I find the Lonely Planet (Kindle version) from Brazil particularly sloppy. The proof: I have to find out for myself how to go and see Christ the Redeemer all by myself.

The information found on the Internet isn’t very clear either. So I give you here the simplest version, with the least amount of waiting to visit one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Note: Uber is really cheap in Rio so forget about shuttles, towers etc. I did the calculation for you, it’s the simplest and cheapest way (when you travel with 2 or more people).

City Center -> Christ the Redeemer

1. Take an Uber (X or Pool) to Paineiras Corcovado (Google Maps). Beware, there are several, this is the one in Estr. das Paineiras, S/N – Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22241-330, Brazil. This is the address of the visitor center where you can buy your bus tickets to go up to the foot of Christ. Normally, Uber will drop you off at the parking lot where the arrow is located.
   

   

2. Continue 20m up to the visitor center(Paineiras Corcovado with the photo icon on the map. Here you have to buy a ticket including the return bus from this center to Christ + the entrance. You can buy this ticket in two ways
   1. Either by buying from machines located outside the center, which only accepts bank cards (credit or debit) -> faster method
   2. Either by queuing inside (it goes very fast I assure you). Inside, there are super weird indications in English, which are probably has-been because you don’t need to “take your password at the information…” blah blah blah blah blah blah. In short, ignore this sign which is full of crap! Get in line and you can pay in cash or credit card. A small screen will show you how many seats are left for the next bus (with 5 minute intervals). We came at 11am (rush hour) and have to wait 1 hour to catch the next bus – but time flies because the view next door is breathtaking!

      

3. 5 to 10 minutes before the boarding time, present inside the center, on the left, you will see this panel

   

   4. Just wait a little while to get on one of these 15-seater buses. There are really a lot of them (every 20 seconds)

   

   5. When you get to the top, scan your ticket and keep it for the returntrip

Christ the Redeemer -> Downtown

1. To return to Rio, use the same ticket to take the bus to the visitor center.
2. Order an Uber. If you don’t have 3G reception, go inside the center to get some network. Meet the Uber at the Parking. Beware, when your Uber will approach the parking, there will be no 3G for the driver either, the GPS will bug and your Uber will still be there “in 12 minutes”. Wait at the Parking instead of trusting the Uber estimate.

Budget

• Go:
  
  
  • Uber X : 25 reals (twice less if you take an Uber Pool)
  • Return bus ticket + entrance : 38 reals / person (high season) or 26 reals in low season
  
  
• Back to the page :
  
  
  • Uber : 25 reals
  
  

TOTAL: 126
REALS
FOR TWO (high season
)102 REALS FOR TWO (low season
)

Very economical vs. other vans or the train that cost at least 61 reals per person in low season (122 reals for two) and 74 reals in high season (148 reals for two) and that don’t even pick you up in front of your hotel.

If there are more of you (i.e. more than 2), it’s even cheaper to take Uber.

Tips

• Look at the weather forecast before you go. Christ’s head is often in the clouds. It would be a pity to pay so much to see nothing.
• There is a chapel behind Christ, take a look at it
• It is better to visit in the morning to avoid backlighting
• This is one of the safest places in Rio de Janeiro so don’t be afraid to come with your phone/credit card.
• There is a restaurant at the foot of Christ, with a wonderful view – and a café-restaurant in the visitor center. But no one will stop you from coming with your own sandwich.
• From the café-restaurant in the visitor center, look up and to the left, you will see Christ from behind
• You will find our travel diary in Rio de Janeiro here and all our articles in Brazil here

What about the train?

If you prefer the train for X,Y,Z reasons, I put here the instructions in English (click to zoom the “By Train” part). The train will drop you at the foot of Christ, you won’t have to pay anything more (except the transport from the city center to the train station). But trains are much less frequent than buses.