Brazil is a massive country. It is larger than the continental United States and has an area of 8,456,510 square kilometers. Because the country is so massive, getting from one place to another can be an adventure in itself. Here are some transportation trips for Brazil travel and domestic transportation.
Getting around by air. Brazil has three major national airlines, Varig, TAM, and VASP, and at least one of these carriers will be operating in every major city. There are also several smaller airlines that provide services to more remote destinations. There is a small airport tax at all airports, this may or may not be included in your ticket price, so be sure you have a small bit of change handy. Also note that if you plant to visit Brazil during high season, during Carnaval, Holy Week, or around Christmas, you should book your tickets as far in advance as possible.
If you plan to travel extensively through Brazil, a good option that may save you money is an air pass. However, before you purchase an air pass, be sure to read all the rules and regulations attached. Each airlines offers slightly different deals and stipulations, but something to be aware of is that you have to book your itinerary all at once (with penalties for changing it), you usually can’t visit one city more than once, you must purchase your air pass ticket outside of Brazil and must have a roundtrip international airplane ticket. Usually air pass tickets give you 5 international flights for around 500 dollars.
Getting around by boat. Another way to travel in Brazil is via boat. The Amazon region is full of tributaries and you can travel on many of them. You can even enter the country on the Amazon river, although the ride is slow going. Many times in the Amazon boat travel is the only option of transportation, as roads and bus schedules have not yet made it to the deep Amazon outposts.
Getting around by bus. The most common form for transportation in Latin America is the bus, and Brazil is no different. Brazil offer numerous bus lines and schedule options. You can also purchase different class bus tickets, starting out at comum style (the most basic, the bus usually has a bathroom on board), all the way up to leitos, which are fully reclining seats, air conditioning, bathrooms, and usually food service. Roads are usually very good near the coast, but if you plan on taking an inland bus ride, be prepared for a bumpy journey.