Beach side
Copacabana
Van from Praca do Lido
- AdultBRL 132
- MetroCardeal Arcoverde
- First van7h
Your stop on the map
How to get to Christ the Redeemer, every way up
Browse 15 stops
Corcovado and the city around it
Tap a route first, then a pin or stop, for its note and Google Maps.
The statue and its platform: 38 metres of statue and pedestal on a rock mountain the park gives as 704 metres high.
Google MapsThe granite peak by the bay entrance, once one of the candidate sites for the monument.
Google MapsThe lagoon below the statue, one of the landmarks you pick out from the platform.
Google MapsThe stadium on the north side, visible from the top of Corcovado.
Google MapsThe bridge that carries the road across Guanabara Bay to Niterói, seen from the top.
Google MapsThe long curve of beach you see beyond the lagoon and the hills.
Google MapsThe beach west of Copacabana, easy to spot from the platform.
Google MapsA lookout at 360 metres that frames Sugarloaf, the Maracanã, the bay and Corcovado in one view.
Google MapsThe old Paineiras hotel, opened in 1884, now a visitor centre and a boarding point for the official vans.
Google Maps
The statue and its platform: 38 metres of statue and pedestal on a rock mountain the park gives as 704 metres high.
Google MapsRua Cosme Velho 513, where the Corcovado Train starts its climb through the forest.
Google MapsThe old Paineiras hotel, opened in 1884, now a visitor centre and a boarding point for the official vans.
Google MapsAn official van stop facing the Glória parish church, a short walk from the metro.
Google MapsCopacabana's official van stop, by Posto 2 of the beach.
Google MapsThe newest official van boarding point, in the cathedral car park in the centre.
Google MapsThe Parque Lage gate on Rua Jardim Botânico, where the steep forest trail to Corcovado begins.
Google Maps
The statue and its platform: 38 metres of statue and pedestal on a rock mountain the park gives as 704 metres high.
Google MapsA lookout at 360 metres that frames Sugarloaf, the Maracanã, the bay and Corcovado in one view.
Google MapsA pagoda-style lookout built between 1902 and 1906, facing the south zone and the lagoon.
Google MapsThe granite peak by the bay entrance, once one of the candidate sites for the monument.
Google MapsThe lagoon below the statue, one of the landmarks you pick out from the platform.
Google MapsThe old Paineiras hotel, opened in 1884, now a visitor centre and a boarding point for the official vans.
Google Maps
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors
How to get to Christ the Redeemer comes down to a handful of choices: the train from Cosme Velho, an official van, a ride to Paineiras or your own feet. Here is how each one works.
Editorial team, christtheredeemertour.top · Updated November 11, 2026 · Read in 7 min
Key facts
- Ways upThe park lists the train, the official vans, authorised guides and walking.1
- No private carsThe road to the summit is closed to private motor vehicles, day and night.2
- From CopacabanaCopacabana has its own van stop on Praca do Lido.3
- Train stationIn Cosme Velho, a metro ride plus a short bus hop away.4,5
- On footThe Parque Lage trail is free but closes to new walkers at 15h.6
How to get to Christ the Redeemer: the options
How to get to Christ the Redeemer is a question with a short official answer. Tijuca National Park, which surrounds the statue, names four ways: the train run by one concession, the vans run by another, the authorised local guides, and walking.1 Everything else, from hotel pickups to private jeeps, is a way of reaching one of those four or of riding with a licensed operator.
What you cannot do is drive yourself to the top. The Estrada do Redentor, the last road to the summit, is closed to motor vehicles every day and around the clock, apart from service and authorised vehicles; walkers and cyclists may use it at any hour.2 The official vans are the only transport allowed to reach the monument by the park road.7 Neither the Paineiras visitor centre nor the statue has a car park.8
So the practical choice is between rail and road. The train leaves from Cosme Velho and climbs through the forest; the vans leave from several neighbourhoods and drive up through the park. A taxi or ride app gets you to the start of either, and the trails start from Parque Lage or from Paineiras for those who would rather earn the view.
