Curitiba’s airport, Afonso Pena International Airport (Aeroporto Afonso Pena), is located in the nearby town of Sao Jose dos Pinhais, a short drive away, and is one of the Brazil’s busiest airports. International flights come in from the likes of Buenos Aires and destinations farther afield on charter but the airport serves mostly regional cities. If you are coming from Europe, you will invariably route through Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro with a Brazilian carrier like Gol, Varig or TAM.

Onsite facilities at the airport include a museum, a shopping centre featuring 60 stores and a play centre for kids. Curitiba city centre is served from Afonso Pena International Airport by the Airport Shuttle, which departs from Arrivals every 20 minutes on weekdays. Public buses also serve the airport and leave every 20 or 30 minutes, while taxis are on hand 24 hours. Many major car hire companies are represented at Afonso Pena Airport.

Curitiba has a good public transport network that consists mainly of buses and a subway. There are many different types of buses, including the useful and cost-effective City Centre Circulator, which is ideal for tourists, while free buses run between bus depots and metro stations.

The city’s tourist bus is the best option for visitors wanting to get the most out of Curitiba’s attractions as it runs on a loop and provides entry to three sights on payment of a single fare. It is relatively expensive, however, and does not run on Mondays.

Driving is quite tough within Curitiba due to confusing one-way streets, extensive bus lanes and pedestrian areas, while parking can also be a hassle. The roads around Curitiba are fine, however, if you want to hire a car to explore. Many tourists choose to hire a bike during their stay and the city’s wide avenues and profusion of parks and woods make for excellent cycling.