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How to visit Christ the Redeemer, step by step
Answer in brief
To visit Christ the Redeemer you ride the train or an official van to the top, then climb 220 steps, partly by elevator, to the platform, where you can see the chapel in the base but not the inside of the statue.
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Book your seatHow to visit Christ the Redeemer once you reach the top: the stairs and elevators, help for limited mobility, the chapel in the base, what is allowed on the platform and how long to stay.
Editorial team, christtheredeemertour.top · Updated November 11, 2026 · Read in 7 min
Key facts
- Steps220 from the drop-off to the platform; elevators cover part of it.1,2
- Right nowEscalators are off for works: 80 stone steps remain for everyone.3,4
- Inside the statueClosed to visitors; it is kept for maintenance.5
- ChapelIn the pedestal, with Mass every day at 11 AM.6,7
- DressNo swimwear and no bare chests at the sanctuary.8
From the drop-off to the platform
Knowing how to visit Christ the Redeemer starts with the last stretch, because no private car, taxi or tour bus drives to the top. They all stop 2 km short of the statue, at the ticket office and first entrance,9 and the last part is covered by the official vans or the train. The train itself climbs 3.82 km through the forest in about 20 minutes,10 arriving at a small station just below the summit.
From the drop-off you are still some way below the statue. The park counts 220 steps from the train or van arrival area up to the platform.1 Three elevators, new and recently replaced, lift you from the first floor to the second,2 and under normal conditions escalators carry you most of the rest of the way. At every level you pass shops, cafes and lookout terraces that already show off the view.
Until the end of May 2027, though, the escalators are switched off for replacement.3 From the second floor everyone climbs the stone stairways, a stretch of 80 steps,4 and the summit can hold only 50% of its usual number of people at once.11 Allow a few extra minutes and a few extra breaths: these are the stairways and lookouts that Heitor da Silva Costa himself completed in 1945.12
On the platform
What is welcome and what is not
| Topic | Welcome | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | Covered, respectful dress | Swimwear, bare chests8 |
| Photos | For personal use20 | Unauthorized shoots21 |
| Drones | None | Recreational flights22 |
| Food & drink | Water on the stairs15 | Food, alcohol, smoking23 |
| Animals | Guide dogs24 | Pets, feeding wildlife25 |
| Railings | Look from behind them | Climbing or sitting26 |
Rules from the sanctuary's visiting policy and the official van concession.8,23,24
The 220 steps, and how hard they are
How many steps to Christ the Redeemer should you expect? The full climb from the drop-off is 220 steps, and the park asks every visitor to think honestly about their fitness and health before deciding to walk it.1 The elevators remove much of the effort, but during the works the final 80 steps cannot be avoided except with the special equipment described below.4
The route is well looked after. On the way up there is a rest stop with a shaded bench, free fountains of cold water, and toilets that include baby-changing rooms.15 Trees shade parts of the stairway, and the park recommends short pauses in the shade for every visitor.16 At the second floor the ICMBio visitor assistance center has another bench, a socket to charge your phone and staff who can help.13
The escalators being replaced had run since 2003.17 The new ones are designed to carry 6,000 people an hour,18 with two inclined elevators beside them for visitors with reduced mobility, and IPHAN, the national heritage institute, has approved the changes.19 Once they open, the climb will be gentler again, but for now pace yourself and enjoy the views from each landing.
Wheelchairs, prams and limited mobility
Elevators lift visitors from the first floor to the second,2 and the ticket we sell is listed as wheelchair accessible. During the works the park has bought five stair-climbing vehicles and five stair-climbing chairs to carry visitors over the 80 stone steps,31 each run by trained staff, with no physical effort needed from you.
