Krazy for Kombis

One of the most idiosyncratic (and the most fun) ways to get around Rio is the kombi, named after the model of Volkswagen van whose form it usually takes. Kombis, like busses, drive specific routes around the city; though unlike busses the vans do not have obligatory stops. Instead, you can hail a kombi – much as you would a cab – as it passes and disembark at precisely your desired location. The kombi costs R$2 per person (R$2.50 on weekend nights), regardless of the length of your journey, making it the city’s cheapest form of public transportation.

At first the ride can be daunting: climbing into a huge van and cramming shoulder-to-shoulder with Brazilian strangers as the driver careens down a cobblestone hill (at times with only one hand on the wheel while the other texts) surely sounds scary. But in truth the kombi is not only more comfortable than the bus (you’re almost always guaranteed a seat!), it’s also a really fun way to travel.

In, fact, if traveling from Santa Teresa to Lapa, you may be lucky enough to catch the party kombi. Its driver, Valdesere, has installed not only black lights, but dashboard and drop-down TV screens. Passengers can jam to the blaring Backstreet Boys as Valdesere barrels down the hill at a pace that earns him the affectionate nickname 'speed racer.'

What makes the kombi such an ideal form of transportation (aside from its economical price and convenience) is the feeling of community unique to the big white vans. Almost always, someone in the van will start a conversation – the motorista (driver) or cobrador (money collector) if the kombi is empty, another passenger if it’s full. As passengers climb in, they may ask you to hold on to their groceries or small children or offer you a handful of the chips they’re munching on. If an important futbol game is occurring, the entire van reacts to the radio’s play-by-play. Being part of something so authentically Carioca may make you wish you could take a kombi everywhere.

Have a fun kombi story? Share it in the comments!