Getting Around São Luís
São Luís is a spread-out city, and most visitors end up relying on a mix of buses, taxis and ride-hailing apps to cover the ground between the historic centre, the beaches and the airport. There is no metro or tram network to speak of, so buses are the backbone of public transport. The good news is that the main modes are cheap and reasonably easy to figure out once you know where the key interchange points are.
Buses and Public Transport
The city's public transit system is made up of a network of buses. You can buy a single-ride ticket or a multiple-ride ticket; the multiple-ride option is the better value if you plan to use buses more than once. Multiple rides work either through bus interchange stations, known locally as Terminals, or with a Bilhete Único smartcard. In theory, transfers are free of charge only if you are travelling in the same direction, so keep that in mind when planning a route.
The main bus interchange sits in the west of the Historical Center, on Avenida Senador Vitórino Freire. From there, a couple of lines are especially handy for visitors:
- T065 São Raimundo / Band Tribuzzi — takes you to São Luís Shopping in about 15 minutes.
- 403 Calhau/Litorânea — runs past all the beaches.
For planning routes and checking schedules, the city administration has launched an official bus transit app called Meu ônibus. Moovit also works in São Luís if you prefer a more familiar app.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are popular among tourists, particularly after sunset when walking can feel less comfortable. Ride-hailing platforms Uber and 99Taxi also operate in São Luís. A ride between the airport and the historical centre in the early hours of the morning is inexpensive, so these apps can be a convenient and affordable option for getting around, especially at night.
Walkability
Walking works well in specific pockets rather than across the whole city. The pedestrian Rua Grande is a useful walking route: from Rua do Passeio you can walk down it for about 10 minutes to reach the eastern edge of the Old Town. The waterfront of the Old Town is also easy to explore on foot. Beyond these areas, the city is spread out and most visitors will want to combine walking with buses or taxis.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (SLZ, formerly known as Tirirical Airport) is served by domestic flights from Gol and LATAM. It sits some distance from the centre, so you have a few options for the onward trip:
- Bus 901 São Cristovão / Alemanha — leaves from right outside the terminal (follow the signs), roughly every 25 minutes or so, and takes about 45 minutes to reach Praça Deodouro in the city centre. This is also where you can hop on to get back to the airport. If you get off one stop after Praça Deodouro, on Rua do Passeio, you can walk down the pedestrian Rua Grande for about 10 minutes to reach the eastern edge of the Old Town.
- Bus via the Shell station — if the 901 is not about to leave, a faster alternative is to walk for about 10 minutes along the main exit from the airport. Keeping to the right, you will see a Shell gas station. From there, take the Socorrão 2 / Rodoviária bus (or ask which other bus goes) pretty much straight to the Old Town, in about 30 minutes. To get back to the airport, a number of buses from the Praia Grande terminal pass by the Shell station.
- Taxis — taxis run at fixed prices, displayed on a table just as you exit from luggage pickup. The fixed fares cover trips to the Old Town and to the beaches.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and 99Taxi are available, and a ride between the airport and the historical centre in the early hours costs around R$ 20.
Arriving by Long-Distance Bus or Train
If you are coming into São Luís from elsewhere in Brazil, the long-distance bus station is located some 8 km southeast of the centre, close to the airport on Avenida dos Franceses 5073, just north of the intersection with Rua Tres. The Socorrão 2 / Rodoviária bus (among others) takes you pretty much straight to and from the waterfront of the Old Town. Taxis from the rodoviária run at a fixed price, and metered taxis from the centre are also an option.
There is also a train service, operated by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, running three times a week to Parauapebas via Santa Inês, Açailândia, Marabá and other towns. The train station is on a street named Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, next to Avenida dos Portugueses, some kilometres southwest of the centre.