Salvador da Bahia Airport (SSA) is located about 26 kilometres / 16 miles north of the city centre. It is one of Brazil’s main airports, serving Bahia’s state capital.
Salvador is best known for its Pelourinho, the old historic centre of colourful colonial Portuguese buildings, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
There are a few available transport options from Salvador Airport to the city centre.
By subway (metrô)
You can take a free shuttle to the new Aeroporto station, and reach the city centre on metrô (line 2). The service runs between 5am and midnight daily. A metrô ticket costs R$ 3.70.
By bus (ônibus)
There are two kinds of buses that you can take: executive and regular buses.
The First Class Bus is an executive bus service that drops passengers on the way (hotel itinerary). It is your best option if you don’t want to pay for a taxi or Uber. There is a counter just outside the arrivals hall. Buses depart from the airport hourly. One way trip costs R$ 30, and takes about one hour, depending on the hotels where passengers are dropped.
The cheapest option to and from the airport is to take a regular bus. There are a few routes connecting the airport and several places in Salvador, including Pelourinho (route Airport-Praça da Sé). The bus stop is outside the arrivals hall. A ticket costs R$ 4.
By taxi
A prepaid taxi is probably the best and most comfortable way to get to your hotel in Salvador. Coometas and Comtas are two of the prepaid taxi companies with counters located in the arrivals hall. A cab ride to the historic centre costs about R$ 140.
There are also normal taxis that use meters, and may be cheaper. However, in case of heavy traffic, normal taxis may not pay off the price of prepaid taxis.
By Uber
You can take an Uber in Salvador. You need a smartphone to access the Uber app. Depending on your destination, there’s a chance an Uber ride may cost less than a cab ride.
