Cable Cars in Rio De Janeiro

[yannisusa]

Are the cable cars used to climb to the Sugar Loaf and Corcovado Mountain similar to those being used in the islands of Santorini and Capri? I will appreciate any information you may have.

 

Yannis

[Splinter]

There are only cable cars for Sugarloaf.

 

http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/pt/

 

There is a cog railway for Corcovado.

 

http://www.corcovado.com.br/usa/usindex.htm

 

Neither is wheelchair accessible (a number of stairs to get to the cable cars for Sugarloaf, and no room on the train which also requires a few steps). There are plans to make Sugarloaf accessible, but it is not yet completed.

[yannisusa]

Mr. Splinter thank you for the information on the cable cars in Rio. My wife is afraid of heights and the info you provided is very helpful.

 

Yannis

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I have driven up to Corcovado many years ago, but must say that it was not a really scarey trip and the view is amazing. For my taste the cable car to Sugar Loaf would be the much scarier trip for someone who is frightened by heights. In fact, I elected not to attempt it.

 

My husband was eager to try it, but luckliy for me the cable car was not operating which happened frequently in those days, but it spared me the stress of having to endure that trip to Sugar Loaf. I didn't ride the cog rail up to Corcovado. I'm racking my brain to recall. Maybe they didn't have one back then.

 

I loved Rio then. It remains one of my favorite cities, but probably has changed greatly since the late sixties.

[Druke I]

When we were in Rio, 3-98, I took one look at the aerial cable car, and said "not for me". I have a thing about heights also.

 

We did take the cog railway up the mountain to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. Quite a hike at the end, but worth the trip if you are up to it. Views from up there spectacular.

[minke]

Hi Yannis, how are things with you? so you are off to Rio instead of the Med this year. We did Med again in Nov, perfect weather except Athens! The cable cars to sugarloaf are quite large & superb views (I did it in 1956) Sure you can find a picture on the web, but famously they were used in a James Bond film when he fought with "Jaws" on the cable car. Enjoy your trip, we are off to Far East next year.

[yannisusa]

Hello my English friend Minke. How are you gardens doing?

We did the Med (Barcelona to Venice) in May on the Millennium and then Greece in September. It was the first time that my wife really had a chance to see Greece other than the cruise ship visits. I was her private guide especially in my hometown Athens. I will really be interested to hear about your experience on your Far East cruise. We have not been in that part of the world.

 

Yannis

[DaisyGal]

Hello,

 

The cable cars in Sugarloaf are very large and hold many people - they're much larger than the ones in Santorini, which are like ski gondolas that only hold a few people. As for movies, try Blame It On Rio for a good look at the cable cars.

 

Also, IMO, take a taxi all the way up to Corcovado, not just up to the taxi waiting area. The walk is super long and if it's hot out, it will be worse.

 

Have fun!

[yannisusa]

Daisy Gal,

 

Thanks for the information on the cable cars. Did you go on them? In your opinion, would a person afraid of heights have any problem? I felt much better when I noticed that they will be made handicapped friendly. If a handicap person can go on them,the ride on these cable cars cannot be that bad so my wife who is afraid of heights should not have any problem.

 

Yannis

[DaisyGal]

yannisusa,Yes, I went up the Sugar Loaf cable cars. I would say that I'm somewhat scared of heights (I don't like them, but I try not to let it stop me from doing things) and to tell you the truth, I didn't look out the windows on the way up in the cable car. Both points are really high up and when we went, it was a little windy out that day (the actual ride was fine though). The views from the top are fantastic. I'm guessing that the cable cars hold around 20 people and they are definitely wheelchair friendly.It's hard for me to tell if someone very scared of heights would go up. I think my mother would (she's super scared), especially if she were to travel all that way. Hope this helps. You're going to have a great time!Happy New Year!

[yannisusa]

DaisyGal, thanks for the additional info on the cable cars. It looks that we will be taking them to the top. Happy New Year to you and your family.

 

Yannis

[coasters]

Are the cable cars used to climb to the Sugar Loaf and Corcovado Mountain similar to those being used in the islands of Santorini and Capri? I will appreciate any information you may have.

 

Yannis

 

Thought this photo might help you to decide.

We had a great time although my wife did avoid looking down when entering and exiting the cars.