By Bus in São Paulo

By Bus

All bus terminals in the city of São Paulo are connected to metro stations. The three bus stations in São Paulo serve more than 1,100 destinations combined. The huge main station -- serving all major Brazilian cities (with trips to Rio every 10 minutes during the day and every half hour at night, until 2 AM) as well as Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay -- is the Terminal Tietê in the north, on the Marginal Tietê Beltway. Terminal Jabaquara, near Congonhas Airport, serves coastal towns. Terminal Barra Funda, in the west, near the Memorial da América Latina, has buses to and from western Brazil. All stations have metro stops. You can buy tickets at the stations; although those for Rio de Janeiro can be bought a few minutes before departure, it's best to buy tickets in advance for other destinations and during holiday seasons.

Socicam, a private company, runs all of the bus terminals in the city of São Paulo and lists schedules on its Web site. Click on "consulta de partidas de ônibus."

Contacts

Socicam (011/3235-0322. www.socicam.com.br). EMTU (0800/19-0088 or 011/6445-2505). Terminal Barra Funda (Rua Mário de Andrade 664, Barra Funda. 011/3235-0322. www.socicam.com.br. Metrô: Barra Funda). Terminal Jabaquara (Rua Jequitibás, Jabaquara. 011/3235-0322. www.socicam.com.br. Metrô: Jabaquara). Terminal Tietê (Av. Cruzeiro do Sul, Santana. 011/3235-0322. www.socicam.com.br. Metrô: Tietê).