The train to Machu Picchu runs from Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley, to Aguas Calientes in about 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 45 min. From May to December you can also board in Cusco, a ride of 3 to 5 hours.
PeruRail and Inca Rail share the same track, and a one way ticket in a regular class costs about US$62 to 170.
No train reaches the ruins themselves. It stops in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), and a shuttle bus climbs the last 8 km to the gate.
We are a local tour operator in Cusco and we put travelers on these trains every week. This guide uses the official 2026 timetables, fares we checked in the booking engines in October 2026, and what we see at the stations.
How the Train to Machu Picchu Works
There is one railway line along the Urubamba River, and every train to Machu Picchu uses it. Where you board changes the time on board, not the destination: all trains end in Aguas Calientes.
| Route | Time on board | Who runs it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes | 1 hr 22 min to 1 hr 45 min | PeruRail and Inca Rail | All year, most departures |
| Poroy (Cusco) to Aguas Calientes | 3 hr 15 min to 3 hr 45 min | PeruRail | May to December |
| San Pedro (central Cusco) to Aguas Calientes | 4 hr 10 min to 4 hr 40 min | PeruRail | May to December |
| Wanchaq (Cusco), bus and train | 4 hr to 4 hr 30 min in total | PeruRail | All year, the only option from Cusco January to April |
| Av. El Sol (Cusco), bus and train | 4 to 5 hr in total | Inca Rail | All year |
| Urubamba to Aguas Calientes | about 3 hr | PeruRail | One morning train |
| Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes | about 42 min | PeruRail | Two trains a day |
Swipe the table sideways to see more →
Source: PeruRail timetables for January to April and May to December 2026, and the Inca Rail itinerary for 2026. Schedules can change for operational reasons, so check the times printed on your ticket.
The Bimodal Service: Bus Plus Train
“Bimodal” means a bus first and a train after. PeruRail’s bus leaves from Wanchaq station in Cusco and connects with the train at Pachar, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba or Poroy. Inca Rail’s bus leaves from its office at Av. El Sol 843 and connects in Ollantaytambo.
From January to April, the rainy season, PeruRail runs no trains out of Cusco: every departure from the city is bimodal. Direct trains from San Pedro and Poroy return in May.
From Aguas Calientes to the Citadel
The ruins are about 400 m above the town. The Consettur shuttle bus takes 25 to 30 minutes and costs about US$24 round trip for foreign adults. You can also walk up in 1 hr 30 min to 2 hours.
Machu Picchu Train Stations
The station on your ticket decides how early you leave your hotel. Ollantaytambo is the main station, with the most departures of both companies every day of the year.
| Station | Where it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Ollantaytambo | Sacred Valley, 1 hr 30 min to 2 hrs by road from Cusco | Most trains of PeruRail and Inca Rail |
| Poroy | About 20 min by taxi from central Cusco | PeruRail direct trains, May to December, and the Hiram Bingham |
| San Pedro | Central Cusco, next to San Pedro market | Two PeruRail direct trains, May to December |
| Wanchaq | Cusco, 5 min from the center | PeruRail bimodal buses and the train to Puno |
| Pachar and Urubamba | Sacred Valley | Bus to train transfers; Urubamba also has one morning train |
| Machu Picchu Pueblo | Aguas Calientes | Arrival station; some trains stop at Av. Imperio de los Incas, in the same town |
Both companies ask you to be at the station 30 minutes before departure with your ticket and passport. Many travelers think there is no queue. There is, especially from April to October, so do not cut it close.
If you start in Cusco, leave for Ollantaytambo at least 2 hrs 30 min before your train. Morning traffic out of the city is slow, and the road climbs before it drops into the valley.
PeruRail vs Inca Rail: Which Company to Choose
Both trains run on the same track, through the same canyon, with the same view. Choose by timetable first and by class second, not by brand. We book both, depending on what each traveler asks for.
| PeruRail | Inca Rail | |
|---|---|---|
| Departures from Ollantaytambo | 15 a day | 6 a day |
| Stations | Ollantaytambo, Poroy, San Pedro, Urubamba, Hidroeléctrica, bimodal from Wanchaq | Ollantaytambo, bimodal from Av. El Sol |
| Classes | Expedition, Vistadome, Vistadome Observatory, Hiram Bingham | The Voyager, The 360°, The Prime, The First Class, The Private |
| Luggage on board | 1 bag, 8 kg, 115 cm | 1 bag, 8 kg, 118 cm |
| Changes and refunds | Up to 24 hrs before departure; refunds keep a 10% fee | Depends on the fare; refunds up to 24 hrs before, with a 10% fee |
| Best for | More times to choose from, trains from Cusco, the Hiram Bingham | The 360° open air observatory car, fewer passengers per departure |
Promotional fares of both companies cannot be refunded, and Inca Rail does not allow changes on them either. Read the fare conditions before you pay.
