Plan on about 11 h 17 min of driving for the 492-mile (791 km) trip from Cabo Frio 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.”
| Distance | 492 mi (791 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → 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 19.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Cabo Frio–Passos drive in a few lines
BR-116 (135 mi) and BR-459 (79 mi) carry about 43% of the 492 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cabo Frio to Passos, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 2–9 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 12–47 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 47–93 | 46 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 93–102 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 102–104 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 104–239 | 135 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-048 | 239–254 | 15 | São Paulo |
| BR-459 | 254–333 | 79 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| MG-179 | 333–397 | 64 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 397–408 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-491 | 408–414 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-184 | 414–450 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 450–464 | 14 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-446 | 464–475 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 475–490 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 490–492 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 208 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 260 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Cabo Frio to Passos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 91), Museu da Maré (mile 95), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 111), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198)
- Nature and outdoors: Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198)
- Museums and history: Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá (mile 86), Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 91), Museu Militar Conde de Linhares (mile 93), Museu da Maré (mile 95), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 111), Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre (mile 331)
Araruama Lagoon
In Rio de Janeiro state's Região dos Lagos, Araruama Lagoon is a permanent hypersaline lagoon covering 220 km², about 40 km long and 13 km wide.
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá is a fort in the city of Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Convent of Santo Antônio
Atop Morro de Santo Antônio and facing Largo da Carioca, this Franciscan convent in central Rio forms, with the neighboring Church of the Third Order of St. Francis of Penance, one of the city's surviving colonial ensembles.
Baths of King João VI at Caju
Also known as the Museu da Limpeza Urbana, the Baths of King João VI (Casa de Banho de Dom João VI) is a museum on Praia do Caju in Rio de Janeiro's Caju neighborhood.
Museu Militar Conde de Linhares
In Rio de Janeiro's São Cristóvão neighborhood, the Museu Militar Conde de Linhares covers military history and is named for the nobleman who accompanied the Portuguese court's move to Brazil.
Museu da Maré
Recording the history of the Maré communities in Rio de Janeiro, Museu da Maré centers on a permanent exhibition and also runs oral history research, storytelling and traveling exhibitions.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
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 Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cabo Frio to Passos?
About 11 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 492 miles.
How far is Passos from Cabo Frio by car?
About 492 miles (791 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 Cabo Frio to Passos?
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 Cabo Frio to Passos use?
In order: RJ-140, 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 Cabo Frio and Passos?
Closest to the road: Baths of King João VI at Caju (museum, mile 91, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu da Maré (museum, mile 95, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 198, 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.