Transport
Arrive fresh in Rio de Janeiro.
Flight, train, bus or carpooling: compare the options side by side with your real dates. The idea is to arrive with a bit of battery left — you included.
ROCK INRIO
The world's biggest music festival by attendance, at Rio's Parque Olímpico: two weekends in September, around 700,000 people in 2026 and a lineup spanning metal to pop to funk carioca. The next edition, September 2028, has no official dates yet.
Rock in Rio 2028
The Rock in Rio festival.
In a nutshell.
Rock in Rio is biennial in Rio de Janeiro: after the September 4-6 and 11-13, 2026 edition, the next is confirmed for September 2028, with no official dates for now. Since 2017, the festival has occupied the Parque Olímpico in Barra da Tijuca, the former 2016 Olympics park, west of the city. Created in 1985 by Roberto Medina, it made history from its very first edition (Queen, AC/DC, more than a million people). It runs over two three-day weekends and drew around 700,000 people in 2026: by attendance, it's the world's biggest music festival.
The lineup deliberately crosses genre lines: the Palco Mundo ("World Stage") can run a metal band, a pop star and a rock legend back to back on the same night, while the Palco Sunset pairs Brazilian and international artists. Alongside the stages, Rock in Rio is a full theme park in its own right — zipline, ferris wheel, drop tower — and a huge, carefully produced media operation.
It's a 100% urban festival: no camping, you sleep in Rio and reach the park by metro, shuttle or ride-share. The site is vast and the day is long (gates open early afternoon, music runs until 2am). September in Rio is the very start of the southern spring: 20-28°C, often cloudy, sometimes rainy — but never cold.
Rock in Rio · what's confirmed
What we know about Rock in Rio 2028.
- Dates
- Not yet confirmed by the organiser. Estimated window: September 2028 (to be confirmed).
- Estimate
- Tickets
- From €120, indicative price to reconfirm on the ticket shop.
- To reconfirm
- Line-up
- Not yet announced. Announcement expected around October 2027 (estimate).
- Upcoming
"Confirmed": read on the festival's official website. "To reconfirm": announced, but not yet rechecked by us. "Estimate" or "upcoming": not yet announced by the organiser. See the official website
Rock in Rio in practice
Profile of the festival.
Capacity, atmosphere, crowd, hours and on-site budget: the full profile of Rock in Rio 2028 before you get your tickets.
History
1985: Queen and a million people
The first edition, in January 1985, brought together Queen, AC/DC, Rod Stewart and ~1.4 million spectators over ten days. A founding moment for major modern festivals.
Lineup
Every genre, on the same stage
The Palco Mundo can line up metal, pop and classic rock on the same night. The Palco Sunset mixes Brazilian and international artists. Rock in Rio embraces having no single genre line.
The venue
The former Olympic park
Since 2017, the festival has occupied the Parque Olímpico in Barra (2016 Games). A vast site with a zipline, ferris wheel and drop tower alongside the stages.
The world's most attended
~700,000 people per edition
Over two weekends, no other festival draws as many people. Day tickets sell out very fast when they open.
What to pack
Carioca spring: mild and humid
Early September in Rio: 20-28°C, often overcast skies, showers possible. Light clothing, a layer for the night (music runs until 2am), comfortable shoes, a light rain jacket.
Budget
Day ticket ~€130 + flight
Tickets are sold by the day. The bulk of the budget from Europe is the transatlantic flight and accommodation in Rio; on site, costs are more affordable than in Europe.
Rock in Rio 2028 practical info
Practical info.
Dates, hours, transport and lodging: what you need to know before you go.
Dates and schedule
Two three-day weekends (Friday to Sunday) in September 2028, dates to be confirmed. In 2026: September 4-6 and 11-13, the park opened early afternoon and music ran until 2am.
Tickets
Day tickets (no multi-day pass), sold in waves on the official website and partner ticketing. Days with the biggest headliners sell out in minutes. Bring a Brazilian payment method or an accepted international card.
