The most popular car rental agents in Fortaleza:
- Alamo (Tel: +55 85 3392-1400)
- Avis (Tel: +55 800 725 2847)
- National (Tel: +55 85 3392-1400)
- Hertz (Tel: +55 800 979 2000)
- Movida (Tel: +55 800 606 8686)
Fortaleza Airport Mini Guide
What Can you Tell me About Fortaleza?
Fortaleza is one of Brazil’s biggest cities and has a number of attractions. Sadly there are also a number of things to be wary of in the city. On the positive side it has a great history which is mapped out by several museums and monuments in the city. It also has numerous beautiful beaches. The downside is that the poorer portion of the population resort to drug dealing, theft and extortion with much of the crime perpetrated on tourists. Several areas should not be walked at night and some not at any time. The beaches are prime hunting grounds for the thieves and you should make yourself fully acquainted with the no go areas of the city before travelling there.
How Can I Get to Fortaleza?
You can travel to Fortaleza by bus, hire car or train from Pinto Martins Airport which is only four miles south of the city. It’s one of the busiest in Brazil with over five million passengers choosing to use it last year. As well as taking dozens of internal flights, Pinto Martins also accepts flights from
Italy, Holland,
Spain and Portugal making it easy for the European traveller to gain access to Fortaleza.
What is the Airport Like?
The city is one of the venues for the 2014 World Cup and plans are already underway to expand and add more facilities to the terminal building which only opened just over a decade ago. Already the terminal is amazing with a wavy tunnel shape covered in glass, enclosing the arrivals and departure areas and giving it the feel of a concert hall rather than an airport.
What Should I do When I Arrive at Fortaleza?
The airport is fortunate in having boarding bridges for transporting passengers to and from the aircraft. These are available at all 14 gates of the terminal. After passport control you’ll find yourself in the massive arrivals hall. Despite its size, all the facilities are easy to find including a bank, several ATMs, shops and a medical facility. Buses and taxis can be taken from outside the terminal and hire cars should be collected from the main company desks along the side of the main hall.
What can I Expect When it’s Time to Leave Fortaleza?
Fortaleza has several automated check-in desks making life easier when you arrive at the airport. Don’t worry if technology foxes you, a member of staff is on hand to help but it does save a lot of queuing. There are many shops at the airport selling a host of items including those suitable as gifts and others selling travel essentials and duty free goods for international travellers. If you want to grab a meal at the airport, the single full restaurant serves decent meals accompanied by hot, cold or alcoholic drinks and for those with less time, there are a number of snack bars and cafeterias before and after security.