Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport (GRU) to the city
The ordinary city bus is around BRL 8 and the Airport Bus Service coach around BRL 30 to 40; both take about an hour in traffic.
- The city bus 257 costs around BRL 8 and is the cheap way out, connecting to the metro network.
- The Airport Bus Service coach is around BRL 30 to 40, running to Paulista, the centre and Congonhas, with luggage space and a seat guaranteed.
- Reckon on about an hour either way, and considerably more in Sao Paulo's peak traffic.
- There is a train, on CPTM line 13, from a station connected to the terminals - useful if your destination is near the network rather than the far side of the city.
- Congonhas (CGH) is the domestic airport and is a different place entirely. Transferring between them across Sao Paulo is a serious journey.
The options
| Fare | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| City bus 257 | about BRL 8 | Ordinary urban service, connects to the metro |
| Airport Bus Service | about BRL 30 to 40 | Executive coach to Paulista, the centre, Congonhas |
| CPTM line 13 train | ordinary rail fare | From the station linked to the terminals |
| Taxi / ride-hailing | much more | Uber and 99 both operate |
- The coach is worth its price with luggage - guaranteed seat, space for bags, and it goes where visitors actually stay.
- The train avoids traffic, which in Sao Paulo is the argument that matters, but it needs a connection at the far end.
- Uber and 99 both operate from designated pick-up areas.
Traffic is the real variable
- Sao Paulo's congestion is severe and journeys double in the peaks.
- Allow far more time for a departure than the distance suggests.
- The train is the only option immune to it.
Two airports
- Guarulhos (GRU) handles international and much long-haul domestic traffic.
- Congonhas (CGH) is the close-in domestic airport, much nearer the centre.
- They are far apart. A connection between them means crossing Sao Paulo, and no schedule should assume it is quick.
Safety
- Use the official ranks or an app rather than accepting a ride offered to you.
- Keep luggage in sight at the bus stops and stations.
- This is ordinary big-city practice rather than a special warning, but Guarulhos is a place where visitors arrive tired and conspicuous.
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