By road, Campos dos Goytacazes and Santos are about 475 miles (765 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 19 min of driving.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance | 475 mi (765 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-180 → 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 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos
BR-116 (176 mi) and RJ-180 (158 mi) carry about 70% of the 475 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 2–160 | 158 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 160–169 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 169–178 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 178–180 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 180–356 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 357–399 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 399–415 | 16 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 415–416 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 416–446 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 446–447 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 447–471 | 24 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 471–475 | 4 | São Paulo |
- Mile 285 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
What to see on the way from Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 169), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 324)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia do Buraco (mile 155), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275)
- Museums and history: Candelária Church (mile 165), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 169), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 324), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 389), Calçada do Lorena (mile 464)
- With kids: Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden (mile 170)
Praia do Buraco
About four kilometers from Praia Central in Balneário Camboriú, Praia do Buraco borders Praia do Canto; strong waves make it unsafe for swimming, so it draws mostly fishermen and photographers.
Candelária Church
Built and decorated from 1775 into the late 19th century, the Candelária Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Rio de Janeiro.
Carioca Aqueduct
Better known as Arcos da Lapa, the Carioca Aqueduct in Rio de Janeiro was built in the mid-18th century to carry fresh water from the Carioca River to the city.
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.
Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden
Located in the São Cristóvão district, the Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden runs environmental and educational activities built around its animal collection of mainly fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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.
Museu Frei Galvão
Guaratinguetá's city government and a local association of museum friends jointly maintain the Museu Frei Galvão, a municipal cultural institution in São Paulo state.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
Housed in an 1857 mansion in Jacareí, the Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (Museu de Antropologia do Vale do Paraíba) shows sacred and folk art, paintings, and archaeological finds such as ceramic vessels and stone tools.
Calçada do Lorena
Calçada do Lorena, in the Serra do Mar of São Paulo state, was the first paved road linking São Paulo to Santos, built on the orders of governor Bernardo José Maria de Lorena.
When you get to Santos
Museum of Sacred Art in Santos
Founded in 1981, the Museum of Sacred Art in Santos occupies the former São Bento Monastery, begun in 1650 and attached to the Church of Nossa Senhora do Desterro, built in 1631.
Municipal Aquarium of Santos
In the Ponta da Praia neighborhood of Santos, the Municipal Aquarium of Santos (Aquário Municipal de Santos) has 32 freshwater and saltwater tanks holding more than 200 animal species.
Góis Beach
Fishing families make up most of the community at Góis Beach (Praia do Góis), a 250-meter beach in Guarujá, São Paulo, ringed by hills covered in Atlantic Forest.
More drives to Santos
- São Paulo to Santos
- Jundiaí to Santos
- Campinas to Santos
- Ribeirão Preto to Santos
- Uberlândia to Santos
- Mogi das Cruzes to Santos
From Campos dos Goytacazes to other places in Brazil
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Itaguaí
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Barra Mansa
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Angra dos Reis
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Resende
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Penedo
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Fumaça
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos?
About 10 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 475 miles.
How far is Santos from Campos dos Goytacazes by car?
About 475 miles (765 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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos 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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos use?
In order: RJ-180, 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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Santos?
Closest to the road: Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (museum, mile 169, 0.6 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 275, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 324, 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.