The statue is on top of a mountain inside a national park, and the road to it is closed to everything except the park’s own vans. So the question is never how to get to the statue. It is how to get to the train, to a van, or to a trailhead.
From Copacabana and Leme the van is the least effort. From Ipanema, Leblon, Botafogo or Centro, a taxi to the train station at Cosme Velho makes more sense, and the train is the better ride. Driving yourself is not worth attempting.
Location and address
Getting to Cosme Velho station
Cosme Velho station sits at the top of a quiet neighbourhood behind Laranjeiras, opposite São Judas Tadeu church.
By taxi or app car
The way most visitors arrive, and the only one that makes an 08:00 train comfortable. Ask for “Trem do Corcovado” or give the address, Rua Cosme Velho 513. Morning traffic across the South Zone is heavy, so leave a margin on top of the 40-minute check-in.
By metro and bus
Take the metro to Largo do Machado. From the square, bus 583 leaves from near the post office and bus 422 from near the church, the Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Glória. Both run up to Cosme Velho and stop by the station.
By bus from the beaches and Centro
- 583 is a circular route from Leblon through Copacabana to Cosme Velho
- 584 is a circular route from Leblon by way of Jardim Botânico
- 117 runs from Central do Brasil through the Santa Bárbara tunnel
- 422 comes from Avenida Presidente Vargas in Centro
All four stop by the station. City buses are slow across the South Zone, so they suit a mid-morning train better than an early one.
Getting to the official van stops
Praça do Lido, Copacabana
A small square towards the Leme end of Copacabana, between Avenida Atlântica and Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, and between Rua Belfort Roxo and Rua Ronald de Carvalho. From Cardeal Arcoverde metro station it is about 10 minutes on foot.
Vans board here from 07:00 to 16:00.
Largo do Machado
The stop is in front of the Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Glória, the big church on the square, at exit A of the metro station. It is the best choice from Centro, Flamengo, Botafogo or anywhere on the metro.
Vans board here from 07:00 to 16:00.
Paineiras Visitor Centre
On Estrada das Paineiras, inside the park and about 15 minutes below the statue by van. This is where taxis and app cars have to stop, so it is the boarding point if you come up by car. Search for “Centro de Visitantes Paineiras”. There is no parking.
Vans run from here between 07:30 and 18:00, with the last one up at 17:00.
By car and taxi
- Parking: none at Paineiras and none at the monument, and the operator takes no responsibility for cars left on the road. Do not bring a hire car
- Taxis to Paineiras: insist on the meter. There is no fixed fare for the run, and a taxi up leaves you looking for one down
- The simpler plan: take the taxi to Cosme Velho or to Largo do Machado, where cars are easy to find again afterwards
- The Alto da Boa Vista road into the park is closed to visitors
On foot
Two free trails reach the summit, a long steep one from Parque Lage and a short one from the Paineiras Visitor Centre, and both close to new starters at 15:00. Routes, safety and guided walks are in our hiking guide.
Accessibility
- Vans and tours: GetYourGuide lists the van ticket as wheelchair accessible, while the operator itself publishes nothing about its vehicles; the guided tours that go up by road mostly list themselves as unsuitable for wheelchair users. Ask before you book
- The train has lifts at the summit station, and the railway lists adapted toilets among its facilities
- The last stretch is the difficulty. While the escalators are being replaced, scheduled until the end of May 2027, it is about 80 stone steps after the lift, and the stair-climbing equipment for wheelchair users is not used in rain. The detail is on the overview page
- Pushchairs must stay folded on the train