Plan on about 11 h 2 min of driving for the 522-mile (840 km) trip from Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 522 mi (840 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → SP-060 → SP-015 → SP-021 → SP-230 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba is like
BR-116 (227 mi) and SP-230 (216 mi) carry about 85% of the 522 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba
| 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 | 15–229 | 214 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 229–263 | 34 | São Paulo |
| SP-015 | 263–273 | 10 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 273–279 | 6 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 279–288 | 9 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 288–289 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-230 | 289–505 | 216 | São Paulo, Paraná |
| BR-116 | 505–518 | 13 | Paraná |
| local roads | 518–522 | 4 | Paraná |
- Mile 120 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 462 of this route: São Paulo → Paraná (state line)
Stops between Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 163), Memorial da Inclusão (mile 268)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Campina do Encantado State Park (mile 395), Rio Turvo State Park (mile 432), Roberto Ribas Lange State Park (mile 497)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 163), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 188), Museu do Tribunal de Justiça (mile 266), Memorial da Inclusão (mile 268)
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
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.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida houses the image of Our Lady Aparecida that fishermen pulled from the Paraíba do Sul River in 1717. Work on the current basilica began in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980.
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.
Museu do Tribunal de Justiça
Run by the São Paulo State Court of Justice, this museum opened in 1995 and since 2007 has occupied the Palacete Conde de Sarzedas, a late-19th-century building near Sé metro station.
Memorial da Inclusão
In São Paulo's Barra Funda neighborhood, the Memorial da Inclusão tells the story of the disability rights movement in Brazil and worldwide, focusing on the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Campina do Encantado State Park
A peat bog and a stretch of wetland forest are protected in Campina do Encantado State Park, in Pariquera-Açu, São Paulo state. The ecosystem is described as unique and of great scientific interest.
Rio Turvo State Park
Spanning about 73,900 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Cajati, Barra do Turvo and Jacupiranga, Rio Turvo State Park has trails, the Cachoeira do Azeite waterfall, Morro do Guaraú and the Gruta da Capelinha cave.
Roberto Ribas Lange State Park
Created in 1994 near Antonina and Morretes on the Paraná coast, Roberto Ribas Lange State Park protects Atlantic Forest on the steep slopes of the Serra do Mar. Hundreds of bird species have been recorded in its dense rainforest.
In Curitiba itself
Holocaust Museum in Curitiba
Curitiba's Holocaust Museum was the first museum on the theme in Brazil and keeps the memory of the Holocaust alive through the stories of its victims and survivors.
Botanical Garden of Curitiba
Formally Jardim Botânico Fanchette Rischbieter, the Botanical Garden of Curitiba is a park and tourist landmark in Paraná's capital that also houses part of the Federal University of Paraná campus.
Cathedral Basilica Minor of Our Lady of Light, Curitiba
Curitiba Cathedral is a Catholic church on a site where a small wooden church dedicated to Our Lady of Light was built in 1668.
More drives to Curitiba
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 Curitiba?
About 11 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 522 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba?
About 522 miles (840 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 Curitiba drive?
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 Curitiba use?
In order: BR-116, SP-060, SP-015, SP-021 and SP-230. 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 Curitiba?
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); Memorial da Inclusão (museum, mile 268, 0.8 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.