Hello hello! Everything alright with you?
Today our Dica do Dia will talk about the Niterói ferry, how you can use it and also where can you go.
The Rio Niterói ferries are considered the oldest means of public transport in Brazil and have existed since 1835. In the past, the Rio ferry was the only means of transport that linked Niterói to Rio de Janeiro. However, nowadays people can also cross the Rio-Niterói bridge by bus or car.
How Rio Niterói Ferry Works
To take the ferry to Niterói from Rio is very simple but it’s necessary to go to the Ferry Terminal, in Praça XV. Depending on where you are, you can take the metrô to Carioca station and walk to the terminal or alternatively take the VLT.
The Rio – Niterói ferry company uses several different boats and the capacity of passengers varies according to the size of the boat. Smaller ferries carry only 237 passengers, medium-sized transport up to 1300 and those with larger capacity can carry up to 2000 passengers. Generally, the ferries have two floors and stairs. The more modern models of the ferries have better seats and air conditioning, which is perfect for the hotter days.
Ferry to Niterói Schedule
Now let’s look at the schedules of the Rio Niterói ferry from Praca XV to Araribóia. On week days the first ferry leaves at 6:00 and the last one at 23:30. Between 6:30 and 10:10 there is an interval of 20 minutes between departures. From 16:30 to 20:10 the interval is only 10 minutes due to rush hour and an intense flow of people. On Saturdays you can take the ferry from 6:00 until 23:30 with a 30 minute interval between departures. While on Sundays and public holidays the ferry runs from 6:00 to 23:00 with 1 hour intervals.
When you arrive in Niterói, you arrive in Arariboia Square. The ticket costs 6,30 reais and the trip lasts approximately 20 minutes. This destination is located in the center of Niterói. Let me tell you a curiosity: Arariboia was a native Brazilian that helped the Portuguese in the conquest of Guanabara Bay in 1567. As a result of this story,the square was given his name. If you want to do the opposite route and take the ferry from Rio to Niterói, you have to check the schedule online, because it’s different. If you want to see updated prices and times, click here.
Other destinations of Niterói Ferry: Charitas
Another place that you can go to with Rio ferry is a neighborhood in Niterói called Charitas. Charitas is a touristic neighborhood due to its nice hotels and places like Escadaria do Moisaco. The ticket costs 17,60 reais. The schedule is also a bit limited, this line doesn’t run on weekends or public holidays. The first ferry leaves at 7:00 and the last at 21:00 and the intervals are of 20 minute each. If you want to see updated prices and times, click here.
Other destinations of Rio Ferry
You can also use Rio ferry to go to other destinations that aren’t in Niterói. You can go to Paquetá and Cocotá, which are two neighborhoods of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Paquetá
To learn more about the story of this amazing place you can read our Dica about Paquetá Island in Brazil. How do you get there? Very simple! You go to the same place: Rio Ferry at the Ferry Terminal, in Praça XV. There you can take a ferry to the beautiful island of Paquetá. But, pay attention, the schedule to Paquetá is more limited than the others. The ticket also costs 6,30 reais. So, why don’t you come study Portuguese in Brazil and visit this enchanted place? To see updated prices and times, click here.
Cocotá
Furthermore, another place that you can use Rio de Janeiro ferry to go to is Cocotá. Cocotá is a neighborhood in the North Zone of Rio located on Ilha do Governador. There you can find the Esporte Clube Cocotá an important sport association from the region. The ticket also costs 6,30 reais and the trip takes 55 minutes. However, this line doesn’t work on weekends and holidays. See updated prices and times here.
Vocabulary of Niterói Ferry
| A barca | The ferry |
| O terminal | The terminal |
| A passagem | The ticket |
| A viagem | The trip |
| As partidas | The departures |
| Os horários | The schedules |
| Os preços | The prices |
| Os passageiros | The passengers |
| As escadas | The stairs |
| Os assentos | The seats |
| A estação | The station |
| O bairro | The neighborhood |
| Baía de Guanabara | Guanabara Bay |
| Terminal das barcas | Ferries Terminal |
| Dias úteis | Working days |
| Hora do rush | Rush hour |
| Praça | Square |
Finally you know how to use the ferry from Rio to Niterói. How about taking a day to get to know Niterói through RioLIVE!? Probably you’ll like it and want to repeat it. Above all you can visit nice places and practice Portuguese at the same time.
We hope you enjoyed another Dica!
Hugs from Rio & Learn!

Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Boat Vocabulary in Portuguese
Means of Transportation in Portuguese
Verb To Go + Means of Transportation
Paquetá Island in Brazil
Online Academic Coordinator at Rio & Learn Portuguese School.
Experienced educational coordinator and teacher since 2007, adept in curriculum development, creating physical and digital educational materials, and leveraging online platforms to enhance learning outcomes

