Guarulhos - Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport - GRU

São Paulo's Guarulhos-Governador André Franco Montoro International Airport (known locally as Cumbica Airport) lies around 30km north of the city center, and is Latin America's second busiest airport.

It has three terminals:

• Terminal 1 is the smaller of the three terminals and serves only domestic flights. It has no direct connection to T2 and T3 except for a free shuttle bus.
• Terminal 2 is both the older and the larger of the three terminals. T2 serves for the majority of the domestic and continental flights as well as some intercontinental flights.
• Terminal 3 is the newest terminal, with the best shopping and dining facilities, and now the main international terminal. It's attached to Terminal 2 and can be accessed by a landside walkway. There are no domestic flights taking off from T3.

Transferring between the terminals

GRU Airport offers shuttle buses between Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Shuttle buses are located at the arrivals level of all three terminals. The interval between buses is approximately 15 minutes and every 30 minutes from 00:00-05:00.

Random fact: The Tropic of Capricorn goes through the southern tip of the airport.

There's no rail connection to the airport right now, though there's one under construction (Line 13 of the CPTM suburban rain system). For now, take the bus to save money, and the taxi to save time.

Local bus

Take the 257 or 299 bus to the Tatuapé subway station. The 257 bus arrives every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes on weekends and the journey time is between 30 and 40 minutes. From Tatuapé, you can take the Red Line to República and connect to the 875A or 875M bus to go along Paulista Avenue (where many hotels are located).

Cost: BRL 4.55 (plus BRL 6 for the subway and bus, paid separately)

Airport bus

There is also an Airport Bus Service, run by EMTU, that connects the airport with major hotels. Journey time is 1-2 hours.

Cost: BRL 42
Buying tickets: Terminal 1, Arrivals level, Wing B, counter outside the lounge  

Taxi

For a taxi, look for the Guarucoop Taxi company in the arrivals hall. They offer fixed flat rates to your destination which is especially useful in the gridlocked traffic Sao Paolo is renowned for. Keep the phone number and use this company on the way back to the airport, too, and you'll save money (Sao Paolo taxis can charge 50% more when you leave the city limits).

UberBLACK is also available here.

Cost: Around BRL 120 (pay at the counter, no need to tip)

Fast Sleep offers suites within the airport starting at BRL 89 (USD 28) per hour. The suites are small sleep cabins with an external shower for freshening up after a nap or overnight stay. Rooms are equipped with TV, air conditioning, electrical outlets and free Wi-Fi. Book online at http://www.fastsleep.com.br/en/reservas in advance and pay upon check-in. There are Fast Sleep cabins in the International Wing connector on the second floor in Terminal 1 and in Terminal 2, on the ground floor near arrivals.

The aptly name spa in Terminal 2 near Gate 22 has an Asian aesthetic and is the only place to relax during your layover at GRU. Forget all your troubles with a shiatsu massage, reflexology, or waxing services – all accented by the luxurious L’Occitane products. Treatments start at USD 12.00.

GRU International Airport offers its passengers complimentary Wi-Fi access for up to 1 hour throughout all public areas of the airport. To connect, simply select the wireless network "GRU WI-FI" from the network providers, launch your web browser and a Wi-Fi welcome page will guide you through. If your Wi-Fi access runs out after the hour, you can simply purchase an additional hourly plan (Boing AsYouGo) or an unlimited Wi-Fi monthly plan (Boing Unlimited).

If you have a 6-hour layover and it falls outside of rush hour, you have plenty of time to get out of the airport and see a little bit of Sao Paulo. Head to the Mercado Municipal for belle époque stained glass and delightful market foods, visit the Altino Arantes building, one of the city’s most important skyscrapers, or enjoy a few hours wandering around the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil’s exhibition rooms. It’s best to take a taxi for a layover excursion as public transport can take more than an hour.

This art gallery is run by the airport’s management company, and they regularly host exhibitions from local artists. You’ll find new paintings, sculptures, and photography exhibitions from different Brazilian artists every month. You’ll find this space in the departures floor of Terminal 1. It’s open daily from 07:00-22:50.

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