Visa information
You may need a visa to enter Brazil. Some useful information is collected at the ICM 2018 website. Please check this ICM 2018 page, which contains further useful information for your trip.
Arrival
Airport. If you are flying to São Paulo from abroad, you will probably arrive at the Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). If you fly first to Rio de Janeiro or to other Brazilian cities, then you may arrive at Congonhas Airport when you fly to São Paulo (Congonhas is conveniently located, and catching a taxi or Uber to your hotel will be the best option).
Airport transfer. The easiest way to get from Guarulhos International Airport to the city and back is to use the Airport Bus Service. Buses leave fairly often and can take you to the city center (Av. Paulista) or to subway station República, on the Yellow line of the subway. The ticket costs a little over R$ 50 and can be bought at the airport (the Brazilian currency is the real (R$); see below). It is much cheaper than taking a taxi and it is also very comfortable.
Transport Apps. An Uber ride should outperform a taxi, specially during off-peak hours, charging you between R$60 and R$100. The app will ask you to board at specific rendez-vous points delimited with Uber signs, always located on the Boarding Level.
For taxis, head to the Guarucoop stand at the airport. You will be charged a fixed fare, varying from R$ 150 to R$ 200 depending on your destination. Driving time is around 50 minutes (much more at rush hour). You can also use Uber from GRU. Here is a remark for your trip back to GRU: when travelling to the airport (as it is located in Guarulhos city), São Paulo city taxi firms charge an extra 50% fee. To avoid this, book with Guarucoop, EasyTaxi or Uber.
A third and cheaper option to reach São Paulo from GRU is to use standard public transport (this is for the strong and adventurous). Some possibilities, given by Google Maps, are given here: option 1, option 2, option 3, option 4. These are just some sample options (two from terminal 3 and two from terminal 2). If you play with Google Maps, it will tell you many more.
Hotel
The conference hotel is the WZ Jardins, located at Av. Rebouças 955, São Paulo. Visit WZ Hotel Jardins.
Miscellanea
Currency. The Brazilian currency is the real. Currently, one US dollar is worth around 3.30 reals (R$ 3.30) and one Euro is worth around R$ 4.10. Get some local cash at the airport, either exchanging money or withdrawing reals from cash machines. Credit cards are commonly accepted, but you should have some cash on you. (One remark: the Portuguese plural of real is reais.)
SP Turis
The São Paulo Turismo (SPTuris) is the official business, tourism and events agency of the city of São Paulo. Its mission is to position and promote the city as a business, knowledge and entertainment capital in Latin America, highlighting its avant-garde and cultural character.
