Sugarloaf Mountain: tickets, opening hours and sunset

You go up Sugarloaf Mountain on the official cable car (the « bondinho »), in two stages from the Praia Vermelha station in the Urca district: first to Morro da Urca, then to the summit. The adult ticket starts at 205 reais on the official website, and the park is open every day, with last boarding at 7:30 pm. We calculated the time of sunset at the summit on the 15th of each month, so you know when to see it before the last ascent.

Sugarloaf Mountain combines well with Corcovado and the beaches of the South Zone in our guide to visiting Rio de Janeiro; the page on the best time to visit Rio details the weather month by month.

Safety: the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 29 September 2026) advises avoiding all favelas, including favela tours marketed to tourists, and notes that tourists have been shot after accidentally entering them; the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated 6 August 2026) advises against entering informal housing developments (favelas, comunidades), even on a guided tour. Check both pages before you go: FCDO advice for Brazil and U.S. State Department information for Brazil.

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Sugarloaf Mountain tickets: official vs resellers

The Bilhete Bondinho gives access to the whole park and both cable car sections, from Praia Vermelha to Morro da Urca, then from Morro da Urca to Sugarloaf. The official website advertises a price « from R$205 »; the exact price depends on the date and time chosen. There are also promotional tickets reserved for people born in or living in Brazil or the State of Rio, and an option with priority lines and a welcome lounge.

Visitor	Official rate	Proof required
Adult	Full price (from R$205)	—
Child up to age 2	Free	Birth certificate or photo ID
Child aged 3 to 12	Half price	Birth certificate or ID
Ages 60 and over (Brazilians and foreigners)	Half price	Official photo ID
Young people aged 13 to 21, students (foreigners: student card with photo)	Half price	Depends on the case
Person with a disability and one companion	Half price	Medical certificate or official card

Agencies and platforms also sell tours that include the cable car. They are subject to their own rules: the official FAQ says that visitors who booked through an agency must contact it to reschedule. Cancellation on the official website: free up to 24 hours before, with a 20% deduction between 24 hours and the time slot, and no refund after that; the 7-day right of withdrawal under the Brazilian consumer code applies to distance purchases.

Opening hours and closures

The park is open every day. The website header shows 8:30 am to 9 pm with last boarding at 7:30 pm; its FAQ gives shorter hours, which distinguish weekdays from weekends. The park itself asks visitors to check the hours on its website on the day of the visit. It also operates in the rain, with covered areas; in strong wind or lightning, the cable car may stop until conditions improve. The park runs « Sunset » evenings with a DJ on certain days and special sunrise ascents (Amanhecer).

Best time: sunset and weather

Sunset over Guanabara Bay and Corcovado is the most sought-after moment. Because Rio is in the Southern Hemisphere, it is later in December-January than in June. The table compares the calculated time with the 7:30 pm last boarding shown on the day we checked:

Month (15th)	Sunrise	Sunset	Day length	Rio max temp	Rain	Sunset vs last boarding (7:30 pm)
January	5:20 am	6:43 pm	13 h 23 min	31.5 °C (89 °F)	137 mm (5.4 in)	47 min before
February	5:41 am	6:32 pm	12 h 51 min	32.2 °C (90 °F)	130 mm (5.1 in)	58 min before
March	5:54 am	6:08 pm	12 h 14 min	31.2 °C (88 °F)	136 mm (5.4 in)	1 h 22 min before
April	6:05 am	5:39 pm	11 h 34 min	30.0 °C (86 °F)	95 mm (3.7 in)	1 h 51 min before
May	6:18 am	5:19 pm	11 h 01 min	27.8 °C (82 °F)	70 mm (2.8 in)	2 h 11 min before
June	6:31 am	5:15 pm	10 h 44 min	26.7 °C (80 °F)	43 mm (1.7 in)	2 h 15 min before
July	6:33 am	5:24 pm	10 h 51 min	26.4 °C (80 °F)	42 mm (1.7 in)	2 h 06 min before
August	6:17 am	5:36 pm	11 h 19 min	27.0 °C (81 °F)	45 mm (1.8 in)	1 h 54 min before
September	5:49 am	5:46 pm	11 h 57 min	26.7 °C (80 °F)	54 mm (2.1 in)	1 h 44 min before
October	5:20 am	5:56 pm	12 h 37 min	28.2 °C (83 °F)	87 mm (3.4 in)	1 h 34 min before
November	5:00 am	6:13 pm	13 h 13 min	29.4 °C (85 °F)	98 mm (3.9 in)	1 h 17 min before
December	5:01 am	6:33 pm	13 h 32 min	30.3 °C (87 °F)	134 mm (5.3 in)	57 min before

Reading: all year round, the sun sets before the 7:30 pm last boarding: in June, around 5:15 pm, you need to go up by 4 pm; in January, around 6:40 pm, going up around 5:30 pm is enough. The dry season (June-August, 42 to 45 mm / 1.7 to 1.8 in of rain per month) offers a better chance of clear skies; the austral summer (December-March) is hot and rainy, with frequent afternoon storms. The park does not publish attendance figures.

