How to Get to Belo Horizonte: Confins Airport (CNF), Vitória Train & Transport

Situated in southeastern Brazil roughly equidistant from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, Belo Horizonte is served by a major international airport hub, an interstate coach terminal in the heart of downtown, and the last daily long-distance passenger railway operating in Brazil.

1. Arriving by Air: Confins International (CNF) & Pampulha (PLU)

• Belo Horizonte International Airport, Confins (Tancredo Neves, IATA: CNF): Located 40 kilometres north of downtown along highway MG-010, Confins handles almost all commercial flights, with high-frequency domestic services to every Brazilian region plus direct international flights to Lisbon, Panama City, Santiago (Santiago), and Buenos Aires.
• Conexão Aeroporto Bus & Transfers: The comfortable air-conditioned Conexão Aeroporto executive coach runs directly from the Confins arrivals kerb to Terminal Álvares Cabral (Avenida Álvares Cabral 387, right on the border of Lourdes and Centro, five minutes from Praça da Liberdade) and to the central bus station; check the official BH Airport or Conexão Aeroporto portal for current departure intervals. Ride-hailing apps (Uber and 99) and licensed airport taxis take 45 to 60 minutes to reach Savassi or Lourdes via theLinha Verde expressway.
• Pampulha Airport (Carlos Drummond de Andrade, IATA: PLU): Set just 8.5 kilometres north of downtown beside Lagoa da Pampulha, this smaller urban airport handles regional flights within Minas Gerais State.

2. The Vitória-Minas Passenger Train & Central Bus Station

• Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas (EFVM): Every morning, a modern air-conditioned passenger train operated by Vale departs from Estação Central on Praça Rui Barbosa (Praça da Estação) for the scenic 13-hour journey east to Vitória on the Atlantic coast, with stops serving colonial Sabará and Barão de Cocais (gateway to the Serra do Caraça sanctuary); book tickets well ahead on the official Vale passenger rail portal.
• Terminal Rodoviário (TERGIP): Located at the northern foot of Avenida Afonso Pena in downtown BH, the main bus station offers hourly departures to Ouro Preto (2 hours), regular shuttles to Instituto Inhotim in Brumadinho (90 minutes), and overnight sleeper coaches to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

3. Getting Around the City: Uber, MOVE BRT & Metrô BH

Inside Avenida do Contorno, walking between Lourdes, Praça da Liberdade, and Savassi is pleasant and tree-shaded. For longer hops to Mercado Central, Pampulha, or Praça do Papa, Uber and 99 are fast and inexpensive, while the dedicated MOVE BRT bus lanes along Avenida Antônio Carlos link downtown directly with Pampulha and Mineirão Stadium.