Metro is key to getting out of Sao Paulo’s gridlock

The Santa Cecilia station (image courtesy of Gustavo Minas)

When comparing São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Paulistanos quickly note their hometown has as many cars as their rival metropolis has cariocas (as citizens of the cidade maravilhosa are called).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwHupxSnUe4[/youtube]

Video: Traffic backs up along Avenida dos Bandeirantes

Vehicle-based units of measurement befit a city constantly analyzing or downright apoplectic about traffic. The gridlock here could make the Ursinhos Carinhosos (Care Bears) flip out with road rage. People here plan their work schedules and extracurricular activities to evade rush hour. Medics have traded ambulances for motorcycles to more easily reach emergencies.  Local politicians promulgate streams of strategies intended to alleviate congestion—from constructing carpool lanes to allowing only certain ranges of license plates on the roads each day.

For those lacking the financial means to simply skip over traffic going beneath it is often the best option.

Since its maiden ride in 1968, the underground transportation system has been touted as anodyne for São Paulo’s clogged arteries. Still, Metro service misses large swaths of the city as promises of new lines and stations have fallen unfulfilled. With the 2014 World Cup fast approaching, however, São Paulo seems to be serious about shoring up its mass transit grid. The World Bank recently approved a $130-million loan to help Metro cut travel times and bring previously uncovered areas into the network.

São Paulo’s subway is clean, safe and reliable in a country with the oft-misplaced reputation of being dirty, dangerous and inefficient. The local tourism board and Metro have even combined to streamline the subway experience for visitors with special Turismetro routes, which send bilingual guides to elaborate on the city’s premier points of interest.

Turismetro map (image courtesy of Metro.sp.gov)

That said, with nearly 4 million daily passengers riding 60-plus kilometers of track, Metro threatens to overwhelm some novice navigators. To simplify your life in the tunnels, NileGuide São Paulo has compiled the following insights to help you look, feel and act like a mass transit maven in Sampa.

Standing room is not always this readily available (image courtesy of Gustavo Minas)

Signage:

• Blueprints of the Metro system abound on the platforms and trains.
• Station placards are easy to spot and maps of the surrounding streets are generally displayed near the exits.
• Transfer points are prominently and accurately marked, but take caution. Switching from Metro lines to CPTM suburban rails requires the purchase of a separate ticket.

The Sumare Metro platform (image courtesy of Josh Miller)

Payment:

• Passes can be purchased at kiosks taking credit and debit cards or at cash-only counters.
• Discounts are available for unemployed Brazilians and seniors.
• Single tickets (Rs 2.65 flat rate) are the easiest option for everyone else, as weekly and monthly passes remain unavailable.
• The bilhete único is a smart card that allows users to make up to four trips for the price of one within a three-hour window (including transfers to buses and CPTM trains). These cards and additional credit can be purchased at various newspaper kiosks, bakeries, convenience stores and other authorized points throughout the city.

How to Ride:

• Depending on time and location, getting on the Metro can be a breeze or a brouhaha. Busier stations generally have painted lines on the platforms to promote orderly queues.
• Rain sometimes has a slowing effect on service.
• São Judas station is the closest to Congonhas airport. Buses then connect the station to the terminals.
• To reach Guarulhos airport, take a bus from one of the following stations: República, Tatuapé, Palmeiras-Barra Funda or Tietê.

Etiquette:

• Do offer your seat to seniors, pregnant women and people with disabilities (some Paulistanos might add attractive members of the opposite sex to this list).
• Don’t bring animals on Metro.
• Do pick up some literature at one of the book vending machines.
• Don’t expect trains between midnight (or 1 a.m. on weekends) and 4:40 a.m.
• Do plan your route in advance using SPtrans.com.br or Google Maps.

Metro map (image courtesy of Metro.sp.gov)