On Your Trip To Sao Paulo

On your trip to Sao Paulo, you’re going to need some tourist so that you arrive informed and aware of many essential services the city has to offer. First however, it would be a good idea to learn a few words of Portuguese! You can’t assume that everyone in Sao Paulo will know English, though many people will, but you’ll find that in any foreign country, people will be more willing to help you out if you make an effort to learn and be engaged in their own language and culture.

You’ll also run into a slight time difference in Sao Paulo, depending on which part of the United States you arrive in the city from:

Another valuable piece of tourist information is to know your own country dialling code, for example, 01 for the USA.  This will make it easier if you need to call friends or family back home.
 

You might also need vaccinations before you visit Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo Airport Transfers Provide a Cheap Airport Transfers in Sao Paulo. This is not unusual when travelling to another country, and is a precaution to protect yourself against things your body isn’t used to.

The recommended vaccinations when visiting Brazil are:

Typhoid

Hepatitis A & B

Tetanus-diphtheria

Measles

Malaria (ask your doctor)

Also, be sure to consult with your family doctor for any other important health-related tourist information about Sao Paulo that may be relevant to your own medical condition.

Another good idea is to let the American consulate in Sao Paulo know that you’ll be visiting. While there is not an embassy in the city, a consulate is a smaller division that is just as helpful when needed, and can fight for your rights should anything unfortunate happen.

If you need the police, the number in Sao Paulo is 190, and the fire department can be reached by dialling 193.

One final piece of information about Sao Paulo to keep in mind is that the metro and bus services are safe for visitors to use, and generally very clean. The metro system is modern and very efficient, and considered to be one of the best subway systems in the world! You can buy tickets as you enter the subway, and there are entrances off the main streets for your convenience.

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Sao Paulo Airport Information

Sao Paulo is Brazil's largest city and a world financial powerhouse. It has two airports, the international airport, Guarulhos (GRU), and domestic only Congonhas (CGH) airport. Guarulhos airports are often very busy and can be a transportation nightmare at times.

Sao Paulo International Airport, Guarulhos (GRU)

Although the official name is Guarulhos-Governador Andre Franco Montoro, it is more commonly referred to as Aeroporto Internacional Guarulhos de Sao Paulo. Guarulhos (pronounced gwa-RULE-yoos) sits 21 kilometres northeast of central Sao Paulo and a semi-direct public bus runs from the airport to the Tatuap subway station. The specialized Airport Bus Service connects Guarulhos airport with quite a few major hotels, the main bus terminal, and Sao Paulo's various business districts as well as Congonhas airport.

Taxi from Sao Paulo Airport

Taxi cabs area available from the airport and at pontos de taxi throughout the city. All cabs have meters and most now come with GPS monitors that the passenger can see from the backseat. Most drivers, however, speak very little English.  There is one exclusive provider of taxi services from the airport, which means they have the monopoly, but any cab company may drop passengers off at Guarulhos. Be aware that not all international credit cards will work at the Guarulhos taxi booth and therefore pre-booking a taxi is recommended. An excellent company offering taxis from Sao Paulo airport to city hotels is Sao Paulo Airport Transfers who provide an online booking service and free call number from the USA and United Kingdom.

When making your travel arrangements keep in mind that one of the world's busiest evening rush hours coincides with check-in times for night departures to North America and Europe and therefore the journey from the city to Guarulhos airport can take as long as 3 hours.

Sao Paulo Congonhas Airport

Sao Paulo's domestic-only airport is the Aeroporto de Sao Paulo, Congonhas and is 8 kilometres south of downtown Sao Paulo.  Congonhas airport is connected to the Sao Judas subway station via bus 675I-10. Taxis from Congonhas airport to Sao Paulo hotels and business districts cost anywhere from $25 to $50, depending on traffic.   As with Guarulhos airport, pre-booking with Sao Paulo Airport Transfers may be the easiest option and ensures a fixed rate, regardless of traffic.

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