Getting there

Virtually all international flights land at Governador André Franco Montoro Airport in the industrial suburb of Guarulhos, about 30 kilometers northeast of downtown São Paulo. Locals—including cab drivers—refer to the airport either by its old name, Cumbica, or simply call it Guarulhos. The Congonhas Airport in town is almost exclusively for domestic flights. Cooperatives hold monopolies on taxi service at both airports. From Guarulhos, fares are prepaid at a kiosk just outside the arrival area, and they usually cost upwards of $50, depending on the neighborhood destination. From Congonhas, most common destinations in town can be reached for less than $20. Travel time to and from Guarulhos varies according to traffic, but one hour is a safe estimate for most destinations at most times of the day.

Both of São Paulo’s busy airports have been caught up in the whirlwind of Brazil’s air transportation crisis. The country’s major airports and air traffic control system were already overtaxed in September 2006, when a midair collision over the Amazon rainforest between an executive jet and a commercial airliner brought down the larger plane, killing everyone aboard. The incident sparked an administrative and political crisis that has led to long lines and even longer delays—including periodic “blackouts,” usually during holidays, when nearly all flights are delayed or cancelled.

The nightmare became worse in July 2007, when another commercial jet tried to land in the rain at Congonhas and went sliding off the runway into an adjacent building, killing 199 people in the worst air disaster in Brazilian history. Many flights have since been transferred from more convenient Congonhas to relatively distant Guarulhos.

Getting around

Most cabbies are reliable and honest, but few will speak anything other than Portuguese. Cabs can be hailed on the street almost anywhere, but it is often safer and more convenient to ask a secretary or business associate to call a cab, or you can walk to one of the numerous pontos de taxi (taxi points) where only registered drivers can park and take passengers. All cabs use tamper-proof electronic meters. Fares to and from the most common business destinations usually run between R$20 and R$50. There is a 20 percent surcharge (called “bandeira 2”) after 8 p.m. and on weekends. When the driver goes into “bandeira 2” mode, a bright number 2 will appear on the meter just to the side of the fare.