Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 245

station (one payment of R$7.50 for bus and train); local
buses stop at the Av Francisco Bicalho end of the rodoviária
concourse, taxis depart from the other end. Book intercity
services a couple of days in advance at the rodoviária or
from the booth inside the “Condo” mall on the south side of
Largo do Machado (see p.244).
Destinations Belo Horizonte (8 daily; 8hr); Foz do Iguaçu
(2 daily; 22hr); Salvador (3 daily; 18hr); São Paulo (every
30min; 6hr); São João del Rei and Ouro Preto (4 daily; 6hr);
Paraty (7 daily; 5hr); Mangaratiba/Angra dos Reis (for Ilha
Grande; 7 daily; 4hr). Buses for Petrópolis (hourly; 90min)
depart from both the Rodoviária Novo Rio and the city
terminal at Castelo between Metrô Carioca and Praça XV
de Novembro.

numerous youth hostels, catering to a massive crowd of
budget travellers. Accommodation is cheapest in Botafogo,
Catete and Copacabana, with Santa Teresa marginally
more and chic Ipanema/Leblon the most expensive.
Most options include breakfast; check before you book.
For a more authentic carioca experience get in touch with
Cama e Café (daily 9am-4pm; T 21 9638 4850, W camae
cafe.com), who arrange fairly-priced rooms with families
in Santa Teresa and elsewhere.

LAPA AND SANTA TERESA
Casa Mango Mango Rua Joaquim Murtinho 587, Santa
Teresa T 21 2508 6440, W casa-mangomango.com; map
pp.240-241. A wide range of bright and airy rooms in a
large historic house, complete with pool, lounge with wi-fi
and g uest kitc hen. At tractive, great-value dorms. Dorms
R$45 , doubles R$130
Ì Casa da Renata Rua Almirante Alexandrino 1086,
Santa Teresa T 21 2507 6007, W casadarenata.com.br; map
pp.240-241. Renata's supremely comfortable home is an
original Santa Teresa property with all-wooden furnishings.
Have breakfast on the overgrown veranda with her residen t
turtles while she offers tips on the best things to do. R$180
Marajó Rua São Joaquim da Silva 99, Lapa T 21 2224
4134, W hotelmarajorio.com; map pp.240-241. Excellent
choice for budget travellers not keen on the hostel scene.
Modern facilities, clean, spacious rooms and friendly
service in the hea rt of vib rant Lapa. Rooms at the front can
be noisy at night. R$110
Rio Hostel Rua Joaquim Murtinho 361, Santa Teresa T 21
3852 0827, W riohostel.com; map pp.240-241. A cool back-
packer hangout with a small pool and bohemian feel - plus
a great bar serving caipirinhas until dawn. Stay seven nights
and get one free; cheap p ackage s combin ed with their sister
hostel in Ipanema. Dorms R$40 , doubles R$130

INFORMATION
Tourist information Riotur's most helpful o ce is at Av.
Princesa Isabel 183, Copacabana (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm;
T 21 2544 7992). Alô Rio is an English telephone informa-
tion service (daily 8am-8pm; T 21 2542 8080).

3

GETTING AROUND
By bus Buses are frequent and many run 24hr; numbers
and destinations are clearly marked on the front. Get on at
the front and pay the seated conductor; guard your valuables
closely. Bus routes/numbers are available at W vadeonibus
.com.br.
By ferry Frequent crossings from the terminal at Praça XV de
Novembro to Niterói (see p.254) cost R$2.80 and take 20min.
By metrô Mon-Sat 5am-midnight, Sun 7am-11pm.
Linha 1 (orange) links Ipanema, Copacabana, Botafogo and
Flamengo with Centro (downtown) and several stations to
the north; Linha 2 (green) runs from the northern suburbs
to Centro and Botafogo. A third line (silver) is under
construction linking Ipanema and Leblon to Barra da Tijuca
in the west, to be ready for the Olympic Games in 2016.
Construction entails the closure of Ipanema General Osório
station until early 2014. Tickets are sold as singles ( ida ;
R$3.20) with no discount for multiple journeys. Combined
metrô and bus tickets ( superficie or integração ) are available
for various popular routes.
By taxi Rio's taxis come in two varieties: yellow with
a blue stripe or white with a red-and-yellow stripe; the
latter are pricier, yet more comfortable, radio cabs, which
you order by phone. Both have meters and you should
insist that they are activated (except from the rodoviária
or Galeão airport; pick up a ticket at the booth). Try T 21
2252 0054 for Catete/Santa Teresa/Centro or T 21 2560
2022 for Copacabana/Ipanema.

CATETE, FLAMENGO AND BOTAFOGO
Art Hostel Rua Silveira Martins 135, Catete T 21 2205
1983, W arthostelrio.com; map pp.240-241. In a nineteenth-
century building near the metrô, this is an artsy place with
bags of atmosphere. Ask to see several dorms before choosing
one. C afé wi-fi th wi-fi at fron t, roof terrace and video room.
Dorms R$39 , doubles R$99
Ì Baron Garden Rua Barão de Guaratiba, Morro da
Glória W barongarden.com; map pp.240-241. A colonial
house with grand views, pool and garden, a short walk
from Flamengo beach and Catete Metrô. A real find, aimed
more at the 30-plus budget traveller. Dorms R$65 ,
doubles R$140
Oztel Rua Pinheiro Guimarães 91, Botafogo T 21 3042
1853, W oztel.com.br; map pp.242-243. New on the scene
and threatening to shake up Rio's hostel life, Oztel is
cosmopolitan designer chic, but t hankfu lly has all the
facilities and friendly staff to match. R$50

ACCOMMODATION
Rio is by no means cheap, and during Carnaval and
Reveillon (when you should book well in advance) you
can expect to pay way over the odds. That said, there are