Belo Horizonte Bus Station Joins the Circuito Liberdade

The Belo Horizonte Bus Terminal is now part of the Circuito Liberdade (Freedom Circuit). The announcement was made at a press conference this Tuesday morning (April 14th) in the auditorium of the Governador Israel Pinheiro Bus Terminal. Representatives from the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, the managing entity of the complex, and Terminais BH, the concessionaire responsible for operating the capital's main transportation hub, were present at the event. With this partnership, the Bus Terminal becomes a tourist showcase for the Circuito Liberdade, while also becoming part of the city's main cultural itineraries.

With ongoing cultural initiatives, the Bus Terminal maintains the Cine Cardume Rodoviária in its mezzanine auditorium, where the press conference was held. The cinema screens short films free of charge, with popcorn provided for those waiting for their trips on Fridays. The event is supported by the Cardume platform, a short film streaming service that has hosted over 60 film festivals since 2019. The auditorium is scheduled to host theater and music performances in this new phase.

Joint Celebration — The integration of the Belo Horizonte Bus Terminal arrives in the year it celebrates 55 years of history. The first in Brazil to be installed in a capital city, its management has been the responsibility of Terminais BH since September 2022, through a concession agreement signed with the State Secretariat of Infrastructure, Mobility and Partnerships (SEINFRA). The anniversary was celebrated in March, the same month in which one of the main facilities of the Circuito Liberdade also celebrated 55 years: the Palácio das Artes. Both are important for the construction of the urban and cultural identity of Belo Horizonte.

A Tourist Landmark of Belo Horizonte — For Yuri Mesquita, president of the Clóvis Salgado Foundation and general coordinator of the Circuito Liberdade, the integration of the Belo Horizonte Bus Terminal deepens a new phase for the complex. “More than 600,000 passengers pass through the bus station every month, people who arrive in Belo Horizonte already knowing that there is a large circuit of culture, tourism, and creativity here. An essential calling card for a city that wants to be cosmopolitan, connected, and capable of delivering experiences of Minas Gerais culture in a clear framework. We want the Circuito Liberdade (Freedom Circuit) to be that framework, and with this partnership, which gratifies us, we are making great progress.”

Diversity and Culture — Vanessa Costa, executive director of Terminais BH, reinforces the cultural presence of the terminal, a territory where various customs and ways of being move. “The Belo Horizonte Bus Station is, daily, a point of passage and encounter of diverse stories, origins, and trajectories, in addition to being one of the main gateways to the capital. Integrating this space into the Circuito Liberdade (Freedom Circuit) is to recognize culture as part of these flows, also present in the paths and places of circulation,” says Costa, who also adds the intentions behind the integration into the complex. “This partnership reaffirms the Terminal as a space for experiences, coexistence, and access to art. Alongside the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, we reinforce our commitment to promoting an increasingly welcoming, vibrant environment connected to the identity of Minas Gerais.”

Belo Horizonte Bus Station — Inaugurated in 1971, the Belo Horizonte Bus Station has become part of the routine of those who travel, work, or arrive in the capital of Minas Gerais in search of new opportunities. More than just a point of embarkation and disembarkation, the terminal keeps pace with the city's evolution and continues to improve to offer greater comfort, safety, and efficiency to its users. With 61 shops, including retail and food establishments, as well as common areas, the bus station operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, receiving approximately 20,000 passengers daily on 988 trips. Its staff consists of 880 professionals, 167 of whom are from Terminais BH. In recent years, it has also consolidated itself as an environment for integration with the city, promoting cultural, social, and educational activities, reinforcing its commitment to mobility, citizenship, and urban development.

Circuito Liberdade — The Circuito Liberdade features more than 60 integrated facilities within the perimeter of Avenida do Contorno, bringing together the most varied forms of art and culture in conjunction with tourism. Working as a network, the activities of the Circuit's spaces seek human, cultural, touristic, social, and economic development, focusing on the creative economy as a mechanism for generating employment and income, as well as democratizing and expanding public access to activities. The Circuito Liberdade is managed by the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, an autonomous agency of the State Secretariat of Culture and Tourism (Secult-MG).