How to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu in train

For many travellers, visiting Machu Picchu is the long-anticipated highpoint of their trip. Most of them are really excited to take the route from Cusco to Machu Picchu in train, which is the most beautiful in the world. Fantastic scenery views, along with good service and comfortable well-kept carriages, make a memorable experience.

Even without knowing too much about its history or archaeology, it is enough getting immersed in its beauty and mystical atmosphere.

This post shows you the rundown of the easy and restful way to get in Machu Picchu.

Shuttle to train station

From Cusco to Machu Picchu or vice versa there are two train stations:

Poroy station which is 20-30 minutes from Cusco.
Ollantaytambo station which is 2 hours from Cusco.

Also, hotels like Tambo del Inka and Belmond Rio Sagrado located in Urubamba have their own private train station within their property.

Your train ticket will determine the station you’ll start or end your journey.

For arriving at any of the train stations, you’ll have the following options:

1. Local bus or private transport to Ollantaytambo

If your location is in Cusco and you’re doing the trip on your own, you can take the local bus. This is in Pavitos street, a few blocks from the Main Square. The price varies from PEN 15.00 (US$ 5.00) to PEN 30.00 (US$ 10.00) depending on the vehicle.
Whether you’re in Cusco or in a hotel in the Sacred Valley, you can take a private cab to Ollantaytambo. Receptionists can help you to call a good company. The price will be more expensive but obviously the shuttle faster.

2. Private transport to Poroy

Unfortunately, there aren’t local buses to Poroy. However, it might be your train ticket includes a shared bus from Cusco to Poroy. Review it with the company you’ll be purchasing your train ticket. Otherwise, you’ll need to take a private cab to Poroy.

Train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town)

The competitive services offered by the two Cusco-based train operators – Peru Rail and Inca Rail, provide the finest Andes mountains train journey.

Cusco to Machu Picchu in train rolls through the countryside of the Sacred Valley of the Incas that follows the Urubamba River. From the window, you can see scores of impressively terraced fields and, in the distance, more Inca temple and storehouse constructions. The mountains become more and more forested, as well as steeper and seemingly taller. A truly spectacular view you enjoy in a comfortable way and with service on board.

Similarities in both companies’ trains category:

Peru Rail	Inca Rail
Economic Category
Expedition	Voyager
Superior Categories
Vistadome	The 360°
Sacred Valley	The First Class
Hiram Bingham	The Private

For more information about prices, schedules, and availability, take a glimpse at their websites.

Buses from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes station (from your Cusco to Machu Picchu in train), you can spend a night there and relax in its thermal baths. But, if you have a limited time, you can directly take the bus ride to Machu Picchu.

Consettur is the name of the only company that sells these bus tickets. Its buses are all modern and air-conditioned. They go up from 05:30 am – 3:30 pm and go down from 06:00 am – 5:30 pm. The frequency they leave is every 10 minutes. And, the trip lasts around 35 minutes.

At receiving your bus tickets, you won’t see a specific time selected on it. Just take your bus considering your Machu Picchu entrance and the Consettur buses schedules to go up and down.

Machu Picchu entrances

No matter all ways to get to Machu Picchu, in the end, everything will have been worth to delight in this site’s magic. However, due to its popularity and limited visitor numbers, it requires that you book ahead. So, when you plan a Cusco to Machu Picchu in train journey, first give priority to your entrances. There are 3 types of entrances (with fixed schedules) and each offers a different experience. Below, the list:

Machu Picchu	from 6 am to 10 am
	from 7 am to 11 am
	from 8 am to 12 pm
	from 9 am to 1 pm
	from 10 am to 2 pm
	from 11 am to 3 pm
	from 12 pm to 4 pm
	from 1 pm to 5 pm
	from 2 pm to 5:30 pm
Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu	from 6 am to 12 pm
	from 7 am to 1 pm
	from 8 am to 2 pm
Machu Picchu + Mountain	from 6 am to 12 pm
	from 7 am to 1 pm
	from 8 am to 2 pm

Majestic Machu Picchu

After getting involved in the fascinating Cusco to Machu Picchu in train route, the tour to Machu Picchu becomes true.

Start the adventure and have a wonderful experience. While a guide explains the history, theories and mysteries of this beautiful Inca city, get dazzled with its extraordinary stone architecture and absorb its good energy.

Peru has many wonders waiting for you to be discovered. Here in Cusco Travel Peru, our specialty is to make your trip an outstanding experience, fill-in this form and let your tailor-made luxury Peru vacation begin.