Fortaleza

By Moto Taxi

Depending on the traffic flow, this can be a rather scary experience. In general about half the price of a cab, starting at R$ 4 for runs up to ten blocks or so.

By taxi

All 4000-odd taxis in town run on the same meter system (http://www.etufor.ce.gov....), except the special cabs at the airport. Start price is R$3,62, then R$1,81 per km on rate 1 and R$ 2,72/km on rate 2. The latter is charged every day from 20:00 to 06:00, Saturdays also from 13:00 to 20:00 and all Sunday, public holidays, and the whole month of December. Waiting is charged R$ 18,10 per hour.

It is mandatory for taxis to display the fare system on one of the rear side windows. Do not take a cab without such a posting.

Cab drivers in Fortaleza are fairly honest, although a few will put the meter on rate 2 too often. The meter should always run unless you have fixed a price before getting into the car. Most trips that would exceed R$ 10 on the meter are negotiable, and when you pass R$ 30 on the meter a discount of up to 50% could be obtained if you bargain well. Taxi stands are abundant (http://www.etufor.ce.gov....)áxi.pdf, but it can often prove easier to negotiate if you hail one off the street.

Average bargained prices to out-of-town-destinations:

Cumbuco R$ 80 return same day.

Canoa Quebrada R$ 150.

Orientation

Most tourists will not go more than 5 blocks from the sea, except for the airport and bus station, and perhaps a shopping mall. The following main streets will take you from the city centre to the fish market, by way of Dragão do Mar and the beaches Iracema and Meireles, totalling some 6 km: Avenida Almirante Barroso, Av. Beira Mar until Rua Ildefonso Albano, where it's cut off by an artificial beach -the aterro., Av. Historiador Raimundo Girão, Av. Beira Mar from Av. Rui Barbosa. This last three km section of Beira Mar literally Sea Side is by far the most attractive part of the city, with police stands and patrols making it fairly safe around the clock, although rather deserted from midnight to dawn. From the fish market, where the Avenida Beira Mar with its broad pavement stops, to the beach of Praia do Futuro is the port area, backed by a refinery and slums. Walking here at daytime can be risky, -at night it's asking for trouble.

Rental Car

Brazilian city traffic makes this option a bit frustrating for anyone who honks less than once a minute while driving back home. The city is best covered by bus and cab, but a car can make many daytrips to outlying beaches. Rental shops are virtually everywhere. Despite huge signs claiming low prices, you will hardly end up paying less than R$ 60 for the most basic car, -plus fuel. Beach buggies start at R$ 100.

By bus

As any major Brazilian city, Fortaleza can be done almost entirely by bus (http://www.etufor.ce.gov....). Ticket price is R$ 2 rare exceptions, like Sundays at R$ 1,40, and if you get off at a terminal you can change lines without paying again. Most lines run 7 days a week 0500-2300, give or take. The lines listed here, deemed most useful for tourists, will run roughly every 10 minutes daytime weekdays, frequencies perhaps halved nightime and weekends, and down to once an hour after midnight. Only the most useful parts of the routes are described. Some lines have the number 1 or 2 after their names, only to indicate direction, others don't. I.e. the very same bus with the same number and name could be running either from A to B, or from B to A. Ask!

Centro/Beira Mar Caça e Pesca

is comfy and air conditioned. It runs Beira Mar and all along Praia do Futuro. Returning it swaps Beira Mar for Abolição. This bus can get very packed from Praia do Futuro before sunset. Risk of muggings at Praia do Futuro bus stops after dark.

Circular 1/2

24 hours!!! City center - Mercado Central - Dragão do Mar - Historiador Raimundo Girão - Abolicão - Desembargador Moreira/Shopping Aldeota.

Grande Circular 1/2

24 hours!!! City Centre - Dragão do Mar - Historiador Raimundo Girão - Abolição - Praia do Futuro - Terminal Papicu - Shopping Iguatemi.

Centro Iguatemi

R$ 3,00. Last bus leaves Iguatemi at 2200, does not run on Sundays. Comfy and air conditioned. City centre - Monsenhor Tabosa - Abolição - Desembargador Moreira Shopping Aldeota, leaves you inside the Iguatemi shopping mall.

A slowly increasing number of buses, although this far none belonging to the above mentioned lines, are monitored in real-time and you can check how far your bus is from your stop. (http://www.fortalezabemna...)