Petrópolis to Jaú is about 442 road miles (712 km): roughly 8 h 48 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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 by road | 442 mi (712 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-493 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 → SP-225 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Petrópolis to Jaú is like
BR-116 (184 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 61% of the 442 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 Jaú, 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 | 353–386 | 33 | São Paulo |
| SP-225 | 386–437 | 51 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 437–442 | 5 | São Paulo |
- Mile 130 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Petrópolis and Jaú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 173)
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 21), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 173), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 197), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti (mile 311), Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert (mile 367)
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.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Within the Aparecida basilica complex, the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (Museu Nossa Senhora Aparecida) gathers objects from the region, including archaeological pieces and sacred items. It opened in 1956.
Museu Mazzaropi
On the grounds of Amácio Mazzaropi's former studio in Taubaté, a museum honors the comedian and filmmaker with photos, furniture, props and equipment his PAM Filmes used from 1950 to 1980.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Pedra Grande, a protected state natural monument, tops the Serra do Itapetinga at about 1,400 meters. It's Atibaia's highest point and a launch site for hang gliders and paragliders.
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.
Planetário de Campinas
Inside Parque Portugal, the Lagoa do Taquaral park in Campinas, this municipal planetarium has projected the night sky onto its 8-meter dome since 1987, with shows on constellations and astronomy.
Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert
On the Unesp university campus in Rio Claro, the Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert occupies the building of the Department of Petrology and Metallogeny at the Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences.
When you get to Jaú
Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio
Jaú's Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio is the seat of the Diocese of Jaú and the church of a parish created on August 15, 1853.
More drives to Jaú
- Bragança Paulista to Jaú
- São Vicente to Jaú
- Santos to Jaú
- Mogi das Cruzes to Jaú
- Taubaté to Jaú
- Guarujá to Jaú
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 is the drive from Petrópolis to Jaú?
About 8 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 442 miles.
How far is Jaú from Petrópolis by car?
About 442 miles (712 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 Jaú?
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 Petrópolis to Jaú use?
In order: BR-040, BR-493, BR-116, SP-065, SP-330, SP-310 and SP-225. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Petrópolis and Jaú?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 120, 0.4 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 173, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Mazzaropi (museum, mile 197, 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.