Salvador Bus Station Change for Chapada Diamantina

IMPORTANT NOTICE for those planning to take a bus to another city, state, or destination from Salvador!

Starting January 20, 2026, the intercity bus station Rodoviária is changing its address! The Rodoviária is leaving the Iguatemi area and will now be located in ÁGUAS CLARAS (about twenty kilometers from downtown Salvador).

A brand-new station (the most modern in Brazil) has just been set up there, accessible by car/taxi/Uber/metro. Allow for much more transfer time (especially during rush hours), so leave early if you're heading to Chapada Diamantina or other Brazilian cities by bus.

Remember, there are also private transfers (even French-speaking ones) that can take you directly from your hotel in Salvador to your hotel in Chapada. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but you’ll save on transfer time and comfort.

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊 🇧🇷

Thanks Ivan for this info!

Thanks Ivan for this info—if I remember correctly, the downtown rodoviária could use some updates! 😄 Happy New Year to you! Bruno

PS: Do you know if there’s already public transport from the airport to the bus station?

PS: Do you know if there’s already public transport from the airport to the bus station?

Hey Bruno,

Yep! There’s an electric shuttle from the airport to the metro. Take the metro toward the center until the "Acesso Norte" station. There, you’ll need to switch lines to "Águas Claras" (terminal until further notice).

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Longtime member of the Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊🇧🇷

Hi there,

For those who want to take domestic flights, I just saw that the Brazilian government has just launched the "Brazil Airpass" for foreign tourists to boost domestic traffic.

This program allows foreign tourists to purchase a discounted domestic flight pass, with several options available.

More details here: https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/le-bresil-relance-le-brazil-airpass-pour-booster-son-trafic-interieur

Really interesting. Hopefully, foreign tourists won’t run into the infamous CPF issue when making an online reservation... since Brazilian companies have a bit of a bad rep for that 🤪 Also, I don’t see a direct link to make this booking. Tropical greetings from Salvador, @ivanbahiaguide Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊🇧🇷

Also, I don’t see a direct link to make this booking.

According to the article I mentioned earlier, this air pass has just been launched (for FITUR, the international tourism fair that just took place in Madrid), so that might be why the booking link isn’t visible yet.

Either way, several French online media outlets are talking about it.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for those planning to take a bus to another city/state/destination from Salvador!

Starting January 20, 2026, the intercity bus station Rodoviária is changing its address! The Rodoviária is leaving the Iguatemi area and will now be located in ÁGUAS CLARAS (about twenty kilometers from downtown Salvador).

A brand-new station (the most modern in Brazil) has just been set up there, accessible by car/taxi/Uber/metro. Allow much more transfer time (especially during rush hours), so leave early if you're heading to Chapada Diamantina or other Brazilian cities by bus.

Remember, there are also private transfers (even French-speaking ones) that can take you directly from your hotel in Salvador to your hotel in Chapada. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but you’ll save time and gain comfort.

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Loyal member of the Francophone Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊 🇧🇷

Hello, thanks for this info! I’ll take the opportunity to ask a few questions—I’d really appreciate your feedback. Is it easy for a woman traveling solo to get around the region by bus independently, or is it better to use private transfers? I’m planning to visit the area for several weeks. Thanks and have a great day