Basic Service Information:

 

Updated on Dec.21, 2013

São Paulo International Airport (GRU) - or Cumbica International Airport, in Guarulhos, is served by Airport Bus Service, with bus lines that take you to subway stations and certain hotels at lower rates than taxis if you're traveling alone. The buses are well-equipped with comfortable seats, A/C, a work table with a WiFi connection and a luggage compartment.


 As of this update, the fare is R$ 36,50.

If you're traveling with even one companion who can split the taxi fare with you, Guarucoop, the airport taxi service, is a faster and more convenient option for about the same price per person (or less).

While a comfort for arriving passengers with no strict appointments, the Airport Bus Service is risky for departing passengers taking it at rush hour: the bus gets caught in bad traffic coming from the garage to the pick-up spot and can be very late. Take a taxi instead.

On the Airport Bus Service website (www.airportbusservice.com.br), which has been updated and is now available in English, you'll find the routes and schedules.

The company informs that "although the buses are not adapted for wheelchair users, the employees dealing with passengers - inspectors, drivers and luggage handlers - are trained and instructed to help passengers in boarding and getting off the bus".

The lack of inclusive buses with elevators leaves the solo wheelchair user no option other than being carried by one of those employees - or taking the more expensive taxi.

Unfortunately, although the national association which defines technical standards, has recently held meetings to discuss changes in inclusive transportation standards, elevators are still not the norm.

 

Guarulhos Intl. Airport - Tatuapé Station Buses (Line 217):

If you only have carry-on luggage - like a backpack - this might be a cheaper, though more tiring, way to ride to and from Guarulhos International Airport: the fare is R$ 4,45.

These are regular city buses (just a little more expensive than most). They pick up passengers at bus stops. If the traffic is good, the ride to the subway may take less than 30 minutes.

Though the seats are pretty comfortable, the cars don't have A/C or a luggage compartment. Bulky suitcases that obstruct the aisle are not allowed.

From the Tatuapé Station, which is on the Red Line (3, Vermelha), travelers staying at hotels in the Paulista & Jardins, Pinheiros or Vila Madalena districts would need to get off at the Sé station and change trains once to the Blue Line (1, Azul) and get off at Paraíso. From there you might have to switch to the Green Line (2, Verde) and take yet another train.

 

Where to Take the Guarulhos Intl. Airport-Tatuapé Station Bus::

 

Check at Guarulhos International Airport Tourist Information Office exactly where you need to wait for the more affordable bus to Tatuapé Subway Station. You will leave the airport through the main doors, walk to the left and cross the street, but not all the way - just to the median.

The bus stop is across from the stop for the more expensive bus. Get on the bus through the front door and pay the driver or the cobrador (cashier) at the turnstile.

At the Tatuapé Station, people at the information desk might not speak English. Show them the name Airport Service and they'll direct you to the stop, if only with a hand-drawn map.

On weekdays, the buses leave about every 20 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight. On weekends and holidays, they run about every 30 to 40 minutes, traffic allowing.

See the subway (Metro SP) line map: www.metro.sp.gov.br/pdf/mapa-da-rede-metro.pdf

 

Dec.21 correction: A paragraph at the end of the text containing outdated information on the Airport Bus Service bus fare has been deleted. Apologies for the incorrect information. The correct fare is mentioned in the first paragraph. Read more about the service and its lack of full accessibility to wheelchair users in this blog post. P.R.