Transport Tips for São Paulo

Look, Guarulhos Airport is crawling with taxi vultures who'll charge you R$250+ for what should be a R$60 ride. The Uber mafia situation isn't much better — They've got the airport sewn up tighter than a politician's expense account. Don't be another tourist sucker.

Take the official Airport Bus Service (Express Airport Bus) from Terminal 2 or 3 to Tietê Bus Terminal. It's R$45, runs every 30-45 minutes from 5:30 AM to midnight, and it's comfortable with air conditioning and WiFi. Journey takes 45-60 minutes depending on traffic. From Tietê, you've got access to the entire metro and CPTM train network for R$4.40 per ride.

Yes, it takes longer than a taxi. Yes, you might have to stand on the metro with your luggage. But you'll save R$200+ that's better spent on actual food and experiences instead of lining some scammer's pocket. That's four excellent meals at proper restaurants, or a week of metro passes, or entry to three museums.

Pro tip from someone who's done this route 50+ times: if you're staying in Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, or anywhere on the Green Line, take the bus to Tietê, then CPTM Line 11-Coral to Luz station, transfer to Metro Blue Line to Santa Cecília, then Green Line to your destination. Sounds complicated but it's actually faster than fighting downtown traffic.

Everyone takes buses or drives to Santos, but there's actually a scenic boat route that runs weekends from Porto de São Paulo. Takes longer but you get incredible views of the coastline and industrial areas you'd never see otherwise.

R$85 for the round trip, includes refreshments. Runs Saturdays and Sundays only, departing 9 AM. Book through their website - it fills up during summer months. Much more relaxing than dealing with highway traffic.