Porto Alegre Transportation

The best way to get to PoA is by air. Porto Alegre has an international airport (aeroporto Salgado Filho). It is obviously possible to go by coach, but given the continental dimensions of Brazil that means about 18 hours from Sao Paulo or 24 hours from Rio de Janeiro (or 70 hours from Belem...). For flying in Brazil ask VARIG about the air-pass: For US$ 400 you get one of these and save lots of money in internal flights.
Although the city has about 1.3M inhabitants the city centre is not very big and walking is pleasant.

The bus system in the city is good, but there are little or no buses in some areas of the city late at night, so if you are planning to enjoy the late nightlife, you'd better keep some money for a taxi, which is not so expensive, or rent a car. This is a car rental comnpany I recommend: www.hertz.com

You can get to Porto Alegre by airplane. Several companies fly here, but Varig is the main airline. ( www.varig.com.br). There is now a new airport with cinema rooms available. You can also come by bus, or car.

From the Public Market place you'll find dozens of buses that will reach the shopping within 20 minutes. If you are around Ipiranga Avenue, T1 (bus line) will do the job (if you take the bus from the wrong side you'll end up at another big shopping mall -Praia de Belas - anyway).

The taxi drivers are not that friendly or chatty in this city. They will overcharge you if they can, afer consulting a form which gives them a new fare more than one which shows on their metres.
the taxi from the airport to the centre of town costs around R 20.
There is an alternative and rather an attractive one.
As you exit the arrival hall of the airport, a golf cart like apparatus is waiting outside, transports passengers and luggage to the metro station. you get off the buggy and walk along the stairs to the ticket booth. there you buy the ticket to go downtown at the cost of 75 centavos de reis. Take the train in the direction of Mercado, this is the last station.
As you exit the station, you are right into the bustling market with thousands of stalls selling anyting from a cut papaya to portuguese english dictionaries to shoes to empanadas and anything else you might desire

Linha Touristica is a bus that leaves from Usina do Gasomiento tourist terminal around six times per day. During 90 minutes, it traverses the various suburbs of POA. For a modest price of 5 reis, you have a chance to see parts of the city which you would otherwise might not see. you can then decide where you wish to return to.
the times of departure: 9 am 1030 am 12 noon 1430, 1600 and 1730

from North you have all good bus connection allover Brazil,, but be aware to take an expressbus if you go to Uruguay or to Argentina..the local busses stop every 50 meter and can get on your nerv
then better take more expensive plane to Montevideo or Buenos Aires

From Brazil you can use the buses,from all the other states.
From overseas,airplane.Porto Alegre has a very good (but small)international airport(SALGADO FILHO AIRPORT).
Buses are ok,we have also mini-buses from and to all the main neighborhoods in the city,very comfortable and just a few more boxes than the regular bus,and in the mini-buses you will be always seated as it's forbidden to transport passengers standing(perfect for the early morning hours and late afternoons,when all the buses are terribly full..).
We have also an underground station,but not for all the main neighborhoods,usually connecting only the big city with the suburbs..