Rio de Janeiro to Araxá is about 485 road miles (780 km): roughly 11 h 51 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance by road | 485 mi (780 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-265 → BR-494 → MG-260 → MG-164 → MG-050 → BR-354 → BR-262 → BR-146 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Rio de Janeiro–Araxá drive in a few lines
BR-040 (155 mi) and BR-494 (77 mi) carry about 48% of the 485 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Rio de Janeiro to Araxá
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 11–140 | 129 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 140–143 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 143–169 | 26 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 169–170 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 170–204 | 34 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 204–208 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-494 | 208–285 | 77 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 285–286 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 286–296 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-260 | 296–301 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 301–303 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-164 | 303–316 | 13 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 316–337 | 21 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-354 | 337–410 | 73 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 410–480 | 70 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 480–484 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 484–485 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 87 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Araxá
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 29), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 52), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 56)
- Museums and history: Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 39), Cathedral of Petrópolis (mile 42), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 42), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 56), Casa do Padre Toledo (mile 201), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, São João del Rei (mile 207), Museu Regional de São João del-Rei (mile 207)
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.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
Cathedral of Petrópolis
Dedicated to the city's patron, Saint Peter of Alcantara, the Cathedral of Petrópolis is the final resting place of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, and his family.
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Casa do Padre Toledo
In Tiradentes, Minas Gerais, this 18th-century mansion was the home of Father Carlos Correia de Toledo e Melo.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, São João del Rei
Also called the São João del Rei Cathedral, this Catholic shrine is a protected heritage site known for colonial-era art, with gold decoration, paintings and statues inside.
Museu Regional de São João del-Rei
Museu Regional de São João del-Rei is a history and art museum in the town of São João del-Rei, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
More drives to Araxá
- Ribeirão Preto to Araxá
- Bauru to Araxá
- Limeira to Araxá
- Mogi Guaçu to Araxá
- Bragança Paulista to Araxá
- São Paulo to Araxá
From Rio de Janeiro to other places in Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaguaí
- Rio de Janeiro to Guaratinguetá
- Rio de Janeiro to Pindamonhangaba
- Rio de Janeiro to São José dos Campos
- Rio de Janeiro to Mogi das Cruzes
- Rio de Janeiro to Caraguatatuba
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Rio de Janeiro to Araxá?
About 11 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 485 miles.
How far is Araxá from Rio de Janeiro by car?
About 485 miles (780 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 Rio de Janeiro to Araxá drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Rio de Janeiro to Araxá?
In order: BR-040, BR-265, BR-494, MG-260, MG-164, MG-050, BR-354, BR-262 and BR-146. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio de Janeiro and Araxá?
Closest to the road: Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 39, 2 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, São João del Rei (cathedral, mile 207, 1 mi from the route); Museu Regional de São João del-Rei (history museum, mile 207, 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.