R$3–R$5 gets you from FOR T1 to downtown
City Bus Line 404 runs from Pinto Martins International’s T1 curb into central Fortaleza for the price of a local ride, usually around R$3–R$5 depending on fare updates. The stop sits just outside arrivals at Terminal 1, so you walk a few dozen meters from baggage claim and you’re on the platform instead of hunting for a separate station or shuttle.
Service typically runs from early morning into late evening, roughly 05:00 to 22:00, but timings in Fortaleza can shift on holidays and Sundays. Expect the ride from FOR to the central area to take 25–45 minutes, depending on Av. Borges de Melo traffic and peak-hour backups near the city center.
Buy your ticket in cash in Brazilian reais when boarding Line 404; most airport riders pay the driver or onboard cashier directly with small notes like R$10 or R$20. Card acceptance on city buses is inconsistent, and you should not count on contactless or chip payments working on 404, especially late at night.
Line 404 stops at multiple points in town, including areas that connect to other Fortaleza bus routes, so you can transfer onward toward beachfront zones like Meireles or Iracema. If you need a precise stop name, check the current 404 routing on a Fortaleza transit app before you leave T1, and screenshot it while you still have airport Wi‑Fi near the baggage belts.
To ride City Bus Line 404 from the airport: 1) Exit T1 arrivals and turn toward the signed “Ônibus” bus area. 2) Look for a bus marked “404” on the front display and confirm “Centro” or the area you want with the driver. 3) Board at the front door, pay the fare in cash (around R$3–R$5), and keep your ticket. 4) Watch the stop names on the overhead signs or on your maps app, then signal the driver one stop before you want to get off. 5) Exit via the rear door and move to the sidewalk quickly; Fortaleza streets around major stops can be busy.
One practical tip: pull out only the cash you need for Line 404 while you’re still inside T1, then keep your phone stashed on the bus and rely on offline maps or a pre-saved route screenshot instead of holding it up by the window.