Are you ready to celebrate Christmas? So that you can get around São Paulo with peace of mind, we’ve prepared a guide to the main changes in the city’s public transport during this period.
Buses and subways will operate with special schedules to serve the population on December 24 and 25. In addition, the schedule includes adjustments to the bus fleet and operation on a holiday basis. To top it all off, the City Council has introduced free municipal transportation on Christmas Day.
The changes affect both metropolitan and municipal transportation and therefore require attention from those who intend to travel around the city. So, check out all the details of this week’s special operation below.
How public transportation works in São Paulo at Christmas
Municipal buses
SPTrans has prepared a special operation for the period. On December 24 (Christmas Eve), municipal buses will run with the same fleet as on Saturday. On December 25, the operation follows the Sunday schedule, with a reduced fleet.
An important point is that on the 25th there will be free fares on municipal buses, as part of the Domingão Tarifa Zero program, allowing passengers to use the system free of charge throughout the day.
Metro and CPTM
Rail transportation also changes. The São Paulo Metro operates normally on December 24th. On the 25th, the service operates with a reduced fleet, following the pattern of Sundays and public holidays.
The CPTM will operate normally on working days until the end of the year, but on December 25 the trains will also run on Sunday and holiday timetables.
Intercity buses
Intercity buses follow the Sunday schedule on December 25, with possible schedule adjustments depending on demand. For this reason, passengers intending to travel to cities in the Metropolitan Region should check the timetables with the operating companies beforehand.
Attention to planning
With a reduced fleet on several systems on Christmas Day, the recommendation is that passengers plan ahead, especially at times when trains and buses are in short supply. Despite the changes, the services continue to operate in an integrated manner to ensure that the population can move around during the end-of-year celebrations.
