Note: Last Updated in December 2012

As Brazilian domestic airfares have become increasingly expensive, more and more people are using buses to get to (and away from) Salvador for carnival.

Here are some things you should be aware of:

Nothing in Brazil ever happens on time…EXCEPT for bus departures. If you have a bus that is scheduled to leave at 10:00am, you need to be on the bus by 10:00am or you risk missing it.

There is so much incoming and outgoing traffic for carnival in Salvador, you should buy your bus tickets as far in advance as possible (at least 14 days advance purchase is recommended). I strongly suggest that you buy your “exit” ticket from Salvador at the same time you buy your “entrance” ticket into town. If you wait until after carnival (or during carnival) to buy your ticket, chances are you won’t be able to find a seat! Of course, anything’s possible, so you might be that lucky one who just walks up to the window and gets a seat. Ahhhh, anybody win the lottery lately?

Buses to Salvador (carnival arrivals)

Rio to Salvador
Company: Itapemerim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$249.00 (convencional); BR$279.00 (executivo) 
Departure Times: 9:15 am (convencional); 10:30 am (executivo)
Frequency: Every day, one bus per day
Transit Time: 27 to 30 hours

Rio to Salvador
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$239.00 (convencional)  BR$249.00 (executivo)
Departure Times: 11:00 am; 14:30 pm
Frequency: Every day
Transit Time: 27 hours

Sao Paulo to Salvador
Company: Sao Geraldo, http://www.saogeraldo.com.br/
Price: BR$282.93
Departure Times: 20:45 pm; 21:35 pm
Frequency: Every day
Transit Time: 32 hours

Forteleza to Salvador
Company: Itapemerim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$174.00
Departure Times: 19:00 pm
Frequency: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 19:00 pm
Transit Time: 21 hours

Forteleza to Salvador
Company: Penha, http://vendas.nspenha.com.br/
Price: BR$201
Departure Times: 19:00 pm
Frequency: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
Transit Time: 22 hours

Recife to Salvador
Company: Itapemerim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$136.00 (convencional); BR$159 (executivo)
Departure Times: 13:30 (convencional); 18:45 pm (executivo)
Frequency: Every Day
Transit Time: 13 Hours

Recife to Salvador
Company: Penha, http://vendas.nspenha.com.br/
Price: BR$137.50
Departure Times: 12:00 noon
Frequency: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Transit Time: 17:50 hours

Natal to Salvador
Company: Sao Geraldo, http://www.saogeraldo.com.br/
Price: BR$171.62 (convencional); BR$196.63 (executivo)
Departure Times: Twice per day: 9:30 am (convencional); 17:00 pm (executivo)
Frequency: Every day
Transit Time: 20 hours

Itacare to Salvador
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$69.79
Departure Times: 6:55 am
Frequency: Monday
Transit Time: 9:25 hours

Porto Seguro to Salvador
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$138.71
Departure Times: 19:05 pm
Frequency: Every day
Transit Time: 11:15 hours

Buses from Salvador (carnival departures)

Salvador to Rio
Company: Itapemirim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$248.50 (convencional); BR$279.00 (executivo)
Travel Times: 9:30 am (Comercial); 10:30 am (Semi-leito)
Frequency: Every day
Departure Time:  27 hours

Salvador to Rio
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$249.00 (convencional)
Travel Times: 7:00 am
Frequency: Every day
Departure Time: 27 hours

Salvador to Sao Paulo
Company: Sao Geraldo, http://www.saogeraldo.com.br/
Price: BR$298.59
Travel Times: 20:00 pm  
Frequency:  Every day
Departure Time: 31 hours

Salvador to Recife
Company: Itapemirim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$137.50; BR$159.00 (executivo)
Travel Times: 19:00 (convencional);19:45 pm (executivo)
Frequency: Every Day
Departure Time: 13 Hours

Salvador to Recife
Company: Penha, http://vendas.nspenha.com.br/
Price: BR$137.50
Travel Times: 12:00 Noon
Frequency: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
Departure Time: 16 hours

Salvador to Natal
Company: Sao Geraldo, http://www.saogeraldo.com.br/
Price:  BR$196.63 (executivo); BR$171.62 (comercial)
Travel Times: 17:00 pm (executivo); 19:40pm (comercial)
Frequency: Every day
Departure Time: 20 hours

Salvador to Forteleza
Company: Itapemirim, http://www.itapemirim.com.br/
Price: BR$201.50 (convencional)
Travel Times: 10:00 am; 19:00 pm
Frequency: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Departure Time: 21 hours

Salvador to Forteleza
Company: Penha, http://vendas.nspenha.com.br/
Price: BR$200.50
Departure Times: 20:00 pm
Frequency: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Transit Time: 17:25 hours

Salvador to Itacare
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$69.79
Departure Times: 12:00 noon
Frequency: Sunday
Transit Time: 8:30 hours

Salvador to Porto Seguro
Company: Águia Branca, https://www.aguiabranca.com.br/cgi-bin/br5.cgi
Price: BR$138.71
Departure Times: 20:00 pm
Frequency: Every day
Transit Time: 11:15 hours