Getting There By Air:São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
Tel: (11) 6445 2945.
Website:
www.infraero.gov.brGuarulhos (also known as Cumbica) is São Paulo’s main international airport, 25km (15 miles) northeast of the center. Almost all overseas flights stop here before continuing to other national destinations, including Rio.
Airport facilities include
banks, bureaux de change and ATMs in both terminals, and a 24-hour post office
in Terminal 1. Snack bars, restaurants, shops and duty-free are available, as are first aid facilities. There is a business center on the departures floor of the admin building, together with conference facilities and VIP lounges. All major car hire firms have a desk at arrivals.
Taxis and regular buses serve both terminals. Transfer time is around 45 minutes, more in rush hour.
Getting There By Road:There are buses from all over Brazil to São Paulo, most arriving at Terminal Tietê, Avenida Cruzeiro do Sul, Santana (tel: (11) 3235 0322). Buses from Santos arrive at the Jabaquara station, Rua Jequitibás, Jabaquara (tel: (11) 3235 0322). One of the biggest coach companies is
Expresso Brasileiro (tel: (11) 5061 7566; website:
www.expressobrasileiro.com). For a full list of operators consult the website of terminal operator
Socicam (website:
www.socicam.com.br).
Major highways converging on the city include SP-150 and SP-160 from Santos on the coast, SP-230 from Curituba in the south and BR-116 from Rio. An alternative route for drivers from Rio is the Senna highway (SP-070) - a faster toll road into São Paulo. In general, distances from other cities are large, and many visitors are put off independent driving by reports of robberies in the approach to the city.
Emergency breakdown services:
Car Club do Brasil (tel: (21) 2533 1129; website:
www.carclubdobrasil.com.br).
Getting There By Rail:The long-distance train from Rio no longer runs, but there is a substantial urban and suburban rail network. The main train stations are Barra Funda, Luz Station Julio Prestes and Roosevelt Station. Services are run by
CPTM (tel: 0800 055 0121; website:
www.cptm.sp.gov.br) and
CBTU (tel: (21) 288 1992;
website:
www.cbtu.gov.br).
Getting Around:Public TransportThe underground
Metrô (tel: (11) 3371 7411; website:
www.metro.sp.gov.br) is modern, clean and efficient. It is also one of the safest and quickest ways to get from A to B in São Paulo. The two main lines run north-south and east-west, with a smaller line running from northwest to southeast, and two further sections under construction. The Metrô connects with overground rail stations (giving access to a further six lines) and with all the city’s bus stations.
Buses take the majority of the city’s huge population to and from work. Routes can be difficult for the visitor to understand, and petty crime and overcrowding are perennial problems. To cope with rush hour crowds, São Paulo recently introduced the world’s longest bus: a 25m- (82ft-) long Volvo built in three sections and with doors on both sides.
Visitors should look out for the
Bilhete Único, which is a rechargeable smartcard ticket giving access to discounted journeys on all public transport. Trains and the Metrô run from 5am till midnight, and buses stop running at 1am.
TaxisRádio Táxi Vermelho e Branco (tel: (11) 3146 4000) have a large fleet of red and white taxis which can be pre-booked. Taxis hailed on the street or at a white taxi rank are slightly cheaper.
Car HireHire cars are available from
Avis, Rua Da Consolaçao 382 (tel: (11) 3259 6868; website:
www.avis.com),
Hertz, Rua Da Consolaçao 431 (tel: (11) 3258 9384; website:
www.hertz.com) and
Sixt, Alameda Barao de Limeira, 943 (tel: (11) 3669 5000; website:
www.e-sixt.com). Getting behind the wheel in São Paulo can be a fraught affair, with endless traffic jams and confusing one-way systems. Constant lane switching and noisy aggressive drivers add to the mix.
Bicycle HireReliable bikes can be hired from the cycling association
Sampa Bikers, Rua Baluarte 672, Vila Olímpia (tel: (11) 3045 2722; website:
www.sampabikers.com.br), who also run city and park tours as well as night runs for the adventurous.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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