Getting Around

S?o Paulo has a convenient public transportation system, and many of its tourist-oriented neighborhoods are compact enough for a stroll. However, at night it's safest to take a taxi to and from your destination.

On Foot

Though S?o Paulo itself is huge, many of the neighborhoods that make up the city are compact enough to be easily explored on foot. This is especially true of the more pleasant neighborhoods such as Centro, Higienopolis, Jardins, Vila Madalena, and Ibirapuera. During the day the city is quite safe; in the evening the safest neighborhoods are Jardins, Higienopolis, and the residential areas of the city. Best avoided are the quiet side streets of Centro, particularly the empty shopping streets around Praca Se, Bexiga, and around Luz station.

By Subway

The Metro is the easiest way to get around S?o Paulo. There are three lines: the North-South line, East-West line, and the line that travels underneath the Avenida Paulista. The two main lines converge at Se station, the busiest station of all. These two lines run daily from 5am until midnight. The line under Avenida Paulista meets the North-South line at Paraiso and Ana Rosa stations and runs daily from 6am to 10pm. It is usually a lot quicker to take the Metro as close as possible to your destination -- even if it means a bit more of a walk or a short taxi ride -- than taking the bus all the way. Metro tickets cost R$2.30 (US$1.15/#.60) for a single ride. For more information contact tel. 011/3286-0111.

By Bus

Good as S?o Paulo's Metro is, there are some places you can only get to by bus. S?o Paulo buses are plentiful and frequent, but the city's sprawling layout and lack of landmarks can make the system hard to navigate. The routing information on the front and sides of the buses works the same as in Rio. A few useful routes are listed below (more are given with particular attractions and restaurants), but there will be many others running along similar routes. Buses cost R$2.30 (US$1.15/#.60), and you pay as you board through the front of the bus. Bus drivers generally won't stop unless you wave your hand to flag them down. Some useful routes are:

• No. 702P, Belem-Pinheiros: From Praca da Republica along Rua Augusta, then north on Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima into Pinheiros.

• No. 701U, Jacan?-Butant?-USP: From Praca Republica along Avenida Ipiranga, Rua da Consolac?o, and Avenida Reboucas to Buntant? and the University of S?o Paulo.

• No. 5100, 5131: From Brigadeiro Metro station, along Avenida Brig. Luis Antonio to Ibirapuera Park.

• No. 5175, 5178: From Ibirapuera Park (opposite main gate) along Avenida Pedro Alvares Cabral to Brigadeiro Metro station.

The bottom line? If possible we recommend going by Metro.

By Taxi

Taxis are a great way to get around S?o Paulo, and an absolute must late at night. You can hail one anywhere on the street, and taxi stands are usually found on main intersections, next to malls, squares, and parks. To order a taxi at a specific time, call a radio taxi. Radio Taxi Vermelho e Branco (the name means "red-and-white") can be reached at tel. 011/3146-4000. Cost depends on traffic, so the following prices are only guidelines: From Centro to Avenida Paulista, R$15 (US$7.50/#4); from Avenida Paulista to Vila Olimpia, R$26 to R$32 (US$13-US$16/#7-#8.50); from Avenida Paulista to Higienopolis, R$18 (US$9/#5).

By Car

Driving in S?o Paulo is for the daring, the foolish, or the infinitely patient; traffic is always chaotic and frequently snarled and slow, particularly during rainstorms when the streets flood. Oh, and parking is expensive and difficult to find. S?o Paulo's appalling traffic has given rise to the world's largest fleet of civilian helicopters that ferry commuting executives in from their suburban homes.

Note that in an attempt to declog the streets the city has brought in a traffic rotation system. Cars with a license plate that ends in 1 or 2 are not allowed to drive in the city on Monday; plates ending in 3 or 4 are banned on Tuesday, no plates ending in 5 or 6 on Thursday, and on Friday 9s and 0s are off the streets. These restrictions are in effect between 7 and 10am and 5 and 8pm. Service vehicles are excluded from this regulation. Fines are steep, and photo radar and police keep track of cars as they enter the city.

Watch Out for Rogue Motorcyclists -- S?o Paulo has the highest number of motorcycles in the country, most of them used by couriers. Be careful; even when traffic is backed up motorcycles will ride at high speeds weaving in between stopped cars.