Plan on about 6 h 11 min of driving for the 301-mile (485 km) trip from Rio de Janeiro to Cubatão, before any 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance | 301 mi (485 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-070 → SP-021 → SP-150 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Rio de Janeiro to Cubatão: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (177 mi) and SPI 117/070 (42 mi) carry about 73% of the 301 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Rio de Janeiro to Cubatão: 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 | 15–192 | 177 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 192–193 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 193–235 | 42 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 235–250 | 15 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 250–252 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 252–281 | 29 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 281–283 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-150 | 283–301 | 18 | São Paulo |
- Mile 120 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Rio de Janeiro and Cubatão
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 163), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 277), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 284)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (mile 277), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 284)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 163), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 188), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 224), Museu Barão de Mauá (mile 272)
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
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
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.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Plays featuring characters from Monteiro Lobato's stories, exhibitions, a historic main house and green areas make up the Museu Monteiro Lobato in Taubaté, a tribute to the children's author.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
An 1857 mansion in Jacareí is home to the Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley, where collections range from paintings and religious and popular art to archaeological pottery and stone tools.
Museu Barão de Mauá
Mauá's history museum keeps photographs, objects and documents on the city's past and serves as its main center for historical research.
Pedroso Municipal Nature Park
Santo André's Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (Parque do Pedroso) is a strictly protected conservation unit that holds important water sources and a fragment of Atlantic Forest.
Parque Natural Estoril
In São Bernardo do Campo, Parque Natural Estoril is a conservation area protecting Atlantic Forest, part of the Billings Reservoir and local wildlife across roughly 373,000 square meters.
Arriving in Cubatão
Santos Botanical Garden
Named for activist Chico Mendes, Santos Botanical Garden is an ecological park that preserves plant species and grows seedlings for the beachfront gardens and other public spaces of Santos.
Museum of Natural Sciences and Cultural Center Jewels of Nature
São Vicente's Museum of Natural Sciences and Cultural Center Jewels of Nature (Joias da Natureza) is a museum of mineralogy and natural sciences in São Paulo state.
Ecological Park of Perequê
Named for the Perequê River that runs through it, the Ecological Park of Perequê (Parque Ecológico do Perequê) is a natural area in the municipality of Cubatão.
More drives to Cubatão
- São Paulo to Cubatão
- Jundiaí to Cubatão
- Bragança Paulista to Cubatão
- Itu to Cubatão
- Campinas to Cubatão
- Limeira to Cubatão
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 Cubatão?
About 6 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 301 miles.
How far is Cubatão from Rio de Janeiro by car?
About 301 miles (485 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 Cubatão?
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 Cubatão?
In order: BR-116, SPI 117/070, SP-070, SP-021 and SP-150. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Cubatão?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 110, 0.3 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 163, 0.4 mi from the route); Pedroso Municipal Nature Park (municipal nature park, mile 277, 0.7 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.