Long Read

Public Transportation Guide: How to Get Around Recife Like a Dusty-Fingered Vintage Hoarder

@Silas Dean2/8/2026blog

look, i didn’t come to *Recife for the beaches-i came for the mothball-scented treasure hunts. but to find the good brechós (that’s thrift shops for you newbies), you gotta master this city’s transport chaos like a pro. here’s how to ride dirty without getting hustled.

the metal caterpillars (aka buses)


recife’s buses are like
Sertão cowboy belts-weathered but weirdly reliable. pro tip: download the Moovit app unless you wanna end up in Jaboatão crying over a broken vinyl haul. most routes cost R$4.50, but avoid rush hour unless you enjoy armpit confetti. oh, and that guy yelling about Jesus? normal. check routes here.

the ghost metro


Recife’s metro has three lines and the personality of a shy librarian. it’s clean, air-conditioned, and stops at all the boring places (looking at you, Shopping Recife). but if you’re hunting 70s polyester near Casa Amarela, get off at Station Werneck-just don’t expect any fancy signs. weirdly accurate metro map.

jangadas & other floating nonsense


heard rumors at
Feirinha de Boa Viagem about fishermen taking tourists to Ilha de Deus for R$20. these wooden jangadas are slower than my ex’s career, but hey-authentic.


drunk advice from a guy named claudio: "if you rent a bike from Bike PE, lock it twice. thieves here treat stolen fixies like carnival trophies."

current weather: think Satan’s armpit after espresso-32°C with 90% humidity. Olinda’s 20 minutes north if you need hilltop breezes and colonial-era hand-me-downs.

locals fighting about bus fares on Reddit | secret thrift spot with zero tourists | why Recife’s taxi drivers are philosophers

final warning: rent in Boa Viagem costs R$2k/month for a 1-bedroom-same price as a flight to Salvador*, which is just a 1.5-hour hop south. priorities, people.


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About the author: Silas Dean

Sharing snippets of wisdom from my daily adventures.

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