Brazil’s two largest metropolitan areas switched to round-the-clock public-transport timetables at dawn on 13 February, an operation expected to carry more than 12 million passenger journeys over the five-day Carnival break. In Rio, MetrôRio started a record 139-hour continuous run, keeping key Sambódromo stations (Central do Brasil and Praça Onze) open 24 hours and extending Line 2 trains to General Osório/Ipanema for the first time since 2016. NFC tap-and-go payment has been promoted as the fastest option for foreign visitors unfamiliar with Rio’s rechargeable card system. (riotimesonline.com)
São Paulo followed suit Friday night, with Lines 1, 2, 3 and 15 operating non-stop and free ‘Atende’ shuttle buses linking the metro to the Anhembi Sambadrome. Commuter-rail operator CPTM and private concessionaires ViaMobilidade and ViaQuatro are running 24-hour “desembarque only” service to ease post-bloco crowds. The city government has also authorised Sunday-level bus fleets and a fare-free ‘Domingão Tarifa Zero’ on 15 February. (riotimesonline.com)
![24-Hour Metro and Rail Operations Launch in Rio and São Paulo for Carnival]()
International arrivals hoping to capitalise on these expanded transit hours can simplify their trip preparations through VisaHQ, which offers fast online processing for Brazilian e-visas and traditional consular visas. From document checklists to real-time status tracking and courier coordination, the service helps travellers secure the right entry permit well before the blocos begin—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For global mobility teams the extended hours translate into safer, predictable transfers for expatriate staff and visiting executives attending Carnival networking events. Ride-hailing surge pricing historically spikes 200 % after midnight during the festival; metro planners expect the all-night service to divert up to 30 % of those trips. Companies should update traveler briefings to emphasise metro over taxis in the Centro, Ipanema and Paulista Avenue corridors, and remind staff that some entrances—such as Cinelândia in Rio and República in São Paulo—close early for crowd control.
Security has been reinforced: Rio deployed 2,700 military-police officers supplemented by drone surveillance, while São Paulo’s metro added extra guards and real-time WhatsApp reporting lines. Travellers should still follow basic precautions: carry minimal valuables, keep phones in front pockets and avoid isolated stations after 02h00. The 24-hour timetable ends at midnight on Ash Wednesday, when services revert to normal schedules.
São Paulo followed suit Friday night, with Lines 1, 2, 3 and 15 operating non-stop and free ‘Atende’ shuttle buses linking the metro to the Anhembi Sambadrome. Commuter-rail operator CPTM and private concessionaires ViaMobilidade and ViaQuatro are running 24-hour “desembarque only” service to ease post-bloco crowds. The city government has also authorised Sunday-level bus fleets and a fare-free ‘Domingão Tarifa Zero’ on 15 February. (riotimesonline.com)
International arrivals hoping to capitalise on these expanded transit hours can simplify their trip preparations through VisaHQ, which offers fast online processing for Brazilian e-visas and traditional consular visas. From document checklists to real-time status tracking and courier coordination, the service helps travellers secure the right entry permit well before the blocos begin—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For global mobility teams the extended hours translate into safer, predictable transfers for expatriate staff and visiting executives attending Carnival networking events. Ride-hailing surge pricing historically spikes 200 % after midnight during the festival; metro planners expect the all-night service to divert up to 30 % of those trips. Companies should update traveler briefings to emphasise metro over taxis in the Centro, Ipanema and Paulista Avenue corridors, and remind staff that some entrances—such as Cinelândia in Rio and República in São Paulo—close early for crowd control.
Security has been reinforced: Rio deployed 2,700 military-police officers supplemented by drone surveillance, while São Paulo’s metro added extra guards and real-time WhatsApp reporting lines. Travellers should still follow basic precautions: carry minimal valuables, keep phones in front pockets and avoid isolated stations after 02h00. The 24-hour timetable ends at midnight on Ash Wednesday, when services revert to normal schedules.
