Plan on about 6 h 57 min of driving for the 312-mile (502 km) trip from Niterói to Poços de Caldas, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 312 mi (502 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-048 → BR-459 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Niterói to Poços de Caldas drive plays out
BR-116 (135 mi) and BR-459 (135 mi) carry about 87% of the 312 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Niterói to Poços de Caldas: 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 | 171–306 | 135 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 306–312 | 6 | 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)
Places worth a stop between Niterói and Poços de Caldas
- 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: Tijuca National Park (mile 9), Parque Shanghai (mile 14), Itatiaia National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 9), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27), Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre (mile 247)
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro is a themed museum that preserves and presents the history of Rio de Janeiro's state military police.
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
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
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.
When you get to Poços de Caldas
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
Built in 1937 on the site of the original parish church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health (Basílica de Nossa Senhora da Saúde) is a Catholic church in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Poços de Caldas
- Limeira to Poços de Caldas
- Campinas to Poços de Caldas
- São Carlos to Poços de Caldas
- Jundiaí to Poços de Caldas
- Araraquara to Poços de Caldas
- Bragança Paulista to Poços de Caldas
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 Poços de Caldas?
About 6 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 312 miles.
What is the driving distance from Niterói to Poços de Caldas?
About 312 miles (502 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 Niterói to Poços de Caldas?
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 Poços de Caldas use?
In order: BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-048 and BR-459. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Niterói and Poços de Caldas?
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.