Train Classes Compared: Expedition, Vistadome, The 360° and More
The class changes the windows, the food and the show, not the speed. For most travelers we use the Vistadome or the Vistadome Observatory: the panoramic windows make the canyon part of the trip.
| Class | Company | Windows | Food and extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedition | PeruRail | Large side windows | Snacks for sale; the cheapest option |
| The Voyager | Inca Rail | Large side windows | Snacks for sale, Ollantay drama on the way in, khipu ceremony on the way back |
| Vistadome | PeruRail | Side and roof windows | Snack and drink included, Andean music and an alpaca fashion show on the return |
| Vistadome Observatory | PeruRail | Panoramic, plus an observatory car with an open balcony | Snack and drink included, live show |
| The 360° | Inca Rail | Panoramic with UV protection, plus an open air observatory car | Andean snack included, live music, wifi for messaging only |
| The Prime | Inca Rail | Large windows, 60 seats | Andean snack, live music, VIP lounge and transfer |
| The First Class | Inca Rail | Dining car and bar car with balcony | Three course menu with pairing, private bus to the citadel |
| The Private | Inca Rail | A private car for up to 10 people, with balcony | Five course menu, open bar, private bus to the citadel |
| Hiram Bingham | Belmond, run with PeruRail | 1920s Pullman cars and an observatory car | Fine dining, bar, live music |
Swipe the table sideways to see more →
Source: PeruRail service pages and the Inca Rail 2026 factsheets. Seats cannot be chosen in any class: the system assigns them when you book.
PeruRail Expedition
The Expedition is PeruRail’s most affordable train: large side windows, comfortable seats and snacks for sale. It carries the hikers who get off at km 104 and travelers who prefer to save for the rest of the trip.
PeruRail Vistadome
The Vistadome adds windows in the roof, an included snack and drink, Andean music and, on the way back, a fashion show of alpaca garments. It is the class we book most often.
PeruRail Vistadome Observatory
The Vistadome Observatory adds a lounge car with an open balcony at the end of the train, where you feel the air of the canyon. Its morning departures are the first to fill in high season.
This is the train we use both ways on our Machu Picchu private tour, after a day in the Sacred Valley.
Is the Hiram Bingham Train Worth It?
The Hiram Bingham is the luxury train of Belmond. From May to December it leaves Poroy at 9:05 am and reaches Aguas Calientes at 12:24 pm; the return leaves at 5:50 pm.
From January to April it starts with a bus from Cusco and boards at Belmond’s Rio Sagrado hotel.
It runs every day except the last Sunday of each month. In October 2026 the booking engine showed US$630 to 690 one way for an adult, depending on the date.
We recommend it to travelers who can afford it, for a honeymoon or a special trip. Belmond itself warns that the train ticket does not guarantee entry to Machu Picchu, so book your entrance ticket separately.
Inca Rail The Voyager
The Voyager is Inca Rail’s standard class: large windows, snacks for sale and a short performance of the Inca drama Ollantay on the way in. On the way back, passengers receive a small khipu, a knotted cord inspired by Inca records.
Inca Rail The 360°
The 360° combines panoramic windows with an open air observatory car, live music and an Andean snack. It is also the only class that advertises wifi, limited to messaging.
Inca Rail The Prime
The Prime is a car of only 60 seats, with priority boarding, a VIP lounge in Ollantaytambo and Cusco, a VIP transfer to the station, live music and an Andean snack.
Inca Rail The First Class
The First Class has a dining car and a bar car with an open balcony, a three course menu with wine pairing and a private bus up to the citadel. On the 19:00 return it adds tea time at Café Inkaterra.
Inca Rail The Private
The Private is a whole car for a group of up to 10 people, with a five course menu, open bar, live music, personalized service and a private bus to the citadel.
The Local Train Is Not for Visitors
PeruRail runs a cheap local train for residents of the valley. Foreign travelers and Peruvians from other regions cannot buy it; it needs a local residence document. Peruvians do get their own discount codes on regular trains.
