How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco?

By train to Machu Picchu!

An alternative or traditional option to get to Machu Picchu is by train, either from Poroy, (a town near the city of Cusco) or Ollantaytambo, a town located at 1:45 (one hour and forty-five minutes) from the city from Cusco, Ollantaytambo is practically half way through Cusco Machu Picchu.

We have two companies and they are; PeruRail and IncaRail.

prices: They vary according to the train (IncaRail or PeruRail), the point of departure (Cusco or Ollantaytambo), and prices range between 50 and 140 dollars per trip (round trip). Practically the trains leave every hour from 5am until the last, at 10pm.

The rates for each service can be found in its main pages of Perurail and IncaRail.

Walking to Machu Picchu!

It is exclusive for adventurers, since it takes about 5 days to make use of the “Inca Trail”, you have to prepare to walk a lot or sleep in tents, many people use it today.

You will visit many archaeological centers and enjoy much more flora than the main Inca trail, you will meet the true resident of Peru.

Hikers start at 82 km from the Cusco railway to the town of Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes), in Ollantaytambo. Directed by the guides and in groups; Machu Picchu is reached after 4 days, after traveling 40 km (24.85 miles) along the ancient Inca stone path, on the edge of the Urubamba canyon. The road crosses the Inca ruins of Patallacta, Huayllabamba, Runku Rakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyu Pata Marca and Wiñaywayna. In addition to passing through natural landscapes, waterfalls, tunnels, abundant flora and fauna, in the middle of the lush vegetation to be near the forests, overlooking the snow-capped mountains, and with pure air, free of any trace of contamination, ideal for bird watching. The mountain guide service includes all the equipment, food, tents, transporters, etc.

By bus from Cusco to hydroelectric and walking from Hidroeléctrica to Machu Picchu!

This is the most economical option that does not involve too much effort.

Technically there are no roads between the city of Cusco and Machu Picchu, but there are trails (partly paved and part of land) that access the last train station before reaching Aguas Calientes: Hidroeléctrica.

Previously, this route was a bit tedious and especially risky, since it was necessary to make several stops in public transport, it was necessary to reach the towns of Santa Teresa and Santa María, before arriving at the Hydroelectric Power Plant.

Currently there are many direct buses that go from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica, the buses are comfortable and allow to observe the impressive landscapes that can not be seen from the train.

The time of this route is approximately 7 hours, because the road is not in very good condition. For this reason, it is not recommended to use this route in the rainy season to reach Machu Picchu because there are risks of landslides, floods and other natural phenomena that could leave us stranded for days.

Once you have reached the hydroelectric train station, you should walk for about 2 hours (the time may be longer or shorter depending on your pace) until you reach the city of Machupicchu (Aguas Calientes), where you can also buy tickets to Machu Picchu for the next day and then we will look for accommodation at night.

Where to buy bus tickets to get to Hidroeléctrica – Machu Picchu. Prices and schedules.

The process of buying the ticket to go from Cusco to the hydroelectric is relatively easy, just walk around the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, where we can find many tour operators that offer this service.

The prices of this service are in a line of 20, 25 and 30 dollars per trip or 40 dollars round trip. Regarding the departure time of the Cusco – Hydroelectric section, it is early in the morning, or the operator will tell you that the service is usually at 7 am, so it will arrive at Hidroelectrica at approximately 2 pm . To start the trek to the town of Machu Picchu.

When you arrive at the town of Machu Picchu, you can take the small buses that are available for transport and you can ascend to the Inca citadel or Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary.