By road, Petrópolis and Pindamonhangaba are about 191 miles (307 km) apart, or roughly 3 h 59 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Total distance | 191 mi (307 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 3 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-493 → BR-116 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Driving Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (136 mi) and BR-493 (29 mi) carry about 86% of the 191 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba: the road sequence
| 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 | 50–186 | 136 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| local roads | 186–191 | 5 | São Paulo |
- Mile 130 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
What to see on the way from Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 169), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 173)
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Itatiaia National Park (mile 120)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 21), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 169), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (mile 173)
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
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.
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, who lived in Guaratinguetá and served as Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906, is honored at the town's history museum.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Construction of the current basilica at Aparecida started in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980. As Brazil's National Shrine, it keeps the image of Our Lady Aparecida found by fishermen in 1717.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Archaeological pieces and sacred objects from the region fill the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum, within the Aparecida basilica complex. The museum opened in 1956.
Arriving in Pindamonhangaba
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Dom Pedro I e Dona Leopoldina
Founded in 1957, the Museu Histórico Pedagógico Dom Pedro I e Dona Leopoldina is a history museum in the town of Pindamonhangaba.
Palacete Tiradentes
Palacete Tiradentes is a building located in the city of Pindamonhangaba, in São Paulo state, Brazil.
More drives to Pindamonhangaba
- São José dos Campos to Pindamonhangaba
- Jacareí to Pindamonhangaba
- Mogi das Cruzes to Pindamonhangaba
- São Paulo to Pindamonhangaba
- Bragança Paulista to Pindamonhangaba
- Jundiaí to Pindamonhangaba
From Petrópolis to other places in Brazil
- Petrópolis to Guaratinguetá
- Petrópolis to Jacareí
- Petrópolis to Caraguatatuba
- Petrópolis to Bragança Paulista
- Petrópolis to Paranapiacaba
- Petrópolis to Cubatão
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba?
About 3 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 191 miles.
How far is Pindamonhangaba from Petrópolis by car?
About 191 miles (307 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 Pindamonhangaba?
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 Pindamonhangaba?
In order: BR-040, BR-493 and BR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Petrópolis and Pindamonhangaba?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 120, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 173, 0.4 mi from the route); Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (museum, mile 173, 0.4 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.