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Note: If you are on a very tight budget, go to Ollantaytambo (5 soles bus trip from Cusco) and take the train from there, which costs around $20 one way. (return will therefore be $40, plus 10 soles for the bus either way.)

The Vistadome Train
A more comfortable way of getting to Machu Picchu. The train leaves at 6:00 am and you arrive in Aguas Calientes around 9:45. You arrive back in Cusco around 7:30 pm.
Compared to the backpacker the Vistadome train is faster, has snack-service, bigger windows and is generally a more comfortable experience. Price: $ 105 per roundtrip.

The Hiram Bingham Train
A dream trip! For those who definitely want to make the most out of their visit to Machu Picchu. We depart at 9:00 from Poroy (15 kms from Cusco). Breakfast, snacks, cocktails and a lovely dinner with live music is served on board this absolutely gorgeous train. A professional guide will be with you during the whole trip. An afternoon tea at the famous Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, located at the entrance of the Ruins, is included as well as the services of the guide, all transfers, meals and drinks and the entrance fee to the ruins. The train returns to the village of Poroy at 6.30pm (above the valley where Cusco lies) from where you are transferred to a bus that will take back to Cusco, arriving at 7pm.
Price: $ 486 all included (contact a travel agency)

Where to buy your tickets:
Online at

You can buy your Machu Picchu excursion through one of the many agencies around the plaza. They usually include a guided tour of the ruins and transfers in Cusco which are a recommended way of avoiding hassle and also getting the best out of the ruins.

However, if you wish to buy your own ticket, you will need to go to the Peru Rail office in Avenida Pachacutec, near the big blue building called the Confraternidad. Although the Machu Picchu trains leave from the San Pedro Railway station, you cannot buy your tickets there. Please note that when buying train tickets we recommend (especially in the high season) that you should purchase your tickets a minimum of FOUR days in advance as the trains are often very full. When going to the Peru Rail office, go to the independent travelers queue as the queue for agencies can be quite long.

Hiking
The two most popular hiking routes to Machu Picchu are :

The Traditional Inca Trail (distance about 45 kilometers) which links a range of stunningly preserved Inca ruins, while along the way the natural scenery is breath-taking, with views of snow capped mountains and the cloud forest. The four day tour includes a one day visit to the unforgettable ruins of Machu Picchu.

The two day Inca Trail is the shorter version of the famous and stunning Inca Trail, for those who have less time but do not want to miss out on this unique trek. The tour goes from KM. 104 to the beautiful ruins of Wiñayhuayna, and then onto the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) where there is a fabulous view over the Lost City of the Incas. On the second day you will visit Machu Picchu.

Please see (LINK) for information about the restrictions on Inca Trail places.

The most popular "alternative" route

The Salkantay to Machu Picchu trek normally takes between 4 - 8 days (usually 5 days/ 4 nights) and has become popular with trekkers wanting to combine a quieter less trodden route with a visit to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.. The route crosses the Andes and then descends down to the high jungle, passing through an amazing progression of ecological zones, from sparsely vegetated alpine meadows flanking two spectacular 20,000' glaciated peaks, and down through subtropical forest. The visit to Machu Picchu on Day Five is made more exhilarating having trekked across rugged terrain to arrive at this famous citadel of the Incas.
Many agencies now offer treks to the Lares Valley with a transfer on the final day to Ollantaytambo where you can take the train to Aguas Calientes on the final day. This is also a recommended option.

Back route
more resourceful individuals can also escape paying the exorbitant Peru Rail train prices by taking a back route into Machu Picchu. Take a bus to Quillabamba, and get off in Santa Maria (about after 6 hours). From Santa Maria you can either hike or catch a mini van into Santa Theresa. From Santa Theresa you must cross the Vilcanota river by arroya (flying fox) and then you can take transport (truck) to the Hydroelectric train station from where you can take the afternoon train into Aguas Calientes. Alternatively, you can hike from the Hydroelectric to Aguas Calientes but sometimes it's easy to lose the path. ONLY take this route by yourself if you have a reasonable level of Spanish and do not mind inconvenience or discomfort.
Alternatively, some agencies now offer this route as a "Jungle Inca Trail" and combine it with biking and hiking.

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the salkantay trek is the most popular back route into machu picchu. Now, like the Inca trail tourists must pay exorbitant entry fees.

APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au

© A.Svenson 2005. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru.