The train is the main means of transportation to get to Machu Picchu. The trip begins in the city of Cusco, in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Peru. Through a bus trip you must arrive at one of the train stations (the most used is Ollantaytambo). There you board the train that, in 1 hour 30 minutes, will transfer you to the town of Aguas Calientes. This famous town is only 10 kilometers from Machu Picchu. There are different types of train services. Knowing their prices and main characteristics can ensure your trip is relaxing and budget friendly.
Don’t know how to get to Machu Picchu? Know that most tourists choose to do it by train. The train trip to Machu Picchu begins in the city of Cusco. The capital of the Inca empire has 1 train station. The others are in the towns of Poroy (15 kilometers from Cusco), Urubamba (53 kilometers) and Ollantaytambo (61 kilometers). The latter is the most used by tourists as it has more daily train departures.
To get to Ollantaytambo station it is necessary to take public transport in Cusco. The train journey ends in the town of Aguas Calientes (approximately 30-kilometer route). The only way to do this trip is by train (there are no roads). After the train journey, you must take a bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (10 kilometers away). In total, the trip (from Cusco to Machu Picchu) takes 4 hours on average.
These are the stations enabled to take the train to Machu Picchu:
The end of all train trips is the Aguas Calientes station. This famous place is also known as Machu Picchu town due to its proximity to the wonder of the world (only 10 kilometers away). More than thirty trains depart from there to Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, Poroy and San Pedro stations.
These are the different types of Peru Rail services:
These are the different types of Inca Rail services:
These are the (approximate) prices of the different types of Peru Rail train services:
Peru Rail train prices | |||
---|---|---|---|
Type of train service | One way price | Round trip price | |
Local train for Peruvians | 10 S/. (3 USD) | 20 S/. (6 USD) | |
Expedition Train | 180 S/. (60 USD) | 360 S/. (120 USD) | |
Vistadome Train | 240 S/. (80 USD) | 480 S/. (160 USD) | |
Sacred Valley Train | 540 S/. (180 USD) | 1080 S/. (360 USD) | |
Hiram Bingham Train | 1440 S/. (480 USD) | 2880 S/. (960 USD) |
*Approximate prices. Consult them on the Peru Rail website.
These are the (approximate) prices of the different types of Inca Rail train services:
Inca Rail train prices | |||
---|---|---|---|
Type of train service | One way price | Round trip price | |
Voyager Train
|
180 S/. (60 USD) | 360 S/. (120 USD) | |
360º Train | 240 S/. (80 USD) | 480 S/. (160 USD) | |
First Class Train | 540 S/. (180 USD) | 1080 S/. (360 USD) | |
The Private Train | 1440 S/. (480 USD) | 2880 S/. (960 USD) |
*Approximate prices. Consult them on the Inca Rail website.
The sale of train tickets is carried out in two ways:
a) in person at the authorized ticket offices in Cusco
b) online through the Peru Rail and Inca Rail web pages.
The authorized offices for the face-to-face purchase of Peru Rail are at:
Authorized offices for the in-person purchase of Inca Rail are at:
There is a station called ‘Hydroelectric’ because it is next to a hydroelectric plant. This station is only 10 kilometers from Aguas Calientes so many tourists walk instead of taking the few daily trains. The hike is easy (2 hours on foot on average) and full of beautiful scenery. The station is 6 hours by bus from the city of Cusco. It is the longest but cheapest route to visit Machu Picchu.
The tours already include train and bus tickets and the entrance to Machu Picchu. If you are visiting on your own you must buy these tickets yourself. The best way to do this is buying online. Tickets to Machu Picchu have an approximate price of 152 Soles. Train ticket prices vary, depending on the type of service. It is recommended to make the purchase weeks or months in advance. So you can get availability and better prices.
In addition to the train trip or the long route through the ‘Hidroeléctrica’, the other way to get to Machu Picchu is through the famous Inca Trail. This 4-day route is an incredible walk until arriving at the wonder of the world through the ‘Puerta del Sol’ (this is how the Incas originally found the citadel). The downside is that this tour has an approximate cost of $ 400 to $ 500 per person.