São Paulo state government to fight epidemics through disinfection, the Desinfectório Central was listed as heritage in 1985 and now houses the Emílio Ribas Museum of Public Health.
Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo
Set in the Immigrant Inn building, opened in 1887 in São Paulo's Mooca neighborhood, the Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo tells the story of immigration.
Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
Aircraft such as the Bandeirante and Tucano share space with the VLS-1 rocket, engines, simulators and satellite parts at this memorial to Brazil's aerospace history in São José dos Campos.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Between 1897 and 1903, a family from Cremona built the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm. Today the house in this Taubaté district holds the Italian Immigration Museum.
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.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Once you reach Petrópolis
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Museu Casa do Colono
Housed in a German-style home built in 1847 by immigrant Johan Gottlieb Kaiser, Museu Casa do Colono in Petrópolis is a themed history museum.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
More drives to Petrópolis
- São José dos Campos to Petrópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Petrópolis
- São Paulo to Petrópolis
- Jundiaí to Petrópolis
- Santos to Petrópolis
- São Vicente to Petrópolis
From Bauru to other places in Brazil
- Bauru to Franca
- Bauru to Araxá
- Bauru to Limeira
- Bauru to Mogi Guaçu
- Bauru to Bragança Paulista
- Bauru to Paranapiacaba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Bauru to Petrópolis?
About 9 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 480 miles.
How far is Petrópolis from Bauru by car?
About 480 miles (773 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 Bauru to Petrópolis 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 Bauru to Petrópolis use?
In order: SP-300, SP-209, SP-280, SP-015, SP-060, BR-116, BR-493 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Bauru and Petrópolis?
Closest to the road: Memorial da Inclusão (museum, mile 201, 0.7 mi from the route); Desinfectório Central (museum, mile 202, 0.6 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 359, 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.