São Paulo – Guarulhos Airport (GRU) is Brazil’s largest airport. Almost 40 million passengers used it last year.
The airport is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) from downtown São Paulo.
No matter your budget and how you choose to travel, you have several transport options to and from Guarulhos Airport.
By train (trem)
There are three train services available between Garulhos Airport and downtown São Paulo: Airport Express (direct, no stops), Connect (direct, with stops), and Line 13 – Jade + Line 12 Safira (train-to train transfer), all operated by CPTM.
Add about 10 minutes to the trip duration given below, which accounts for taking the bus from the airport terminals to Aeroporto-Guarulhos train station, and possibly some waiting time.
The Airport Express (or Expresso Aeroporto) connects the airport and Luz station in downtown São Paulo in 35 minutes without stops. The only problem is the reduced frequency of trains, and schedules that might not be synchronised with your flight arrival/departure time.
Monday to Friday
9am / 11am / 1pm / 3pm / 9pm (Airport-Luz)
10am / 12pm / 2pm / 4pm / 10pm (Luz-Airport)
Weekends and holidays
7.05am / 12.05pm / 5.05pm (Airport-Luz)
8am / 1pm / 6pm (Luz-Airport)
The ticket costs R$ 8.60, and you should buy it at the ticket office (exclusive for Airport Express) in cash only.
Connect is another train service between Garulhos Airport and Brás station, stopping at Tatuapé, Eng. Goulart and Guarulhos-Cecap stations.
The service runs every 40 minutes Monday to Friday from 5h40 to 11.59pm (Garulhos) / 5h45 to 8.05pm (Brás). Trains on Saturday morning run until 8.20am (Garullhos) / 8.25am (Brás), but there is virtually no service on Sunday and holidays. The trip takes 35 minutes, and the ticket costs R$ 4.30, including a metrô ride.
Line 13 – Jade + Line 12 Safira is the slowest option with both stops and transfers. Line 13 runs between the airport station and Eng. Goulart station, where you’ll have to transfer to line 12 to get to Brás station.
Trains run between 4am and midnight every half an hour. The trip takes about 45 minutes. Again, the ticket costs R$ 4.40, including a metrô ride.
By bus (ônibus)
Taking the Airport Bus Service is a comfortable option (less expensive than a taxi or Uber) for travellers going to hotels in downtown São Paulo (Praça da República or Avenida Paulista).
There are several lines between Guarulhos and the city centre stopping at Tietê and Barra Funda bus terminals, Itaim Bibi, Avenida Paulista, including the hotel circuit, Tatuapé metrô station, and Congonhas Airport.
The service runs every 30 minutes (1 hour on weekends and holidays) between 5.40am and 10.40pm. A trip between Guarulhos and downtown São Paulo takes from one hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on your destination and traffic. The fare costs R$ 39 one way, and you can pay in cash and debit/credit card (Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club).
The regular bus operated by EMTU is a cheaper option. Line 257 runs between Guarulhos Airport and Tatuapê metrô station (red line), stopping at Rodovia Ayrton Senna da Silva, Avenida Morvan Dias de Figueiredo, and Rua Tuiuti. The fare is R$ 6.45 (cash only). The bus departs from Terminal 3.
From Tatuapê metrô station, you can go to other parts of the city using the metrô which runs between 4.40am and 12.30am. Check the São Paulo transport network map.
By taxi
Taking a taxi will pay off when three people are travelling together. It’s also the most convenient option if you have two or more pieces of luggage.
Taxis are located outside the arrivals terminal. Guarucoop has the monopoly on picking up passengers at Garulhos Airport. The fares are fixed. Expect to pay R$ 150-200 depending on your final destination. Credit-card users can pay for their journey in advance.
By Uber
You can take an Uber in São Paulo. You need a smartphone to access the Uber app. Depending on your destination, there’s a chance an Uber ride may cost less than a cab ride.
By car
The main rent-a-car companies have desks at the airport, namely Avis, Hertz, Localiza, Movida and Unidas.
Free shuttle from Guarulhos Airport to Congonhas
Gol and TAM offer a free non-stop shuttle for passengers with connecting flights. To use this service, simply show your boarding pass (printed or digital version on a mobile device) or ticket reservation to the bus driver. The bus runs on the half-hour from 6.30am to 11.30pm.
