Tickets for Rio samba school parade on sale

Rio’s samba school league LIESA on Monday (Dec. 5) started selling tickets for the parades of the top-ranking samba schools in February 2023. Purchases can be made on Total Acesso’s website.

This is the first time paper tickets are not available for the bleachers and chairs. Customers must download the Rio Carnaval app to be given access in January to the ticket to enter the Sambódromo.

The special group—with the city’s leading samba schools—parades for two days. The first night of parades begins at 9:30 pm on February 19 (Sun.) with Império Serrano and ends at dawn on February 20 (Mon.) with Mangueira. Also performing that day are Grande Rio, Mocidade, Unidos da Tijuca, and Salgueiro.

The second night (Feb. 20, Monday) starts with Paraíso do Tuiuti (9:30 pm), followed by Portela, Vila Isabel, Imperatriz, Beija-Flor, and Viradouro.

To watch the parades on these two days, ticket prices range from BRL 230 for Sector 12 (dispersion area) to BRL 300 for the special bleachers in Sectors 6–8 (the middle section). Students, elders, teachers and people with disabilities pay half-price.

The first six runners-up for Carnival next year return to the Sambódromo on February 25 (Sat.). For this day, the values vary from BRL 160 to 180. Half-price tickets are also available.