Ways up compared
Every way to the statue side by side
| Way up | Start | Adult fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corcovado Train | Cosme Velho | BRL 139 | 8 AM to 6 PM |
| Van | Copacabana or Largo do Machado | BRL 132 | 7h to 16h |
| Van | Paineiras visitor centre | BRL 87 | 7h30 to 18h |
| Paineiras trail | Paineiras | BRL 60 at the top | Park hours |
| Parque Lage trail | Jardim Botanico | BRL 60 at the top | Start by 15h |
Fares and hours from the train operator, the van company and the national park; van fares change by day.22,23,14,24,16,25,6,15
How to get to the Christ the Redeemer statue from Copacabana
How to get to the Christ the Redeemer statue from Copacabana has a direct answer: the official van boards right on the seafront. It boards on Praca do Lido, the small square level with the beach's second lifeguard post.3 The closest metro station is Cardeal Arcoverde, about a 10 minute walk away.9 From there the van takes you up and brings you back to the same square.13
The park lists the adult van fare from Copacabana at BRL 132, the same as from Largo do Machado.14 The van company says its prices vary with the day and the boarding point, so check the fare for your date.15 Copacabana departures run from 7h to 16h, which makes the van the earliest official way up for anyone staying by the beach.16
If you prefer the train, Copacabana is on the route of bus 583, which runs on to Cosme Velho and stops at the station.17 A taxi or ride app is quicker and avoids changing buses with children in tow. Either way, build in slack: train passengers must have checked in 40 minutes before they leave, and van passengers should be waiting a quarter of an hour early.18,10
Christ the Redeemer van tickets and boarding points
Christ the Redeemer van tickets are sold by Paineiras-Corcovado, the official van concession, which says more than 1 million people a year reach the monument with it.28 The ticket includes the return to your boarding point and the monument entry, and nobody times your stay on the summit before closing.29 You can show a ticket bought online on your phone.30
The boarding points are spread across the city. Copacabana sits at Praca do Lido; Largo do Machado is in front of the Gloria church, about 2 minutes on foot from the metro.3,19 A newer point is in the car park of the Metropolitan Cathedral in the centre, and the last is the Paineiras visitor centre, 15 minutes from the statue.31,20 The adult fare from Paineiras on the park list is BRL 87, much less than from the city.24
The ticket is valid only for a round trip from the point you bought, so you cannot go up from Copacabana and come down to Largo do Machado.13 The drivers are not allowed to pull over between the terminals, so there are no photo stops on the way.11 Turn up 15 minutes ahead; if traffic holds you up, the seat is kept for 15 minutes after the slot.10
Your route
Choose your way to the statue
Your base and your mood decide the best route up.
If I am staying in Copacabana
Van from Praca do Lido
The Lido stop is a short walk, about 10 minutes, from the metro.3,9
If I want the cheapest ride up
Taxi to Paineiras, then the van
The adult van fare from Paineiras is BRL 87.24
If I want the scenic ride
Corcovado Train
The line climbs 3,824 meters of track through the forest.26
If I want to walk it
Parque Lage or Paineiras trail
The Paineiras trail is 1.15 km; Parque Lage takes up to 4 hours.21,27
If I want someone to lead me
A guided hike
From $75, 5 to 6 hours from Parque Lage.
Where to start
Pick your starting point
By rail
Cosme Velho
The Corcovado Train
- AdultBRL 139
- TrainsEvery 20 minutes
- Check-in40 minutes ahead
Closest start
Paineiras
Van or short trail
- Adult vanBRL 87
- Van ride15 minutes
- ParkingNone
The train from Cosme Velho
The Corcovado Train departs from the Cosme Velho terminus, number 513 on the street of the same name.4 From the centre or Botafogo, take the metro to Largo do Machado and change to bus 583 or 422 towards Cosme Velho, and the stop you want is the São Judas Tadeu church opposite the trains.5 From Copacabana, bus 583 makes the trip without a metro leg.17
Trains run every 20 minutes between 8 AM and 6 PM, every day of the week.23 Your ticket brings you back to the same platform and includes the monument, so the station is the start and the finish of your visit.46 The ticket office wants you checked in at least 40 minutes before departure, and boarding follows the time on your ticket.18,47
The station has no luggage storage, and the operator asks visitors to avoid hand luggage altogether.48 That matters on arrival and departure days: a suitcase in a taxi is fine, a suitcase in the train queue is not. Strollers are allowed on board if folded.49 For the full picture of the line, its fares and its history, see our page on the Corcovado Train.
Group cost
Ways up with a booking, for your group
Add your travellers to total the booked ways up.
Compare 3 choices
Ways up with a booking, for your group
Add your travellers to total the booked ways up.
- Train ticket with entryFrom Cosme Velho · starting at, per person $48
≈
View - Statue with pickup4 hours, guided · starting at, per person $61
≈
View - Guided hike upFrom Parque Lage · starting at, per person $75
≈
View
Converted at the ECB reference rate, from-prices as listed by GetYourGuide. The precise amount is shown when you book.
