By road, São José do Rio Preto and Santos are about 319 miles (514 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 28 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 319 mi (514 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-330 → SPA-102/330 → SP-348 → SP-015 → SP-160 |
| States on the route | São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from São José do Rio Preto to Santos is like
SP-310 (177 mi) and SP-348 (50 mi) carry about 71% of the 319 miles. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect São José do Rio Preto and Santos
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 1–178 | 177 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 178–209 | 31 | São Paulo |
| SPA-102/330 | 209–214 | 5 | São Paulo |
| SP-348 | 214–264 | 50 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 264–265 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-015 | 265–271 | 6 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 271–273 | 2 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 273–278 | 5 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 278–314 | 36 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 314–319 | 5 | São Paulo |
What to see on the way from São José do Rio Preto to Santos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Estadual da Assessoria de Referência Agrária (ARA) (mile 221), Instituto Tomie Ohtake (mile 270), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 278), São Paulo Zoo (mile 279)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual da Assessoria de Referência Agrária (ARA) (mile 221), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 278)
- Museums and history: Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert (mile 164), Instituto Tomie Ohtake (mile 270), Museu Brasileiro da Escultura (mile 272), Obelisk of São Paulo (mile 274), Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo (mile 275), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 278)
- With kids: São Paulo Zoo (mile 279)
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.
Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert
In Rio Claro, Unesp's Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences houses the Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert in its Department of Petrology and Metallogeny building.
Parque Estadual da Assessoria de Referência Agrária (ARA)
The ARA State Park (Parque Estadual da ARA) in Valinhos, São Paulo state, covers about 65 acres and protects a small remnant of seasonal semideciduous forest.
Instituto Tomie Ohtake
Opened in November 2001, the Instituto Tomie Ohtake occupies a building designed by architect Ruy Ohtake, Tomie's son; his brother Ricardo Ohtake founded the institute.
Museu Brasileiro da Escultura
Opened in May 1995 in São Paulo's Jardim Europa, the Museu Brasileiro da Escultura e Ecologia is a private cultural institution showcasing many art forms, with a focus on sculpture and three-dimensional work.
Obelisk of São Paulo
Rising in Ibirapuera Park, the Obelisk of São Paulo is a symbol of the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution.
Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo
The University of São Paulo's Museum of Contemporary Art shows contemporary art at the university's main campus and in Ibirapuera Park, both in São Paulo.
Botanical Garden of São Paulo
Next to the São Paulo Zoo, the Botanical Garden of São Paulo spans 406 acres inside Fontes do Ipiranga State Park, in the Água Funda district of the city's South Zone.
São Paulo Zoo
Set in São Paulo's South Zone on 824,529 square meters of former Atlantic Forest, the São Paulo Zoo contains the spring of the Ipiranga Brook and about four kilometers of pathways.
In Santos itself
Praia do Guaiuba
With fine, light-colored sand stretching about 790 meters, Praia do Guaiúba is a beach in Guarujá, São Paulo.
Góis Beach
Fishing families make up most of the community at Góis Beach (Praia do Góis), a 250-meter beach in Guarujá, São Paulo, ringed by hills covered in Atlantic Forest.
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.
More drives to Santos
- São Paulo to Santos
- Jundiaí to Santos
- Campinas to Santos
- Ribeirão Preto to Santos
- Uberlândia to Santos
- Mogi das Cruzes to Santos
From São José do Rio Preto to other places in Brazil
- São José do Rio Preto to Piracicaba
- São José do Rio Preto to Passos
- São José do Rio Preto to Mogi Guaçu
- São José do Rio Preto to Itu
- São José do Rio Preto to Poços de Caldas
- São José do Rio Preto to Tatuí
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from São José do Rio Preto to Santos?
About 6 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 319 miles.
How far is Santos from São José do Rio Preto by car?
About 319 miles (514 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 São José do Rio Preto to Santos 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 São José do Rio Preto to Santos use?
In order: SP-310, SP-330, SPA-102/330, SP-348, SP-015 and SP-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São José do Rio Preto to Santos?
Closest to the road: Instituto Tomie Ohtake (museum, mile 270, 0.7 mi from the route); Botanical Garden of São Paulo (museum, mile 278, 0.6 mi from the route); São Paulo Zoo (zoo, mile 279, 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.