Arriving in Rio de Janeiro
There are two airports in Rio de Janeiro, RIOGaleão (GIG) and Santos Dumont (SDU - the city airport). The distance from the FGV campus to RIOgaleão is approximately one hour, while the distance to Santos Dumont is closer to 15 minutes. If you are traveling to Rio via São Paulo, we recommend you land in Santos Dumont due to its proximity. If you are price-sensitive, you may want to piece your trip together, buying a flight to São Paulo and then a hop to one of the Rio de Janeiro airports. Cabs from all airports are safe and secure, and you can pay by credit card at the taxi stand just as you leave the "international arrivals" area in GIG or at any number of taxi stands in SDU. A taxi ride from GIG to the FGV will be approximately R$55-$90 (US$18-24) (Sundays are more expensive) and from SDU to FGV approximately R$20-25.
Transportation
The subway and cabs are safe. A one-way trip on the subway is about R$3.80 (R$3.30 = US$1). As for cab fares, a 15-minute cab ride is generally about one Real (R$) per minute, (R$15 = US$5.50). Uber are prolific, and taxis can be cheaper if you are using the Taxi Rio application (by the municipality), which also minimizes the fees that taxis have to pay to intermediaries.
Safety
The Zona Sul is the safest region in Rio de Janeiro and all public transport is safe, although cabs and the subway are safest. While it is fine to walk around during the day, people are encouraged to take public transport at night unless they are in a busy, well-lit area. It is also advised not to wear expensive jewelry or to flaunt electronic gadgets (e.g. phones). Awareness and discretion are key.
Accommodation
We have special rate agreements with the Yoo2 Hotel (Praia de Botafogo, 242 - Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro - https://yoo2.com/), which is less than one block away from the FGV. Participants will be encouraged to stay at these locations, but will also be encouraged to seek accommodation in the Botafogo, Urca, Copacabana or Flamengo neighborhoods. Ipanema and Leblon are also possibilities, although they are a 30-minute subway ride from the FGV or a 40-minute cab ride during rush hour.
