Train up Corcavado and other Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Transportation Tips

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: The cog train that climbs the mountain on which the statue of Christ the Redeemer stands runs approx every half-an-hour from Rua Cosme Velho 513. The railway was built in 1884 and was the first electricfied line in Brazil. The train was used to carry pieces of the statue up to the top of Corcovado. If you have some time before your train leaves you can take a look around the small cultural centre which shows pictures of the railway and the statue being built as well as pictures by school children. You can also visit the small cafe behind which you can see trains and carriages being maintained in the service shed.

Take my advice and sit on the right hand side going up for the better view. The ascent up to the top is approx 5km (3 miles) and takes roughly 15 minutes. You may wonder what those oblong medicine balls hanging from the trees are, the ones that look like spiked watermelons tied to ropes - they're jaca, or jackfruit.

Open daily from 8.30am-6.30pm. Train ticket price: R$30.
To reach the station at Cosme Velho either take a taxi or take a bus marked 'Rua Cosme Velho' - No.184 or 180 from Centro and Gloria; No. 583 from Copacabana/Ipanema; or No. 584 from Leblon.

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Website: http://www.corcovado.com.br/

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: To reach the summit of Sugarloaf you have to take two cable cars (built in 1912). The first is located at the station in Urca and assends 220m to Morro da Urca (the first rock formation before you get to Sugarloaf). Here there is a restaurant, souvenir shops, an outdoor theatre and a helipad where you can watch the wealthy fly in/out. There's a shortish walk round the where you take the second cable car up to the summit of Sugarloaf itself which is 396m high. This is where the famous scene from the James Bond film Moonraker was made when Jaws bites through the cable.

Open: 8am-10pm daily. They leave about every 30 mins and cost R$35.
To reach Urca simply take any bus marked 'Urca' (No.107 from Centro or No.500, 511 or 512 from Zona Sul.

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Website: http://www.bondinho.com.br

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: It's more expensive if you take one of the black (I think I remember them being black) taxi's from the airport to wherever you're staying in Rio. There's a few taxi counters when you exit the airport arrivals. My advice is to avoid them and take a yellow city taxi as they'll be cheaper. Just make sure the meter is turned on.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxi's in Rio are good and affordable and I've had no problems with them. I've only really used them to get from the airport and back as the metro and buses in the city are very good. The taxi's are yellow with a small blue strip running down the side. The drivers of them are all drive like the late Aryton Senna so be prepared for an exhilarating ride!

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: I found the buses to be safe and a great way to get around Rio. They're great to travel from Zona Sul (south end of Copacabana) to where the Metro starts at Siqueira Campos in order to get to Centro. There are specific stops on NS de Copacabana where certain numbered buses do stop but it seems that if you can try and stop the one you want from any stop they should stop for you. Luckily, I have stayed at the Arpoader end of Copacabana which is where a few lines start so it's easier to get on one!

All buses show their final destination on the front along with a few other areas that they'll pass through. Take the following from Zona Sul to get to Sugarloaf: No. 500, 511 or 512 (marked "Urca"), to the cog railway station which goes to Christ the Redeemer: No. 583 or 584. The fares depend on the length of the bus route but are generally between R$1.60 and R$2.10.

When you enter on a bus, enter at the front and proceed along towards the back. You'll have to pass through a turnstile which is where you pay the conductor who'll be seated and who'll control the turnstile, which is a little tricky to get through especially if you're carrying things. Hang on tight as they race along especially on the one way streets in Copacabana. Press the button or pull the cable in order to get off at your desired stop.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Rio's metro is an excellent, safe and cheap option to get around. The stations and trains are very clean which I found to be a surprise and it makes you feel safer. There are two lines: Line 1 runs from S. Campos in Copacabana to Saens Pena which lies in the west of the city. Line 2 runs from Estacio (where it intersects with line 1) to Pavuna which lies NW of the city centre. My only gripe with the metro is that it doesn't run all the way down Copacabana to zona sul and Ipanema. Instead you have to get off at S. Campos and take a metro bus, which are grey/blus buses with the metro symbol on the side, from outside the station (plus you have to pay for). Ticket fares are R$2,25 for a single journey and R$4, 50 for a double journey. There are ticket machines as well as manned ticket booths. The metro is open from 5am to near midnight Mon-Sat and from 7am-11pm on Sun. The metro is open 24 hrs during carnaval.

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Website: http://www.metrorio.com.br