Guarulhos International (GRU)
São Paulo Airport Transfer Guide
Pre-book a private transfer from GRU: your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals with a name sign, at a fare fixed when you book.
- Driver tracks your flight
- Fare fixed when you book
- ✍ Name sign in arrivals
Pre-book your pickup
From
Guarulhos International (GRU)
Where are you going?
Prices are shown when you choose your car and time.
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São Paulo has two airports — Guarulhos (GRU, 28 km north-east, all international long-haul + LATAM hub) + Congonhas (CGH, 8 km south of centre, domestic only). GRU is the typical international arrival. The trip to central São Paulo (Avenida Paulista, Itaim, Jardins) is 28-32 km — 35-90 min depending on traffic (Marginal Tietê is notoriously congested 06:30-09:30 + 16:30-20:30 weekdays). Airport express bus (Airport Bus Service, R$ 60) is reliable budget option. Uber widely used (R$ 80-180). Pre-booked transfers — competitive with taxi (R$ 130-260) when factoring in meet-and-greet + flight tracking + safety considerations.
- Airport
- Guarulhos International (GRU)
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Distance
- 28 km Avenida Paulista / 32 km Itaim Bibi / 25 km Vila Madalena / 35 km Morumbi
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Where can your driver take you from GRU?
Transfers you can pre-book from São Paulo airport. Tap one to see cars and prices.
São Paulo airport transfer options compared
Journey times from the table below; traffic and time of day change them.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Pickups (pre-booked) | Fixed fare when you book | 35–90 min | Meet-and-greet, fixed fare, English/Portuguese driver, flight tracked. |
| Kiwitaxi (pre-booked) | Fixed fare when you book | 35–90 min | Marketplace, instant quote. |
| Uber / 99 app | R$ 80–180 | 35–90 min | Most common, surge during peak. |
| Airport Bus Service | R$ 60 | 50–85 min | GRU→Tietê / Paulista / República. Every 30 min, comfortable. |
| Common taxi (Comum) | R$ 130–260 | 35–90 min | Metered + GRU surcharge. Reliable but no flight tracking. |
| EMTU bus 257 | R$ 6 | 60–90 min | GRU→Tatuapé metro (Line 3). Cheap but luggage-stressful. |
Skip the taxi queue in São Paulo
Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in São Paulo.
Top destinations from GRU
Avenida Paulista (financial district)
28 km, 35-70 min — most international hotels.
Itaim Bibi / Vila Olímpia
32 km, 40-80 min — business + restaurants.
Jardins / Cerqueira César
28 km, 35-70 min — luxury + shopping.
Vila Madalena (nightlife)
25 km, 35-65 min — bars + samba.
CGH Congonhas airport
Cross-airport 40-70 min via Marginal Tietê.
From landing to the door
How your São Paulo pickup works
1
2
3Ride straight there
No taxi queue and no haggling: the fare was fixed when you booked.
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Booking tips for São Paulo
- → AVOID curbside taxi offers — only official "Comum" taxis from the airport rank or pre-booked
- → GRU has 3 terminals (T1, T2, T3) — confirm pickup terminal when booking; free shuttle between
- → Airport Bus Service (R$ 60) is genuinely good — A/C, comfortable, no luggage stress
- → Friday afternoon + Carnival week: traffic ballistic — Sunday-Thursday afternoon arrivals smoothest
Complete your trip
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Bags before check-in?
Leave your luggage in São Paulo and explore hands-free.
Luggage storage in São Paulo
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Data when you land
An eSIM gets you online to message your driver without roaming charges.
Airalo eSIMsSão Paulo airport transfer FAQ
GRU or CGH — which airport?+
GRU (Guarulhos): 28 km from centre, all international + most domestic LATAM. CGH (Congonhas): 8 km from centre, domestic only, smaller. International arrivals: GRU is your airport. If connecting GRU→CGH for domestic onward: cross-airport transfer takes 60-80 min (sometimes >2h in peak). Plan 4+ hour buffer between flights.
Uber/99 or pre-booked transfer at GRU?+
99 (Brazilian rideshare): R$ 80-180 (~$15-35), surge during peak, no flight tracking. Pre-booked transfer: meet-and-greet, fixed fare, English driver, flight tracked. For off-peak + Portuguese speakers: 99 wins. For peak-hour, families, or English-only travellers: pre-book.
Is São Paulo safe for late-night airport arrivals?+
São Paulo has higher property crime than typical Western tourist cities — verified driver pickup (pre-booked transfer or app-based 99/Uber) is the standard. The airport itself is safe; the route inbound is usually fine. AVOID unmarked curbside taxi offers + walking with visible valuables. Pre-book if your flight lands after 22:00.
GRU to São Paulo traffic — really 90 min?+
Off-peak (10:00-15:00 or after 21:00): 35-50 min for the 28 km. Peak (06:30-09:30 + 16:30-20:30 weekdays): can hit 70-90 min on Marginal Tietê. Friday afternoon + first day of Carnival: 90-120+ min. Pre-booked drivers know alternate routes (Anchieta/Imigrantes when traffic warrants); some airport taxis don't.
Ready for São Paulo?
Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in São Paulo.
Mobile data for Brazil
Get mobile data for Brazil set up before you land.
Airport lounges at Guarulhos Airport
Wait for your flight in a lounge — one membership covers lounges at airports across the country and worldwide.
Airport transfers in other cities: