The Wayro route from Nova Friburgo to Passos is 441 miles (710 km), about 10 h 37 min of driving without 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance | 441 mi (710 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-130 → BR-492 → RJ-134 → BR-040 → BR-265 → BR-494 → MG-260 → MG-164 → MG-050 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
How the Nova Friburgo to Passos drive plays out
MG-050 (118 mi) and BR-040 (101 mi) carry about 50% of the 441 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Nova Friburgo and Passos
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-130 | 2–29 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 29–40 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 40–41 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-492 | 41–56 | 15 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-134 | 56–66 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 66–70 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 70–145 | 75 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 145–148 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 148–174 | 26 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 174–209 | 35 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 209–213 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-494 | 213–290 | 77 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 290–291 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 291–301 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-260 | 301–306 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 306–308 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-164 | 308–321 | 13 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 321–439 | 118 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 439–441 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 93 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Stops between Nova Friburgo and Passos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardim do Nêgo (mile 11), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 45), Museu da Loucura (mile 177)
- Nature and outdoors: Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 39), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 45), Cachoeira da Capivara (mile 414)
- Museums and history: Jardim do Nêgo (mile 11), Museu da Loucura (mile 177), Museu de Sant'Ana (mile 206), Memorial Tancredo Neves (mile 211)
Jardim do Nêgo
Sculptor Geraldo Simplício, known as Nêgo, created this open-air sculpture museum on the RJ-130 road in Campo do Coelho, a district of Nova Friburgo, carving his figures straight into the earthen banks.
Araponga Municipal Nature Park
Araponga Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a protected green area along the way.
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Museu de Sant'Ana
Founded in 2014 by the Instituto Cultural Flávio Gutierrez, this Tiradentes art museum specializes in images of Saint Anne, with a collection of 291 statues.
Memorial Tancredo Neves
This museum in São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, covers the life and political career of Tancredo Neves, the former governor and first civilian president elected after military rule, who died before taking office in 1985.
Cachoeira da Capivara
In Capitólio, the Ribeirão da Capivara spills over this waterfall on its way into Furnas Lake. A trail of about 900 meters leads to the falls, which drop into a pool roughly 16 meters deep.
More drives to Passos
- Uberaba to Passos
- Mogi Guaçu to Passos
- Limeira to Passos
- Campinas to Passos
- Piracicaba to Passos
- Jundiaí to Passos
From Nova Friburgo to other places in Brazil
- Nova Friburgo to Itaguaí
- Nova Friburgo to Pindamonhangaba
- Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba
- Nova Friburgo to Bragança Paulista
- Nova Friburgo to Paranapiacaba
- Nova Friburgo to Itu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Nova Friburgo to Passos?
About 10 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 441 miles.
How far is Passos from Nova Friburgo by car?
About 441 miles (710 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 Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo to Passos use?
In order: RJ-130, BR-492, RJ-134, BR-040, BR-265, BR-494, MG-260, MG-164 and MG-050. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Nova Friburgo and Passos?
Closest to the road: Jardim do Nêgo (open-air museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (protected area, mile 45, 0.7 mi from the route); Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 177, 0.5 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.