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Connections at GIG: the honest numbers
The indicative minimum international-to-international connection at Rio de Janeiro Galeão is 75 minutes on a single booking with bags checked through. On separate tickets, add roughly 90 minutes: you'll collect bags, recheck them, and re-clear security — and no airline is obliged to help if the first leg runs late.
Transfer specifics
- Terminal 2 is the international terminal and handles all international arrivals and departures plus LATAM's domestic operations. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights for Gol, Azul and some LATAM routes — but sources disagree on whether T1 is currently operating at all, with at least one stating it is closed to general flight operations and most traffic consolidated into T2. Check the live board and your boarding pass rather than any guide, including this one.
- Either way the transfer is easy: the two terminals are joined by a covered walkway with moving walkways, about a 10 to 15 minute walk, and a free air-conditioned shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes around the clock, taking roughly 10 minutes.
- Terminal 2 is not large and international-to-international connections do not need much time. International-to-domestic is different — you must retrieve and re-check your bags, which means clearing immigration and customs first.
- Brazil's entry rules changed on 10 April 2025 and most travellers have not caught up: US, Canadian and Australian passports now need an eVisa to enter Brazil, applied for through the official vfsevisa portal only, as third-party sites charge double. Pure airside transit on a single ticket with bags checked through does not require it. New Zealand, UK and EU passports remain visa-free.
Leaving GIG during a layover
UK, EU and New Zealand passports enter Brazil visa-free. US, Canadian and Australian passports have needed an eVisa since 10 April 2025 — apply through the official vfsevisa portal, never a third-party site. The airport sits on Governador Island about 20 km north of the centre and considerably further from the Zona Sul beaches, and there is no rail link — the VLT line to Galeão is under construction and not operational. The city is about 45 minutes away one-way; as a rule of thumb you want 6+ hours before exiting is worth the queues, and you should be back through security 90 minutes before boarding.
Worth your hours in Rio de Janeiro
- Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf are the sights people want, but both need a genuinely long layover — the airport is 20 km north of the centre and further still from the tourist south.
- Downtown Rio around Centro is the realistic target on a shorter window, reachable by the BRT TransCarioca from stations at both terminals.
- For the Zona Sul beaches, take the BRT to Vicente de Carvalho and change to Metro Line 2, or from Jardim Oceânico take Line 4 to Ipanema and Leblon. Budget the full round trip before committing.
Staying airside instead
- Terminal 2 is spacious and functional with free wifi throughout via the RIO GALEAO network, unlimited in time or duration though it may need a short registration.
- Service availability drops noticeably during late-night hours, which matters given how much of Rio's long-haul schedule departs after dark.
- Both terminals have children's play areas, and currency exchange, ATMs and bank branches are concentrated in T2 arrivals.
Sleeping, showers and lounges at GIG
Sleep: There is a hotel at Terminal 1, though reaching it means a 15-minute walk from T2 check-in. Other hotels sit landside near the airport. There is no airside sleeping facility, so an overnight connection means clearing the border and therefore having your visa position sorted. Airport hotels & sleep pods
Showers: Shower access runs through the lounges rather than as a walk-up facility, so it depends on airline status or a lounge pass.
Lounges: Terminal 2 carries the international lounges including pay-per-use options accepting Priority Pass. Provision is reasonable rather than generous. Book an airport lounge for your layover
Dietary needs: Brazilian staples lean on rice, beans and cassava, which helps gluten-free eating. There is no EU-style right to written allergen information here, so ask rather than assume.
Overnight reality: Rio's long-haul schedule is weighted to the evening and overnight, and airport services thin out in the small hours. With no rail link and a 20 km run into the city, an airport-area hotel is the sensible answer — provided your passport does not need an eVisa you have not applied for.
GIG layover FAQ
Which terminal is international at Rio Galeão?
Terminal 2 handles all international arrivals and departures, along with LATAM's domestic flights. Terminal 1 handles domestic operations for Gol and Azul — though sources disagree on whether T1 is currently operating for scheduled flights at all, with some reporting traffic consolidated into T2. Check the live departure board rather than any guide.
Do I need a visa for a Rio layover?
It depends on your passport and whether you leave the airport. Brazil's rules changed on 10 April 2025: US, Canadian and Australian passports now need an eVisa to enter, applied for through the official vfsevisa portal only. UK, EU and New Zealand passports remain visa-free. Pure airside transit on a single ticket with bags checked through requires nothing.
How do I get between the terminals at GIG?
Two ways, both easy. A covered walkway with moving walkways connects them in about 10 to 15 minutes on foot, and a free air-conditioned shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, taking roughly 10 minutes.
Is there a train from Rio Galeão to the city?
No. A VLT light rail line to the airport is under construction but not operational, and there is no direct metro link. The BRT TransCarioca serves stations at both terminals and connects to the metro network at Vicente de Carvalho for the Zona Sul beaches. A taxi from the official counters inside the terminal is the alternative — never accept rides from people approaching you in arrivals.
Some links above are affiliate links — they cost you nothing and fund keeping this data verified. We only link products we'd use on the layover in question.
Minimum connection times are indicative and vary by airline, terminal pair and season; visa notes are simplified general guidance, not immigration advice. Facts on this page were last verified on 2026-08-11. If anything has changed, tell us and we'll fix it fast.