What to see and suggested route

• Praia Vermelha: the departure station, at the foot of the hill, next to the small beach of the same name.
• Morro da Urca: the first summit, with viewpoints, shops, restaurants and cultural events.
• Sugarloaf Mountain: the main summit (about 396 m / 1,299 ft according to Wikidata), with views of Corcovado and Christ the Redeemer, Guanabara Bay, Botafogo and the Serra do Mar; the Bosque das Artes shows outdoor artworks.
• Pace: the ticket lets you use each section only once, on the same day (a rule of the priority option, which follows the same principle): enjoy each summit before going back down.

Destination de Voyage calculation: as the crow flies, the summit of Sugarloaf is 5.5 km (3 mi) from Christ the Redeemer and 3.6 km (2 mi) from Copacabana beach (approximate coordinates).

Getting there

• Address: Av. Pasteur, 520, Urca.
• Metro + bus: Botafogo station (exit E, Mena Barreto), then bus 513 to the UNIRIO stop and a 260 m (853 ft) walk, according to the official website.
• Bus: lines 107 (Central-Urca), 513, 518 (via Copacabana), 519 (Urca-Copacabana) and 167.
• Car: no car park of its own; preferential rate of R$20 for up to 6 hours at the RIOSUL shopping center car park on presentation of a ticket bought on the official website.
• On foot: the Pista Cláudio Coutinho, a seaside path at the foot of the hill, starts at Praia Vermelha; climbing routes allow climbers to come down free of charge if they are affiliated with FEMERJ.

Accessibility

The official website provides a half-price ticket for people with disabilities and one companion, and for people on the autism spectrum. Guide dogs and emotional support dogs (with the documents required by Rio State law) are admitted. We did not find an official page detailing wheelchair accessibility of the stations and viewpoints: ask the park’s customer service before your visit.

Common mistakes (official rules)

• Aiming for sunset by arriving at last boarding: in the austral winter, the sun has been down for more than 2 hours.
• Forgetting proof for a discount: it is required for any free or half-price ticket.
• Going up shirtless, in swimwear or barefoot: not allowed.
• Bringing a tripod, drone, large suitcase (over 25 × 35 × 55 cm / 10 × 14 × 22 in), cooler or beach chair: not allowed.
• Eating in the cabins or bringing unsealed food: not allowed.
• Leaving a minor under 16 alone: they must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian, with proof of the family relationship or an authorization.
• Cancelling less than 24 hours before: 20% of the price is withheld.

What to see nearby

Corcovado, Copacabana, Ipanema and Santa Teresa are covered in our guide to things to do in Rio de Janeiro. For weather, carnival and the dry season, see the best time to visit Rio and, for the whole country, the best time to visit Brazil. Our Brazil guide brings together entry requirements and other stops.

A little history of Sugarloaf Mountain

The name is said to come from the Portuguese in the 16th century: the shape of the rock recalled the sugar loaves molded in clay and shipped by boat in the days of the cane trade. This explanation is debated; another hypothesis links it to Tupi-Guarani.

The cable car was proposed in 1907 by the engineer Augusto Ramos and completed in 1912: it was the first in Brazil. The first cabins, partly wooden, stayed in service for about sixty years; a new, higher-capacity model arrived in 1972. Since 2012, the site has been part of the Rio landscapes inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar (bondinho.com.br): home page, Bilhete Bondinho (prices, rules, access, access rules), FAQ, consulted on 16 October 2026
• UK FCDO, GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Brazil, Safety and security (updated 29 September 2026): gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil, read 11 November 2026
• U.S. Department of State, Brazil country information (last updated 6 August 2026): travel.state.gov, read 11 November 2026
• INMET (Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology): Rio de Janeiro station, 1981-2010 temperature normals, 1961-1990 precipitation normals, taken from our page on the best time to visit Rio
• Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, IANA America/Sao_Paulo time zone, applied by Destination de Voyage; Wikidata for the summit’s elevation
• Wikipedia, « Sugarloaf Mountain » article (toponymy, history of the cable car), consulted on 16 October 2026
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.