Transportation and mobility: how to get around the city

João Pessoa is renewing its bus fleet and testing electric vehicles, but the fare rose to R$ 5.20 in 2025.

Public transit is the backbone of mobility in João Pessoa, with about 550,000 daily trips recorded on the network, according to the City's estimate. In January 2025, the Municipal Urban Mobility Council approved a fare increase: the standard fare rose to R$ 5.20 and the optional "geladinho" line (with air conditioning) to R$ 5.80, an increase justified by diesel price changes and the collective bargaining agreement for drivers and fare collectors, according to the City and the newspaper Jornal da Paraíba.

In return, the fleet is being renewed: 120 new buses entered service in 2024 and another 70 (60 standard and 10 of the optional model) were planned for 2025, keeping João Pessoa with the third-newest fleet in the Northeast, according to official data from the municipal administration. The city has also begun testing 100%-electric buses — a 15-day trial period on the circular line 1500, with the goal of putting up to 60 electric vehicles into operation, as announced by the mayor and reported by Diário do Transporte.

For the coming years, construction is planned for two BRS (Bus Rapid Service) corridors, totaling 36 km, with bike lanes and sidewalk improvements along the route — a project budgeted at about R$ 400 million, combining state government funds (R$ 240 million) and the City's funds (R$ 160 million). Outside public transit, the city has bike lanes along the seafront, but the cycling network beyond the tourist strip is still limited, which makes cars and ride-hailing apps the most common option for longer trips.