Visa

Brazil follows a reciprocal visa policy. Please read this document carefully and check if you are from a country where nationals are exempt from applying for a Tourist Visa (for stays up to 90 days). If your country is not on this list, you will be required to apply for a VITUR (Tourist Visa) at the nearest Brazilian Consulate.

Currency

The Brazilian currency is the real (R$) — in plural, reais. Although international credit cards are widely accepted in general, it might be convenient to have some cash (in reais) for small expenses. If you are coming directly to the symposium, it is strongly recommended that currency is exchanged at the airport, since there might be no other place to do so in the proximities of the university.

Health and Weather

No special health precautions are needed, unless you intend to travel to Amazonia. If you plan a trip to northern or western Brazil, please check with us regarding recommended vaccinations.

In September, the average temperature in São Paulo usually ranges from 14°C to 24°C.

Getting Here

For travellers from abroad, São Paulo is easily accessible via Guarulhos Airport (São Paulo International Airport). Internal connections and regional flights usually land in Congonhas Airport. Please see links below with relevant information on how to get to and from these airports.

Guarulhos Airport (Transport directions)

Congonhas Airport (Transport directions)

Getting around São Paulo

São Paulo is one of the largest cities in the world. Nonetheless, most of the central part of the city is well served by a modern network of buses, trains and subway (metro). The University of São Paulo (USP) is relatively close (30-minute walk) to the subway line 4 (yellow), Butantã station, from where it may be reached by two connecting bus lines called “Circular 1” (8012) and “Circular 2” (8022). There are also plenty of bus lines that go to USP, in case you stay in an area with no easy access to the subway (please check the venue page). It is possible to buy a ‘pay as you go’ public transport card (Bilhete Único, for Metro/Bus) on most subway stations.

Taxis are also a convenient, affordable and easy way to travel through the city (with mobile apps that speed up the process).

For more information regarding São Paulo public transport network visit SPTrans website. Also, and as an alternative to figure out routes to and from the venues, SPTrans (São Paulo’s public transport management company) is well connected with most used web mapping services (Google Maps, Bing Maps, etc).

Accomodation

A great area to stay in São Paulo is the region around the Paulista and Consolação Avenues which is served by subway lines with the same names. There you will find plenty of options all the way from affordable hostels to high-end luxury hotels, and will have museums, bookstores, restaurants, cinemas and shopping malls at walking distance, and also easy access to the symposium venue (about 10k away) and anywhere else in São Paulo through public transport. Some places that you may want to check are these:

On the other hand, if you value being closer to the conference venue, another interesting region is the intersection of Avenues Faria Lima and Rebouças, about 7km from the University of São Paulo. Some places you may check around there are:

Some other places you may want to check:

Some Hostels: