Christ the Redeemer statue is just a short taxi ride away from Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG). In fact, the airport and the Corcovado Mountain are both inside Rio’s perimeter.
First things first: you can’t go by taxi all the way to Christ the Redeemer statue. The Jesus statue is located atop Corcovado Mountain, which is at 710 meters (2,328 feet) above sea level.
You have two choices by taxi to get from Rio de Janeiro airport (GIG) to the top of Corcovado Mountain:
Option 1. Your taxi drops you off at the Corcovado Train Station, from where you can board the 110-passenger train that takes you in about 20 minutes up to the top of the mountain from where you see the statue and the unforgettable vistas.
Option 2. Your taxi takes you to Paineiras, which is an area already in the forest from where you can board the 15-passenger minibus that takes you in 5 minutes to the summit of the mountain.
Either way is good. Which one to choose will depend a lot on time of the day, day of the week, month of the year, high or low tourist season, how much time you have, what other attractions you want to see on that day, how many are you, your budget, etc.
A yellow taxi fare from the Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG) to the Corcovado Train Station costs approximately R$45; US$23; €18 (count on at least 50% more if you take the pricey special taxi — premium taxi service offered at Rio airport right at the exit of the luggage claim area).
A taxi ride from the Rio de Janeiro International Airport (GIG) to the Corcovado Train Station takes anything from 25 minutes to a little bit more than an hour, depending on traffic.
A taxi to Paineiras, from where you can take the minibus costs just a few reais more (‘real‘ is the Brazilian currency), since it is just 7 minutes farther the Corcovado Train Station.
Going from the Rio de Janeiro airport to Christ the Redeemer statue is rather simple. However, there are many variables that can turn your visit into a nightmare. To learn the tricks on how to have a great time by avoiding the queues, hassles and disappointments, read Christ the Redeemer Statue – A Comprehensive Guidebook to Visiting the Rio de Janeiro Landmark atop Corcovado Mountain.
Read related articles:
Admission fee to Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Mountain
About the train to the Christ statue
About the minibus to the Christ statue