São Paulo is Brazil's most populous state and the economic engine of South America, dominated by São Paulo city — the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere and a global capital of art, gastronomy, and finance. Beyond the metropolis, the state stretches to the Atlantic coastline of Santos, Guarujá, Ubatuba, and Ilhabela, and up into the cool mountain air of Campos do Jordão.
- Public
- Metro and CPTM are excellent, extensive, and cover most tourist areas; buses fill gaps but are complex for visitors
- Taxi
- Licensed taxis are reliable but Uber/99 are strongly preferred for price transparency and convenience
- Rental
- Not recommended — heavy traffic, scarce parking, and the rodízio plate-restriction system make a rental car a liability rather than an asset within the city
- Walking
- Jardins, Vila Madalena, and Pinheiros are pleasantly walkable in sections; the city's overall scale makes cross-district walking impractical
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- $30-45, 45-90 minutes to Jardins/Paulista from Guarulhos
- Taxi Info
- Official airport taxi counters in the Guarulhos arrivals hall post fixed rates by zone — confirm the destination and rate before departing. Avoid unofficial drivers approaching outside the official queue.
- Shuttle
- $8-10, EMTU airport bus to Praça da República or Tietê Terminal
- Shuttle Info
- The EMTU Airport Bus Service runs directly from Guarulhos terminals to several central drop-off points every 30-40 minutes — reliable and comfortable with luggage racks.
- Bus
- $8-10, direct EMTU coach; or $1.05-2 via CPTM Airport Express train
- Bus Info
- The CPTM Airport Express (Line 13-Jade) from the Guarulhos terminal to Engenheiro Goulart, connecting onward via Line 12-Safira, is the cheapest option at the standard integrated fare, running roughly every 30 minutes from 4:40AM to midnight.
- Private
- $25-45, pre-booked Uber/private car
- Private Info
- Book Uber or 99 using airport WiFi before clearing customs, or arrange a hotel-booked private transfer for a fixed, pre-agreed rate.
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
City buses (ônibus) serve all neighborhoods, R$5.40 per ride via the integrated Bilhete Único card
Alternatives
Metro (Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15), CPTM commuter rail (Lines 7-13), Bike Sampa/Tembici sharing, Uber/99
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- $1.20 base fare + $0.25/km daytime (Bandeirada 1), roughly 30% premium at night and on weekends/holidays (Bandeirada 2)
- Apps
- Uber, 99, inDriver
- App Names
- Uber, 99
- Typical Fare
- $6-16 for an average cross-neighborhood trip (e.g. Jardins to Vila Madalena)
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Comfortable intercity buses depart from Tietê and Barra Funda terminals. Rio de Janeiro $25-45, Campinas $10-15, Santos/coast $12-20, Campos do Jordão $20-30
Shared
Shared vans serve some short regional routes but are less regulated than official intercity buses — official buses are recommended for visitors
Flights
Ponte aérea (air shuttle) flights to Rio de Janeiro depart roughly every 30 minutes from Congonhas, taking about 1 hour, from $40-90; other domestic routes from Guarulhos and Congonhas serve all major Brazilian cities
Private
Private car hire with driver from $70-100/day through reputable agencies, useful for day trips to Campos do Jordão or the coast
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
São Paulo has South America's largest metro system (6 color-coded lines) plus the CPTM commuter rail network, an extensive bus network, and widely available ride-hailing apps (Uber, 99). The metro and CPTM are integrated on a single fare and cover most major tourist areas along Paulista, Jardins, Pinheiros, Vila Madalena, Liberdade, and Centro efficiently; Uber/99 fill the gaps and are recommended for late-night trips or areas off the rail network.
Airports
Guarulhos International Airport (Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport)
Congonhas Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Uber
Reliable, GPS-tracked rides across all of São Paulo, including airport pickups
99
Brazilian-owned ride-hailing alternative — often marginally cheaper than Uber for comparable trips
Moovit
Best app for planning metro, CPTM, and bus routes with real-time updates across the integrated network
Bilhete Único
Official transit fare card app for topping up and checking balance on the integrated metro/CPTM/bus system
Tembici (Bike Sampa)
Bike-share app for docked bicycles across Paulista, Ibirapuera, and central neighborhoods
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Download Uber and/or 99 before arriving — both work reliably across São Paulo
Buy a Bilhete Único card at any metro station for integrated fares across metro, CPTM, and bus — much simpler than paying separately
Use the metro for Paulista (Consolação/Trianon-Masp), Jardins (Vila Madalena is nearby via Line 2), Liberdade, and Luz/Centro
Avoid road travel during rush hour (7-10AM, 5-8:30PM) — Uber/99 fares surge and travel times can triple
The CPTM Airport Express is the fastest, cheapest way to/from Guarulhos when not carrying excessive luggage
Congonhas (CGH) is far more convenient than Guarulhos for domestic connections given its central location near Itaim Bibi/Vila Olímpia