Payment
Cashless on site via the festival app and wristband. In the city, cards are accepted almost everywhere, and Pix (Brazil's instant payment system) is widespread. Keep a little cash (reais) for small purchases.
Access and transport
The Parque Olímpico is served by metro line 4 (Jardim Oceânico station) then a BRT shuttle, and by official shuttles from several points in the city. Ride-share possible but traffic jams guaranteed at entry and exit.
Accessibility
Rock in Rio has a dedicated reception scheme: raised platforms, adapted routes, assistance points, companions. Check in advance via the official website.
TransportRio has an international airport well connected to Europe; the site is reached by metro + shuttle.
- By plane
- Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG). Direct flights from Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, Frankfurt. From GIG, allow 45 min to 1h by road to Barra da Tijuca.
- Getting to the site
- Metro line 4 to Jardim Oceânico, then a BRT shuttle or dedicated bus to the Parque Olímpico. The festival also runs official shuttles from Copacabana, Ipanema and the centre.
- By ride-hailing
- Uber and 99 work well in Rio, but the park's surroundings are jammed at entry and exit times. Get dropped off a bit upstream and finish on foot.
- Getting around Rio
- An efficient metro between the centre, Copacabana and Ipanema; beyond that, buses and ride-hailing. Barra da Tijuca, where the site is, is off-centre to the west.
AccommodationNo camping: pick your Rio neighbourhood based on whether you prioritise the beach or proximity to the site.
- Copacabana / Ipanema
- The 'Rio stay' choice: beach, nightlife, metro. 40-60 min from the site depending on traffic, with official shuttles. The most touristy and best-equipped area.
- Barra da Tijuca
- The Parque Olímpico district: modern hotels, long beaches, shopping malls. Practical for the festival, calmer and less 'postcard' the rest of the time.
- Centre / Lapa
- For the historic atmosphere and partying (the Lapa arches, samba), but further from the site and to choose knowing the city.
- Safety
- Rio calls for the usual precautions of a big city: few visible valuables, ride-hailing rather than walking at night, check out neighbourhoods. Nothing alarming if you stay vigilant.
DestinationRio is a major destination: two or three extra days are worth it.
- The must-sees
- Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, Sugarloaf and its cable car, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the Selarón steps, the botanical garden.
- Around
- The wild beaches of the Costa Verde and Paquetá island, Petrópolis and the mountains 1h away, or a domestic flight to São Paulo, Iguazú Falls or the Northeast.
- Weather
- Early September in Rio (end of the southern winter): 20 to 28°C, high humidity, often cloudy skies, showers possible. Sea around 22°C.
Information last updated on October 2, 2026
Rock in Rio aftermovie
The vibe of the
festival.
The official aftermovie from the 2024 edition, published by the rockinrio channel: the Palco Mundo, the Cidade do Rock and the crowd.
Rock in Rio 2028 line-up
The full line-up.
Day by day.
The Rock in Rio 2028 line-up hasn't been revealed yet. We'll update this page as soon as it's announced.
Line-up coming soon
The first names usually drop in autumn, several months before the festival. Come back then: the full day-by-day line-up will show up here.
Comfort, well positioned
Get organised for
Rock in Rio.
At 6am, a ten-minute journey can feel very long. Pick the right home base now, and the route that leaves you enough energy for the rest.
Lodging
Places to stay around Parque Olímpico, Barra da Tijuca.
Activities
Fill your days too.
Bars, restaurants, spots worth a visit between two shows: enough to fill the gaps in the schedule without improvising on the spot at the last minute.
A taste of it
Rock in Rio
like you were there.
Guns N' Roses on the Palco Mundo: one of the countless headliners hosted by Rock in Rio.
1 / 1
01 — Rock in RioPhoto credits: Beth Castelo · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0.
Same taste, other dates
In the same style.
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