There are limits. The stair-climbing vehicle takes up to 150 kg, counting the person and the wheelchair together,27 and the stair-climbing chair up to 130 kg.28 Only standard wheelchairs fit the vehicle: a motorized chair or one of another size cannot be attached, so staff provide a standard chair for the transfer.32 The ride takes 7 to 8 minutes up and 5 to 6 minutes down.33
Rain is the main risk. The equipment cannot run on wet surfaces or in rainy conditions,29 so a visitor in a wheelchair should choose a dry day and keep the date flexible. If you travel with a pram, fold it for the whole train ride, as the operator requires,30 and consider a baby carrier for the stairs at the top, where a folded pram is awkward to carry.
Plan your visit
What to do about the climb
Choose by fitness and needs.
If I walk well and want to save time
Elevators, then the stone stairs
Only the final 80 steps to climb.4
If I use a standard wheelchair
Ask for the stair-climbing vehicle
It takes up to 150 kg with the chair.27
If I cannot manage stairs but walk a little
Ask for the stair-climbing chair
It carries up to 130 kg.28
If I travel with a baby
Bring a carrier
Prams stay folded on the train.30
If I want a guide and a driver
Book a tour with pickup
4 hours with pickup included.
Can you go inside the statue?
Can you go inside Christ the Redeemer? No. The interior of the statue is kept for maintenance and is not open to visitors.5 Inside, passages and stairs let the technicians reach the arms and the head to care for the monument,5 and the sanctuary offers a virtual tour, the Olhar do Redentor experience, for anyone curious about that hidden world.37
A hidden detail has a story. The heart on the statue's chest, which measures about 1.30 m, hides a glass container in which the builders Heitor Levy and Pedro Fernandes Viana placed records of their families.38 You cannot see it, but knowing it is there makes the heart above you look a little different when you stand on the platform.
What you can enter is the base. The Chapel of Our Lady Aparecida sits inside the pedestal, the block on which the statue stands,6 and it is a place to pray or simply sit quietly for a moment. Its entrance is at the back,39 away from the crowd taking photos at the front, so walk around the statue to find it.
Your ticket
What a visit costs your group
Compare the ways in.
Compare 3 choices
What a visit costs your group
Compare the ways in.
- Train ticket with entryCorcovado Train · starting at, per person $48
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View - Train admissionCosme Velho station · starting at, per person $49
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View - Tour with pickup4 hours · starting at, per person $61
≈
View
Converted at the ECB reference rate, from-prices as listed by GetYourGuide. The precise amount is shown when you book.
Your visit
From the drop-off to the statue's feet
Arrival
Train or van drop-off
Private cars stop 2 km short of the statue.9
First floor
The elevators
Three elevators lift you to the second floor.2
Second floor
The help center
Bench, phone charging and staff at CAV-ICMBio.13
The stairs
80 stone steps
The climbing stretch during the works.4
Platform
The statue
38 m of statue and pedestal above you.14
The base
The chapel
Mass daily at 11 AM.7
The chapel and Mass at the top
The chapel is small and calm, with a modern, minimalist design, no ornaments and no windows.40 Regular Masses are said Monday to Saturday at 11 AM and 3 PM, and on Sundays at 11 AM and 2 PM,7 either in the chapel or on the esplanade in front of the statue, depending on the weather.41 Confessions are heard every day from 10 AM to 11 AM.42
If you want a private Mass, book it through the sanctuary's own website, which is the only channel for scheduling it.43 The chapel's reference capacity for requested celebrations is 22 people seated and 10 to 15 standing.44 Nearby, the Laudato Si' chapel around the monument keeps perpetual Eucharistic adoration, 24 hours a day.45
Each day begins with a short rite of welcome led by a priest, and the platform opens to visitors only once it is over.46 In the chapel itself, keep silent and follow the staff's guidance on moving around and on using your phone.47 Visitors of every faith are welcome, and the sanctuary asks only for respect for those who come to pray.48
Video
How to visit Christ the Redeemer, a complete guide
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Passages and stairs let the professionals reach the arms and the head to look after the monument.
