There are advantages and disadvantages on taking the minibus shuttle to get to the Christ statue atop Corcovado Mountain in Brazil. (An alternative to the minibus, is the little train that also takes tourists to the summit of Corcovado. Both the minibus and the train are good options, but each one offers advantages and disadvantages.).
Advantages of taking the minibus
1 – Mirante Dona Marta (Dona Marta Overlook) is on the drive up to the minibus shuttle stand (“minibus” in Brazil is called “van”). So, if you can’t see the city from Corcovado due to the cloud cover, there is still a good possibility that you will have a decent view from the Mirante Dona Marta if you ask your taxi driver to stop on the way down.
2 – Because of the train capacity per hour is smaller than the fleet of minibuses, the process of visiting the statue by minibus shuttle is overall faster than the train, since the lines move more rapidly and the waiting time is shorter. When visiting the statue, the rule of thumb is: get there as fast as you can before the weather conditions change.
3 – Since the process of getting to the Corcovado summit is faster, you increase your chances of arriving there before any cloud covers the statue. That’s an important advantage since every year thousands of tourists miss seeing the Christ statue and Rio de Janeiro due to a cloud cover.
Disadvantages of taking the minibus
If the Christ the Redeemer statue is blanketed by clouds when you arrive, you would not have the flexibility of waiting a while for the clouds to part (if they do), since your taxi driver will be waiting for you at the Paineiras lot.
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Alternatively, read related articles before getting a copy of your Christ statue e-book:
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