Brasilia is not a pedestrian-friendly city and walking is only recommended for very short distances. Hiring a car is a good and popular option, as the city's easy to navigate by car and traffic congestion is minimal compared to most of Brazil's big cities. The subway is not particularly useful for tourists as it's designed for commuters and mainly services outlying suburbs. But, it can be used to get to some hotels and shopping malls. The subway operates between 6am and 11.30pm on weekdays, and 7am and 7pm on weekends and holidays.Most travellers prefer to make use of the buses and taxis in Brasilia. Minibuses are particularly useful as they link the central, commercial area to most main avenues and the airport. Buses must be flagged down as they usually won't stop unless signalled. Taxis are relatively expensive, but are metered and reliable. They're difficult to hail on the street, but can easily be called from hotels or found at taxi stands.
