Portuguese for Travel: Get Around by Bus, Train, Metro, and Taxi (A2)

Landing in a new Portuguese-speaking city? Let’s get you moving. In this A2 guide, you’ll learn the must-know words for buses, trains, metro, and taxis, how to buy tickets and ask for prices, the key prepositions travelers need (de, para, em), and polite phrases for directions. We’ll practice as we go with quick exercises so you can speak with confidence on the road.

Core transport words you’ll actually use

Here are everyday words you’ll hear in Brazil when getting around. Read the examples and say them out loud.

ônibus
bus
noun
Eu vou de ônibus para o trabalho.
I go by bus to work.
trem
train
noun
O trem chega às oito.
The train arrives at eight.
metrô
metro/subway
noun
É mais rápido ir de metrô.
It’s faster to go by metro.
táxi
taxi
noun
Vamos pegar um táxi?
Shall we take a taxi?
aplicativo (de transporte)
ride-hailing app (e.g., Uber)
noun
Vou chamar pelo aplicativo.
I’ll call it on the app.
passagem
ticket (bus/plane/train)
noun
Quero uma passagem de ida e volta.
I want a round-trip ticket.
rodoviária
bus station
noun
A rodoviária fica no centro.
The bus station is downtown.
plataforma
platform (train/metro)
noun
O trem sai da plataforma três.
The train leaves from platform three.
Portuguese
Um táxi até o hotel, por favor.
A taxi to the hotel, please.
Portuguese
Eu vou de metrô para o centro.
I go by metro to the city center.
🧠 Vocab Check: Transport Basics

Buying tickets and asking about prices

At stations or counters, keep it simple and polite.

Useful phrases:

  • Uma passagem para [cidade], por favor. (A ticket to [city], please.)
  • Para hoje/amanhã? (For today/tomorrow?)
  • Quanto custa? (How much is it?)
  • Só ida / ida e volta. (One-way / round trip.)
  • Para que horas? (For what time?)
  • Tem lugar no ônibus das 15h? (Is there a seat on the 3 p.m. bus?)
  • Janela ou corredor? (Window or aisle?)
  • Documento, por favor. (ID, please.)
💬 Put the ticket-counter conversation in order
Portuguese
Uma passagem só de ida para Curitiba, por favor.
A one-way ticket to Curitiba, please.

How to say how you’re going: de, a pé

In Portuguese, we normally use de + transport to say how we go somewhere:

  • de ônibus, de trem, de metrô, de táxi, de carro
  • a pé (on foot)

Examples:

  • Vou de ônibus para o aeroporto. (I’m going to the airport by bus.)
  • Eles vão a pé até o hotel. (They’re going to the hotel on foot.)
Eu vou em carro. → Eu vou de carro. Use de + transport. Only a pé uses “a”.

Eu vou metrô para o centro.

Vamos Porto Alegre amanhã.

Asking and understanding directions

When you’re lost (or just curious), these lines help:

  • Onde fica [lugar]? (Where is [place]?)
  • Como eu chego ao/à [lugar]? (How do I get to [place]?)
  • É longe? (Is it far?) / Fica perto. (It’s close.)
  • Vire à direita/esquerda. (Turn right/left.)
  • Siga em frente. (Go straight.)
  • Fica a duas quadras. (It’s two blocks away.)

Note the contractions:

  • ao = a + o (masculine singular)
  • à = a + a (feminine singular) with accent
  • no/na = em + o / em + a
Portuguese
Com licença, como eu chego ao metrô?
Excuse me, how do I get to the metro?
🔠 Put the words in order

Start with a polite “Pode me dizer...?”

Talking about plans: ir + infinitive (near future)

A very natural way to talk about plans is ir (present) + infinitive.

  • Vou pegar o metrô. (I’m going to take the metro.)
  • Vamos alugar um carro. (We’re going to rent a car.)
  • Eles vão chegar às oito. (They’re going to arrive at eight.)
ir presente Irregular
Pronoun Conjugation
eu vou
você/ele/ela vai
nós vamos
vocês/eles/elas vão
Portuguese
Nós vamos de ônibus para o aeroporto.
We’re going by bus to the airport.
Portuguese
Ela vai chamar um táxi pelo aplicativo.
She’s going to call a taxi on the app.

Quick review

  • Transport: ônibus, trem, metrô, táxi, aplicativo, passagem
  • Means: de + transporte; a pé
  • Movement/location: para (to), em (in/at), de (from)
  • Plans: ir + infinitive (Vou pegar..., Vamos visitar...)
  • Polite phrases: Por favor; Com licença; Pode me dizer...?; Quanto custa?

Try this mini role-play: You’re at the rodoviária. Ask for a round-trip ticket to a nearby city for tomorrow at 10 a.m., window seat if possible. Then ask how much it costs and which platform it leaves from.

You’ve got this! With a few set phrases and the right prepositions, getting around in Portuguese becomes simple and even fun. Boa viagem!