Getting Around Cubatão
Cubatão is a city in the state of São Paulo, part of the Metropolitan Region of the Baixada Santista, sitting close to the port of Santos. Its neighborhoods are separated from one another, and the entire city is connected by highways rather than a dense grid of local streets. That layout shapes how visitors move around: the main thoroughfares are the SP-150 (Anchieta Highway), the SP-160 (Rodovia dos Imigrantes), and the SP-055 (Rodovia Pe. Manoel da Nóbrega, also known as Rodovia Pedro Taques).
Understanding which highway serves which part of the city is the key to planning any trip here:
- SP-150 (Anchieta Highway) — provides access to the Henry Borden Hydroelectric Power Plant, downtown Cubatão, Cotia-Pará Park, Jardim Casqueiro (and the Marina do Mar Pequeno), and connects the city to Santos.
- SP-160 (Rodovia dos Imigrantes) — connects the city to São Vicente and Praia Grande.
- SP-055 (Rodovia Pe. Manoel da Nóbrega / Rodovia Pedro Taques) — gives access to the Industrial Pole (COSIPA, Carbocloro), the Perequê Ecological Park, the city center, and the Pilões and Vale Verde neighborhoods, which have open springs for visitation. It also connects the city to Praia Grande and Bertioga.
Buses and Public Transport
Public transport in Cubatão is bus-based. The system is built on a radial route pattern, with buses running "center–neighborhood–center" lines in a circular fashion. The practical consequence for a visitor is that to get from one neighborhood to another, you generally have to take two buses.
In those cases, you can ask for an integration ticket. It can be used only once, and always in the same direction of circulation, so plan your route with that restriction in mind.
Rail, Metro and Trams
There is no metro or tram network serving Cubatão, and no urban rail system for visitors to use within the city. Rail does appear in the landscape, however: the Santos-Jundiaí railway line begins its climb through the Serra do Mar escarpment at Piaçaguera, a location within the city. This is a freight and long-distance rail corridor rather than a local passenger service, so visitors should not count on it for getting around.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material does not describe taxi or ride-hailing services in Cubatão. Given the city's highway-based layout and the fact that neighborhoods are separated from one another, these are worth arranging locally — ask at your accommodation or at the Cubatão Bus Terminal for the options currently operating.
Walkability
Cubatão is not a walking city in the sense of strolling between districts. The neighborhoods are separated from each other and the whole city is connected by highways, so walking is realistic within a single neighborhood or the city center but not as a way to move between different parts of town. For anything beyond a local stroll, plan on a bus, taxi, or car.
Getting There
By Plane
The nearest airport in operation is Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo, about 60 km from the center of Cubatão. From there, the practical route into the city is by road.
By Bus from São Paulo
From São Paulo, bus trips to Cubatão start at the Jabaquara Bus Terminal. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes to the Cubatão Bus Terminal, with departures one hour apart. The operator listed is Breda (0800 779 4990 or +55 13 3453 1830).
By Car
Cubatão is 58 km from São Paulo. There are two options for coming down the mountain by car from São Paulo:
- Rodovia Anchieta — also used by buses and trucks, including bi-trains.
- Rodovia dos Imigrantes — exclusive for passenger vehicles on the descent.
Both are considered among the best roads in Latin America, with an excellent level of conservation, and they carry the most expensive tolls in the country (R$ 22.00), paid only for the descent. Bikes do not pay.
By Ship
The closest passenger terminal is at the port of Santos. The Concais Maritime Passenger Terminal (Av. Cândido Gafreé, s/n – Internal Warehouse 25 of the Port of Santos; ☏ +55 13 3226-5600) receives national and international cruises. From Santos, Cubatão is reached by road via the SP-150 (Anchieta Highway).