By road, Petrópolis and Catanduva are about 498 miles (801 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 53 min of driving.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance by road | 498 mi (801 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-493 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Petrópolis to Catanduva
BR-116 (184 mi) and SP-310 (142 mi) carry about 65% of the 498 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Petrópolis to Catanduva, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 4–19 | 15 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 19–21 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 21–50 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 50–234 | 184 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 234–321 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 321–322 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 322–352 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 352–353 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 353–495 | 142 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 495–498 | 3 | São Paulo |
- Mile 130 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Petrópolis and Catanduva
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 209)
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Itapetinga State Park (mile 267)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 21), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 209), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti (mile 311), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 337), St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos (mile 403), Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino (mile 403)
- With kids: Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino (mile 403)
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas
Founded in 1963 and moved to Caçapava a year later, the Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas reopened after renovation in 2023, showing vintage vehicles and engines including a rare Tucker Torpedo and a 1973 Ford Maverick.
Itapetinga State Park
Created in 2010, Itapetinga State Park (Parque Estadual de Itapetinga) protects an area of São Paulo state shared by Atibaia, Bom Jesus dos Perdões, Mairiporã and Nazaré Paulista.
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti
Campinas's Museum of Contemporary Art (MACC), founded in 1965, sits on Avenida Benjamin Constant downtown, beside the city hall and municipal library. Its collection focuses on postwar Brazilian art, with paintings, sculpture, works on paper and installations.
Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão
Americana's municipal history museum occupies the old headquarters of the Fazenda Salto Grande, near where the Atibaia and Jaguari rivers meet to form the Piracicaba, and is run by the city's culture and tourism department.
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral is a Catholic church on Dom José Marcondes Homem de Melo Square in the city of São Carlos, São Paulo state.
Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino
Opened by the city of São Carlos in 2012, this science museum offers interactive exhibits and experiments in science, technology and art, named for professor and historian Mario Tolentino.
More drives to Catanduva
- Limeira to Catanduva
- Mogi Guaçu to Catanduva
- Itu to Catanduva
- Poços de Caldas to Catanduva
- Jundiaí to Catanduva
- Sorocaba to Catanduva
From Petrópolis to other places in Brazil
- Petrópolis to Guaratinguetá
- Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba
- Petrópolis to Jacareí
- Petrópolis to Caraguatatuba
- Petrópolis to Bragança Paulista
- Petrópolis to Paranapiacaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Petrópolis to Catanduva?
About 9 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 498 miles.
How far is Catanduva from Petrópolis by car?
About 498 miles (801 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 Petrópolis to Catanduva?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Petrópolis to Catanduva?
In order: BR-040, BR-493, BR-116, SP-065, SP-330 and SP-310. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Petrópolis and Catanduva?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 120, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (museum, mile 209, 1 mi from the route); Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (museum, mile 337, 1 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.