Plan on about 6 h 27 min of driving for the 246-mile (396 km) trip from Niterói to Varginha, 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 | 246 mi (396 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → BR-354 → BR-460 → BR-383 → BR-267 → MG-167 → AMG-1010 → BR-491 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
On the road from Niterói to Varginha
BR-116 (102 mi) and BR-354 (41 mi) carry about 58% of the 246 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Niterói to Varginha
| 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 | 20–122 | 102 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-354 | 122–163 | 41 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 163–166 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-460 | 166–171 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 171–175 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-383 | 175–186 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 186–215 | 29 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-167 | 215–226 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1010 | 226–232 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 232–242 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 242–246 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 139 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Niterói and Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Life (mile 11), 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), Nova Baden State Park (mile 211)
- Museums and history: Museu Militar Conde de Linhares (mile 9), Museum of Life (mile 11), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27)
- With kids: Museum of Life (mile 11)
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.
Museum of Life
The Museum of Life is located at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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.
Nova Baden State Park
Nova Baden State Park in Minas Gerais protects rugged, forested terrain that is home to several rare or endangered mammal species.
Arriving in Varginha
Museu Municipal de Varginha
Varginha's municipal museum occupies a building put up in 1920 as the local Banco do Brasil office, in what was then the town's commercial heart.
More drives to Varginha
- Belo Horizonte to Varginha
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Varginha
- Ribeirão Preto to Varginha
- Sete Lagoas to Varginha
- Mogi das Cruzes to Varginha
- Araraquara to Varginha
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 Varginha?
About 6 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 246 miles.
How far is Varginha from Niterói by car?
About 246 miles (396 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 Varginha?
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 Varginha use?
In order: BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, BR-354, BR-460, BR-383, BR-267, MG-167, AMG-1010 and BR-491. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Niterói to Varginha?
Closest to the road: Museum of Life (science museum, mile 11, 0.1 mi from the route); Parque Shanghai (park, mile 14, 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.