Plan on about 9 h 14 min of driving for the 408-mile (657 km) trip from Niterói 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 408 mi (657 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | 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 16.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
On the road from Niterói to Passos
BR-116 (135 mi) and BR-459 (78 mi) carry about 52% of the 408 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Niterói to Passos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 1–9 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 9–18 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 18–20 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 20–155 | 135 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 155–156 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-048 | 156–171 | 15 | São Paulo |
| BR-459 | 171–249 | 78 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| MG-179 | 249–313 | 64 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 313–324 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-491 | 324–331 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-184 | 331–367 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 367–380 | 13 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-446 | 380–391 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 391–406 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 406–408 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 124 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 176 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Stops between Niterói and Passos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 14), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27), Itatiaia National Park (mile 114)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 14), Itatiaia National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (mile 8), Igreja de São Sebastião dos Capuchinhos (mile 9), Museum Dom João VI (mile 12), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27), Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre (mile 247)
Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
An archaeological site and cultural center in Rio's Gamboa neighborhood, the Cemitério dos Pretos Novos stands over a cemetery for enslaved Africans used between 1769 and 1830, in an 18th-century house.
Igreja de São Sebastião dos Capuchinhos
Igreja de São Sebastião dos Capuchinhos is a Catholic basilica and sanctuary on Rua Haddock Lobo, in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
Parque Shanghai
Parque Shanghai is an amusement park in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, close to the Church of Our Lady of Penha.
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
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.
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 Niterói to other places in Brazil
- Niterói to Petrópolis
- Niterói to Itaguaí
- Niterói to Barra do Piraí
- Niterói to Penedo
- Niterói to Guaratinguetá
- Niterói to Pindamonhangaba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Niterói to Passos?
About 9 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 408 miles.
How far is Passos from Niterói by car?
About 408 miles (657 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 Niterói to Passos 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 Niterói to Passos use?
In order: 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Niterói to Passos?
Closest to the road: Parque Shanghai (park, mile 14, 1 mi from the route); Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 27, 1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 114, 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.