Orientation
Santana is a city in the Brazilian state of Amapá, sitting within the metropolitan area centred on the state capital, Macapá. For a visitor, the practical consequence is that Santana is not an isolated destination: much of what you need for getting around is shared with the wider metropolitan area, and the regional gateway airport serves the area as a whole rather than Santana alone.
Getting into Santana
The main air gateway for the region is Macapá International Airport – Alberto Alcolumbre (airport code MCP). It is served by flights from Brasília, Belém and Campinas, operated by GOL, LATAM and Azul. Because the airport sits in Macapá rather than in Santana itself, your onward leg into Santana is a separate step, covered below.
By road, the principal federal highway passing through Santana is BR-156. It is largely paved, but travellers should expect many potholes and note that not every stretch of the route is paved.
Santana also has its own bus terminal, which is the arrival point for direct buses from Macapá, Laranjal do Jari, Mazagão, Porto Grande and Oiapoque. If you are coming from elsewhere in Amapá or from neighbouring areas along these routes, the bus terminal is likely to be your entry point into the city.
Getting from the airport into Santana
There is no rail or metro link from Macapá International Airport, so your realistic options are road-based.
- Taxi: Taxis are available, and fares from Macapá can be negotiated — the source notes rates as low as R$30 for a taxi from Macapá. Negotiating the price before you set off is the practical approach.
- Bus: Metropolitan area buses connect the wider region, and Santana's bus terminal receives direct services from Macapá, so a bus leg from Macapá into Santana is feasible. Expect to make your way from the airport to a bus departure point in Macapá first.
Getting around the city
Within Santana and its surroundings, the main form of public transport is the metropolitan area bus network. These buses are the workhorse for everyday movement between Santana and neighbouring parts of the metropolitan area, including Macapá.
For shorter, more flexible trips, taxis are the other readily available option, and fares can be negotiated with the driver rather than taken strictly from a meter. This makes it worth agreeing on a price before departure, particularly for trips between Macapá and Santana.
Rail, metro and tram
Santana has no rail, metro or tram network of its own. Visitors to Santana in Amapá should plan on road-based transport only.
Buses and other public transport
Public transport in Santana is bus-based. Two distinct services matter to visitors:
- Metropolitan area buses — the local network for moving around Santana and between it and neighbouring municipalities in the metropolitan area.
- Long-distance buses at Santana Bus Terminal — direct services from Macapá, Laranjal do Jari, Mazagão, Porto Grande and Oiapoque. Use these for arriving in or leaving Santana rather than for getting around town.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are a practical option in Santana and the surrounding area, and the source specifically notes that fares from Macapá can be negotiated down to around R$30. Negotiation is therefore part of the normal way of using taxis here, so agree the price before you start your journey.
Walkability
What can be said is that the city's transport is road-oriented, and the practical way to cover longer distances — particularly between Santana and Macapá — is by bus or taxi rather than on foot.
Practical summary
- Fly into Macapá International Airport – Alberto Alcolumbre (MCP), served from Brasília, Belém and Campinas by GOL, LATAM and Azul.
- Reach Santana from the airport by taxi (negotiate the fare; rates from Macapá can be as low as R$30) or by bus via Macapá.
- Arrive by long-distance bus at Santana Bus Terminal, with direct services from Macapá, Laranjal do Jari, Mazagão, Porto Grande and Oiapoque.
- Get around on metropolitan area buses, or by taxi with a negotiated fare.
- There is no rail, metro or tram service in Santana — plan on road transport only.
- If you drive, the main route through the city is BR-156: largely paved, but with many potholes and some unpaved sections.