Before You Book Christ the Redeemer: Every Cost, and What's Worth It
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Prices last checked 2 November · 3 min read
Christ the Redeemer sits on top of Corcovado, and the ticket you buy is really a ticket for the way up. There's the cog train through the forest, official vans from Copacabana and Largo do Machado, a cheaper van from the Paineiras visitor centre, and the hiking trail, each with its own price and queue. Most of them sound worth paying for. You don't need the most expensive one to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right one, whether that's the first train on a clear morning or a busy midday.
At a glance
Corcovado train (adult)
R$134
Official van from Copacabana or Largo do Machado
R$132
Official van from Paineiras
R$87
Hiking up (monument entry)
R$58
Children up to 6
Free
Hours
8 am to 7 pm; last trains and vans up at 6 pm
Quietest
First thing, and from mid-afternoon
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The real total: cheapest ticket vs what most visitors pay
Every ticket includes entry to the monument; the difference is the ride. The Corcovado train costs R$134 for adults, and the official vans from Copacabana or Largo do Machado R$132. From the Paineiras visitor centre, partway up, the van is R$87, and hikers pay R$58 for the monument entry alone. Children up to 6 go free. Prices are the same on weekdays and weekends.
Visitor
How they go up
One adult
Hiker
Parque Lage trail, monument entry
R$58
Budget
Van from Paineiras
R$87
From the beach hotels
Van from Copacabana
R$132
The classic
Corcovado train
R$134
🎟️ Book skip-the-line tickets
Check the crowds, find the best time slot, and book through our authorised partner.
Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
Ticket options: what each one gets you
Cost
Price (R$)
Type
How to cut it
Corcovado train, adult
R$134
≈ US$24
Optional
Children 7-11 R$107, seniors 60+ R$70.
Official van, Copacabana or Largo do Machado
R$132
≈ US$24
Optional
Children, seniors and students R$105.
Official van, Paineiras
R$87
≈ US$16
Optional
Children, seniors and students R$60. Get to Paineiras by taxi or rideshare.
Monument entry, on foot
R$58
≈ US$10
Optional
The crowd tax: why midday costs more
Our crowd data shows Christ the Redeemer moderate at 8 am, then busy from about 9-10 am until about 2-3 pm, and until about 3-4 pm from Thursday to Saturday. Late afternoons are moderate again. The price doesn't change, but at midday you queue for the train or van and share the platform with crowds.
When
Crowds (our data)
What to do
8 am
Moderate
The first train or van
About 9 am to 3 pm
Busy
Expect queues and a packed platform
About 3 to 6 pm
Moderate
Softer light, fewer people
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for Christ the Redeemer, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Quietest time
Tuesday, 6-7 pm
Which ticket is worth it?
The classic: the train, R$134, first departure.
Budget: taxi to Paineiras, then the R$87 van.
Fit and adventurous: hike up, R$58.
Families: children up to 6 are free.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
The view over Sugarloaf Mountain and Guanabara Bay.
Copacabana, Ipanema and the Lagoa.
The statue itself, 30 m tall.
The train through the Tijuca Forest.
Getting there
The Corcovado train leaves from Cosme Velho. Official vans leave from Copacabana, Largo do Machado and the Paineiras visitor centre. The last trains and vans go up at 6 pm.
Weather and visibility
Corcovado is often in cloud, especially in the afternoon and in the rainy season. Check the live cameras or look up from the city before you go. Bring water and sunscreen; you can bring your own snacks.
What can go wrong
Cloud: you may see nothing. Check before you buy.
Midday: the busiest time in our data.
You hike up and expect free entry: it's R$58.
You arrive after 6 pm: the last trains and vans have gone up.
What one person really spends
Level
What's included
One adult
Hiker
Monument entry
R$58
Budget
Van from Paineiras
R$87, plus a taxi
Typical
Corcovado train
R$134
A child (7-11) adds R$60-107, depending on the route. Children up to 6 are free.
FAQs
How much is Christ the Redeemer?
+
R$134 by the Corcovado train, R$132 by official van from Copacabana or Largo do Machado, or R$87 by van from Paineiras. Entry on foot is R$58.
Is the Christ the Redeemer train worth it?
+
For the ride through the forest, yes. The Paineiras van is about R$45 cheaper.
Do children pay at Christ the Redeemer?
+
Children up to 6 are free. Children 7-11 pay a reduced fare.
What are the opening hours?
+
8 am to 7 pm, with the last trains and vans going up at 6 pm.
When is Christ the Redeemer least crowded?
+
In our data, at 8 am and from mid-afternoon. It's busy from about 9 am to 3 pm. See our crowd forecast.
Heading to Christ the Redeemer?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
R$32 for students, seniors and visitors with disabilities.
Train down, after hiking up
R$35
≈ US$6
Optional
Ticket office only.
Prices are from Viaja Que Passa's guide, which recommends confirming on the official train and Paineiras websites. Reduced fares are available for students, ID Jovem holders and visitors with disabilities.
Train or van?
The train is a 20-minute climb through the Tijuca Forest, and part of the experience. The vans cost about the same from Copacabana, but are more flexible. Our verdict: take the train if you want the ride; take a taxi to Paineiras and the R$87 van if you want to save about R$45.
Hiking up
The Parque Lage trail takes a couple of hours and is steep in places. You still pay R$58 to enter the monument at the top. Our verdict: a great option for fit visitors, but go with others and early in the day.
What visitors say
Visitors describe the view over Sugarloaf, Copacabana and the bay as unforgettable, and enjoy the train ride through the forest. The most common complaints are crowds at the top, long queues for the train and cloud hiding the view, so the advice is to take the first train on a clear day.
