There are five tourist information offices in Rio de Janeiro. Two centers in Copacabana, one information board (the headquarter) in Downtown (Centro), one at Rodoviaria Novo Rio (intercity bus terminal) and another office at GIG (Rio de Janeiro International Airport).
Note that the opening days and hours vary from one to another.
See below the addresses of tourist information boards in Rio.
Copacabana Tourist Information Centers
Address: Avenida Princesa Isabel, 183
Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., weekdays (except holidays)
Address: On the Copacabana beach promenade, in front of Rua Hilário de Gouveia (Hilario de Gouveia Street)
Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., every day (this is probably the most centrally located spot to get information about Rio)
Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG) Information Board
Address: Avenida Vinte de Janeiro, s/n – Galeao (in both terminal 1 and terminal 2)
Opening hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., every day
(the international airport is open 24 hours)
Rio de Janeiro Intercity Bus Terminal Information Center
Address: Avenida Francisco Bicalho, 1 – Santo Cristo
Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., every day
(the bus terminal is open 24 hours)
Downtown (Centro) Information Board (headquarter)
Address: Praça Pio X, 119 – Térreo – Centro
Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m, weekdays (except holidays)
Note: There are no tourist information offices in Ipanema, Leme, Leblon, Botafogo, Catete, Flamengo, Glória, Santa Teresa, or Barra da Tijuca.
Bear in mind that these offices don’t have the same standard you find at tourist information boards in major cities in North America or in Europe. The staff is friendly and tries to help as much as possible, for example, supplying free maps, brochures and answering your questions. However, you can’t rely only on the tourist centers to visit Rio de Janeiro.
To complement all the information about Rio you can not find at the tourist boards you should get a copy of My Rio Travel Guide – The Essential How-To Visitor’s Guide to Rio de Janeiro.
In this comprehensive, updated and concise guide you will have the answers to questions like:
- ► Where can you eat Feijoada (the Brazilian National dish) on any day of the week, where locals eat and paying the price locals pay? (very important information since many touristy restaurants charge two or three times as much as for the same dish).
- ► How to discern which taxi is cheaper and where to find its booth at GIG — Rio de Janeiro international airport? (some taxis cost as much as 80% more to drive you from GIG to your hotel in Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon).
- ► How to build your own itinerary and visit the classic attractions such as Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf as well as the off-the-beaten paths spots in one single day without standing in line losing time and money?
These are just a few of the dozens of tips and secrets you find in My Rio Travel Guide. There is more information about Rio is the most updated and practical guide to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.