By road, Rio de Janeiro and São Vicente are about 311 miles (501 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 18 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 311 mi (501 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-070 → SP-021 → SP-160 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Rio de Janeiro to São Vicente drive plays out
BR-116 (177 mi) and SPI 117/070 (42 mi) carry about 70% of the 311 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.
The route from Rio de Janeiro to São Vicente, road by road
| 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 | 252–283 | 31 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 283–286 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 286–310 | 24 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 310–311 | 1 | São Paulo |
- Mile 120 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Rio de Janeiro and São Vicente
- 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)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 10), Itatiaia National Park (mile 110), Parque Natural Estoril (mile 280), Serra do Mar State Park (mile 296)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 23), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 163), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 192), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 224), Calçada do Lorena (mile 303)
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
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
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 da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Between 1897 and 1903, a family from Cremona built the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm. Today the house in this Taubaté district holds the Italian Immigration Museum.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
Housed in an 1857 mansion in Jacareí, the Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (Museu de Antropologia do Vale do Paraíba) shows sacred and folk art, paintings, and archaeological finds such as ceramic vessels and stone tools.
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.
Serra do Mar State Park
Covering 778,381 acres of the Serra do Mar mountain range in São Paulo state, this state park protects a vast expanse of continuous Atlantic Forest.
Calçada do Lorena
Calçada do Lorena, in the Serra do Mar of São Paulo state, was the first paved road linking São Paulo to Santos, built on the orders of governor Bernardo José Maria de Lorena.
Once you reach São Vicente
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Santos
Also known as Santos Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Santos, in São Paulo State, Brazil.
Gonzaguinha beach
Near São Vicente's center and historic sites, Gonzaguinha Beach is lined with kiosks, bars, restaurants and shops and hosts a yearly reenactment of Martim Afonso de Sousa's arrival.
Itararé Beach
Itararé Beach in São Vicente fronts Santos Bay and runs 2.9 kilometers from Ilha Porchat to Canal 1, crossing into neighboring Santos.
More drives to São Vicente
- São Paulo to São Vicente
- Jundiaí to São Vicente
- Campinas to São Vicente
- Ribeirão Preto to São Vicente
- Bauru to São Vicente
- Franca to São Vicente
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 does it take to drive from Rio de Janeiro to São Vicente?
About 6 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 311 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio de Janeiro to São Vicente?
About 311 miles (501 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 São Vicente 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 São Vicente?
In order: BR-116, SPI 117/070, SP-070, SP-021 and SP-160. 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 São Vicente?
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); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 163, 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.