Rules on the platform
The platform is both a national park viewpoint and a church sanctuary, so the rules come from both. Dress for a religious site: no bare chests and no swimwear in the visiting areas.8 Do not climb, sit or lean on the balustrades and protective walls,26 and keep an eye on children throughout.36 Food, alcohol and smoking are not allowed in the sanctuary areas covered by the rules.23
Photos are fine for personal use,20 taken with respect for prayer, safety and other people's privacy.49 Wedding, bridal and pregnancy shoots, and anything organized or commercial, need authorization in advance.21 Leave the drone at home: recreational drones are not allowed on Corcovado, and no drone may fly during visiting hours.22
Respect the wildlife you meet on the way up and at the top: do not feed, chase, capture or touch it.25 Pets are not allowed at Paineiras or at the statue, with an exception for guide dogs.24 Once you pass the turnstiles, sanctuary staff and ICMBio wardens are the people to follow on these points,50 so ask them if you are unsure.
Visit tips: time, bags, food and safety
With the van ticket your time at the monument is free within opening hours,51 and with our train ticket you enter at your chosen time and stay at your own pace. You will want time for the stairs, a loop of the platform, the chapel and a pause at the lookouts. Add a stop at the Paineiras visitor center if you come by van: its restaurant, snack bars, shop and exhibition are part of the route.52,53
Travel light. The train operator asks visitors to avoid hand luggage, nor is there anywhere to leave bags,35 so a small daypack is plenty. Bring water, sunscreen and a light layer for the wind, and carry the original ID that our ticket requires at the entrance, since copies or photos are not accepted.
Help is close if you need it. A first-aid station with a defibrillator serves everyone at the monument, whether they arrived by train, by van or on foot,54 and in a serious case a visitor is taken to the Silvestre hospital, four minutes away.55 These are the essential Christ the Redeemer visit tips: pace the stairs, drink water and step into the shade when you need to.
FAQ
Questions answered quickly.
How many stairs are there up to the statue?
Is the statue wheelchair accessible?
Can you go up inside the arms or head?
No.
The interior is reserved for maintenance staff.5
Is there a church at the top?
Yes, a chapel in the base.
The Chapel of Our Lady Aparecida sits inside the pedestal.6
What time is Mass?
11 AM daily, plus an afternoon Mass.
3 PM Monday to Saturday and 2 PM on Sundays.7
Can I fly a drone?
No.
Recreational drones are not allowed on Corcovado.22
Are there toilets at the top?
Yes.
There are toilets with baby-changing rooms on the way up.15
What should I not wear?
Swimwear or no shirt.
Both are not allowed in the sanctuary visiting areas.8
Sources
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca / ICMBio (parquenacionaldatijuca.rio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Works and Accessibility at Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Works and Accessibility at Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Curiosidades ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Curiosidades ↩
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- Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado railway operator) · It's famous. It's the most visited ↩
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- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Cartilha do Guia de Turismo (PDF, February 2023) ↩
- Paineiras-Corcovado (official van concession of Tijuca National Park) · Como tirar fotos incriveis no Cristo Redentor ↩
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- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Politica de Visitacao ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado railway operator) · Works and Accessibility - Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado railway operator) · Works and Accessibility - Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Works and Accessibility at Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Parque Nacional da Tijuca (ICMBio) · Saiba tudo sobre a troca das escadas rolantes do Cristo Redentor ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado railway operator) · Works and Accessibility - Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Works and Accessibility at Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (Corcovado railway operator) · Works and Accessibility - Christ the Redeemer ↩
- Trem do Corcovado (tremdocorcovado.rio), the Corcovado Train operator · Useful Information ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Politica de Visitacao ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Curiosidades ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Curiosidades ↩
- Riotur (Rio de Janeiro city tourism company) · Rio de Fe ↩
- Riotur (Rio de Janeiro city tourism company) · Rio de Fe ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Horarios e atendimento ↩
- Santuario Cristo Redentor (Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro) · Horarios e atendimento ↩
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