Plan on about 5 h 11 min of driving for the 249-mile (400 km) trip from Cubatão to Barra do Piraí, 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 249 mi (400 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-150 → SP-021 → SP-070 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Cubatão to Barra do Piraí
SP-060 (104 mi) and SP-070 (56 mi) carry about 64% of the 249 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Cubatão to Barra do Piraí: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 1–19 | 18 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 19–21 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 21–50 | 29 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 50–106 | 56 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 106–109 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 109–213 | 104 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 213–219 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 219–221 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 221–225 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 225–247 | 22 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 247–249 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 182 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Stops between Cubatão and Barra do Piraí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Natural Estoril (mile 17), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 25), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 138), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 138), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 142), Itatiaia National Park (mile 191)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Natural Estoril (mile 17), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 25), Itatiaia National Park (mile 191)
- Museums and history: Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 77), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 114), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 138), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 138), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 142)
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.
Pedroso Municipal Nature Park
Santo André's Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (Parque do Pedroso) is a strictly protected conservation unit that holds important water sources and a fragment of Atlantic Forest.
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.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Founded in 1958 on the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, Taubaté's Museu Monteiro Lobato honors the children's author with exhibitions, a historic main house, green areas and plays featuring characters from his stories.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida houses the image of Our Lady Aparecida that fishermen pulled from the Paraíba do Sul River in 1717. Work on the current basilica began in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Within the Aparecida basilica complex, the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (Museu Nossa Senhora Aparecida) gathers objects from the region, including archaeological pieces and sacred items. It opened in 1956.
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
In 1956, São Paulo state created a set of museums for presidents born in the state, among them this one in Guaratinguetá dedicated to Rodrigues Alves, Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906.
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.
Once you reach Barra do Piraí
Santana Cathedral
Dedicated to St. Anne, this cathedral in Barra do Piraí is the seat of the Diocese of Barra do Piraí–Volta Redonda; Emperor Pedro II attended the laying of its cornerstone during a visit to the parish.
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade is a historic rural estate in Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in the 19th century by Antônio Gonçalves de Morais.
More drives to Barra do Piraí
- Pindamonhangaba to Barra do Piraí
- Taubaté to Barra do Piraí
- São José dos Campos to Barra do Piraí
- Jacareí to Barra do Piraí
- São Paulo to Barra do Piraí
- Bragança Paulista to Barra do Piraí
From Cubatão to other places in Brazil
- Cubatão to Araxá
- Cubatão to Araguari
- Cubatão to Ituiutaba
- Cubatão to Catalão
- Cubatão to Itumbiara
- Cubatão to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cubatão to Barra do Piraí?
About 5 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 249 miles.
How far is Barra do Piraí from Cubatão by car?
About 249 miles (400 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 Cubatão to Barra do Piraí?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cubatão to Barra do Piraí?
In order: SP-150, SP-021, SP-070, SP-060, BR-116 and BR-393. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cubatão to Barra do Piraí?
Closest to the road: Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 138, 0.4 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 138, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 191, 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.