From the beach
Copacabana to the statue by van
Leave the hotel
Walk to Praca do Lido
About 10 minutes on foot from Cardeal Arcoverde metro.9
At the stop
Be there early
The van company asks for 15 minutes before your time.10
On the road
Ride up through the park
No halts are allowed on the climb; the van goes straight up.11
At the top
Climb to the platform
There are 220 steps from the drop-off to the statue.12
Afterwards
Ride back down
The van returns you to the same boarding point.13
Is Christ the Redeemer a hike: the trails
It can be. The classic trail starts in Parque Lage, whose gate is at Rua Jardim Botanico 414, and climbs through the forest past Paineiras to Corcovado.36 The park says it can take up to 4 hours, has very steep stretches that demand real effort without needing climbing skills, and is unsuitable for under-10s or for anyone without hiking experience.27,37
Timing is strict. The trail is free, but its checkpoint in Parque Lage stops letting walkers start at 15h, so they have time to finish before the park closes.6 A shorter option opened on 3 December 2024: the Paineiras to Corcovado trail, 1.15 km long with 260 m of climb, which the park estimates at about 45 minutes.50,21 On the way it passes the glass-walled Mirante Cartao Postal, about 600 m above the sea.51
At the top, walkers pay only the monument entry, BRL 60 for adults, at the train ticket office on the summit.25 That ticket does not include a ride down, but you can buy a one-way train descent for BRL 37.52,53 If you would rather not navigate alone, a guided hike from Parque Lage to the statue runs 5 to 6 hours from $75. Accept local guiding only from authorised guides wearing the park badge.54
Video
All the ways to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue
Only in Brazil on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
Every year, over 1 million people are brought to the monument by the Paineiras Corcovado Consortium, the only official van transport in Tijuca National Park.
Route checklist
Before you set off for Corcovado
Plan the route3
- Pick train, van or trail and note the start
- Leave time for check-in or the early arrival
- Check the day's notices for weather changes
For walkers3
- Water, sun cream and grippy shoes
- Start the Parque Lage trail early in the day
- Card or cash for the summit entry
Coming back2
- Return from the same van stop you left from
- Money for a ride down if you walked
Taxi or ride app to Paineiras
A taxi or ride app to the Paineiras visitor centre is a handy shortcut, especially if you are staying in Botafogo, Lagoa or the western beaches. Paineiras has no parking, and the van company itself suggests ride apps or taxis to reach it.8 From there an official van covers the final stretch, 15 minutes up to the statue, at the lowest van fare on the park list.20,24
The visitor centre is worth a few minutes in its own right. It occupies the old Hotel das Paineiras, reopened on 28 July 2016 with a restaurant, snack bars, a shop and an exhibition.35 Van departures from Paineiras run from 7h30 to 18h, with the last access at 17h, so it also suits a late afternoon visit.16
The same spot is the start of the short trail to the summit, so a fit group can split: some ride the van, others walk the 1.15 km path and meet at the top.21 Remember that walkers pay the gate fee at the summit, and that the van ticket brings you back only to Paineiras, so arrange your ride home from there.25,13
Getting down again
Plan the descent as carefully as the climb. Train and van tickets include the return, so you simply queue for the next ride down to where you started.46,29 The return queue at the end of the day can be long, a point several recent guests of the ticket sold here make in their reviews, so leave slack before dinner plans.
Walkers have a choice. The entry ticket bought on foot does not include transport down, and the park suggests the one-way train ride, BRL 37 for anyone, for those who would rather not walk back.52,53 Walking down the Paineiras trail is shorter than the full Parque Lage route, but steep paths are often harder on the knees going down than up.
Plan the last leg before you go up. If you came by van, your ticket brings you back to the same boarding point.13 If you came by train, you finish at Cosme Velho, where taxis and ride apps are easy to find and bus 583 continues towards Copacabana.17 Hours at the top can change in bad weather, so keep an eye on the operators' notices on the day.55
FAQ
Questions answered quickly.
Can you drive to Christ the Redeemer?
Where does the van leave from in Copacabana?
How much are Christ the Redeemer van tickets?
Can I return to a different van stop?
No.
The van ticket covers the round trip from the same boarding point only.13
How long does it take to walk up?
Is the hike free?
What time does the hiking trail close?
At 15h for new walkers.
The Parque Lage checkpoint stops letting hikers start at 15h.6
How do I reach the train station?
Metro, then bus.
Ride the metro to Largo do Machado and take bus 583 or 422 to Cosme Velho.5
Sources
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Novas regras de visitacao no Parque Nacional da Tijuca ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · How to Get Here ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · How to Get Here ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Paineiras Corcovado ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Como chegar (boarding points) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · How to Get Here ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Como chegar (boarding points) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Como chegar (boarding points) ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · History and Curiosities ↩
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- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Paineiras Corcovado ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Duvidas (frequently asked questions) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (paineirascorcovado.com.br), the official van concession · Como chegar (boarding points) ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Curiosidades
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- Paineiras-Corcovado (official van concession of Tijuca National Park) · Centro de Visitantes
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- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
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- Paineiras-Corcovado (official van concession of Tijuca National Park) · Os melhores pontos para ver o Rio de Janeiro a partir do Cristo Redentor
- Paineiras-Corcovado (official van concession of Tijuca National Park) · Os melhores pontos para ver o Rio de Janeiro a partir do Cristo Redentor
- Paineiras-Corcovado (official van concession of Tijuca National Park) · Os melhores pontos para ver o Rio de Janeiro a partir do Cristo Redentor
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- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Vista Chinesa
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- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Trilhas para o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Como visitar o Corcovado ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