The Wayro route from Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva is 488 miles (785 km), about 9 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 488 mi (785 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva drive plays out
BR-116 (209 mi) and SP-310 (143 mi) carry about 72% of the 488 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–13 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 13–15 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 15–224 | 209 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 224–311 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 311–312 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 312–342 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 342–343 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 343–486 | 143 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 486–488 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 120 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Rio de Janeiro and Catanduva
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 394)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Parque Estadual de Itaberaba (mile 253)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos (mile 211), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 327)
- With kids: Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 394)
Parque Shanghai
Parque Shanghai is an amusement park in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, close to the Church of Our Lady of Penha.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
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.
Museum of Folklore of São José dos Campos
Since 1997, São José dos Campos has explored Brazilian folk traditions at the Museu do Folclore, located within the Parque da Cidade. Along with exhibitions, it runs a specialized library and a toy library.
Parque Estadual de Itaberaba
Created in 2010, Itaberaba State Park (Parque Estadual Itaberaba) protects land in São Paulo state spread across Arujá, Guarulhos, Mairiporã, Nazaré Paulista and Santa Isabel.
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 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.
Parque Ecológico de São Carlos
Officially named Parque Ecológico Dr. Antônio Teixeira Vianna, this ecological park belongs to the city of São Carlos and sits right next to the Federal University of São Carlos.
Astronomical Observatory Dietrich Schiel
On USP's Campus 1 in São Carlos, the Dietrich Schiel Observatory opened in April 1986, coinciding with the passage of Halley's Comet, and belongs to the university's science outreach center.
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 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 Catanduva?
About 9 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 488 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva?
About 488 miles (785 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 Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva?
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 Rio de Janeiro to Catanduva use?
In order: 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 Rio de Janeiro and Catanduva?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 23, 0.9 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 110, 0.3 mi from the route); Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (zoo, mile 394, 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.