For international visitors arriving in Brazil, the main gateways are the airports in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the two closest cities with international flights. São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) is the country’s largest and receives direct flights from several world capitals, such as Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City, among others.
From São Paulo Airport (GRU), the distance to Paraty is approximately 282 km, and the journey can be made in two main ways:
Bus: The best way to get to Paraty from Guarulhos Airport is to take a taxi or rideshare car to Tietê Bus Terminal in São Paulo and board a direct bus to Paraty. The bus ride takes about 6 hours.
Car or private transfer: Renting a car at the airport or hiring a private transfer service offers more comfort and flexibility. The drive along the Rio-Santos highway (BR-101) is scenic, hugging the coast, and takes approximately 6 hours.
Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão International Airport (GIG) is another excellent option, located about 257 km from Paraty. From there, visitors can also choose between bus, transfer, or rental car to continue their journey.
It is worth mentioning that Paraty has a municipal airport (JPY), but it is small and primarily serves small aircraft and limited regional flights, not receiving regular commercial or international flights.