Machu Picchu Train Prices 2026 and 2027
Train fares are dynamic: the same class costs more on the most popular departures and in high season. These are real one way adult fares from Ollantaytambo that we checked on perurail.com in October 2026.
| PeruRail class | February 2027 | April 2027 | July 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedition | US$67 to 76 | US$75 to 87 | US$70 to 98 |
| Vistadome | US$69 to 85 | US$75 to 110 | US$75 to 130 |
| Vistadome Observatory | US$99 to 151 | US$110 to 151 | US$110 to 167 |
| Hiram Bingham | US$630 | US$630 | US$660 |
Swipe the table sideways to see more →
The morning departures between 6 and 9 am are the most expensive, because they arrive in time for the citadel. Late departures can cost almost half.
Inca Rail’s own guide gives about US$60 to 90 for The Voyager, US$85 to 120 for The 360° and US$200 to 400 for The First Class, one way.
Discounts for Children and Round Trips
- Babies: on PeruRail, children under 3 travel free on an adult’s lap. On Inca Rail, babies under 3 travel free without a seat, one per adult.
- Children: both companies sell a reduced child fare up to 11 or 12 years old.
- Round trip: PeruRail takes 5% off when you book both legs together, and runs a 10% code for its scenic trains.
- Students: there is no student fare on the train. It exists only for the Machu Picchu entrance ticket.
What a Day Trip by Train Costs in Total
For one adult from Ollantaytambo in 2026: round trip Expedition about US$135 to 195, shuttle bus US$24 and the entrance ticket S/152 (about US$44). Add the ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and a guide inside the ruins.
The full breakdown, from a backpacker budget to a luxury trip, is in our guide to the real cost to go to Machu Picchu.
How and When to Book Your Train Tickets
The most common mistake we see is travelers who secure their Machu Picchu ticket and assume the rest will sort itself out. It does not. For April, May and June, the train needs the same priority as the entrance ticket.
In those months the good departures sell out about 3 months ahead. Large agencies with many passengers sign deals with PeruRail and Inca Rail to block the best departures for the high season, or for the whole year. That leaves fewer seats for everyone else.
Train sales open long before the entrance tickets: 2027 trains are already on sale. Book the train as soon as your dates are fixed, and the entrance ticket as soon as it goes on sale.
Where to Buy
- Online: on perurail.com and incarail.com, with an international card. Print the ticket or keep it on your phone.
- At the offices: in Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, subject to seats left.
- Through a local agency: as part of a tour, with the transfers and the entrance ticket coordinated.
Match the Train to Your Entrance Time
Your Machu Picchu ticket has an entry hour, and the guards keep to it. Count the train arrival, about 30 minutes of bus queue in Aguas Calientes and 30 minutes of climb, and leave a margin.
For a 1 pm entry, your train should reach Aguas Calientes by 11 am at the latest. For entries between 6 and 8 am, sleep in Aguas Calientes the night before. Entrance tickets are sold only on tuboleto.cultura.pe; our Machu Picchu tickets guide explains the circuits.
Passport, Changes and Refunds
You board with your passport and the ticket in the same name. A name change must be requested days ahead and is not allowed on promotional fares.
PeruRail changes the date up to 24 hours before departure and refunds with a 10% fee. Once the train leaves, a missed ticket is lost. If you book through an agency, changes go through the agency.
That is the real advantage of booking with a local operator: changes are made at the company offices in Cusco, so we can rebook a train while a traveler on the road is still waiting on a call center.
Train Schedules and Travel Time
These are the 2026 departures between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, the route with the most trains. All times are local.
| Company | Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes | Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo |
|---|---|---|
| PeruRail | 05:05, 06:10, 07:05, 07:45, 08:00, 08:29, 08:53, 09:15, 10:32, 11:52, 12:55, 13:27, 15:37, 19:04, 21:00 | 05:35, 08:53, 10:55, 12:46, 13:37, 14:55, 15:20, 15:48, 16:22, 16:43, 17:23, 18:10, 18:20, 20:50, 21:50 |
| Inca Rail | 06:40, 07:22, 11:15, 12:36, 16:36, 19:27 | 08:30, 10:32, 14:30, 16:12, 19:00, 20:20, 21:30 |
Sources: PeruRail timetable and Inca Rail itinerary 2026. Inca Rail’s 16:12 return does not run in Holy Week, during Inti Raymi or from July to October.
From Cusco, May to December, PeruRail’s direct trains leave San Pedro at 06:40 and 07:30 and Poroy at 06:40, 07:35 and 08:25. Returns reach Poroy at 19:05, 20:23 and 20:52, and San Pedro at 21:23 and 21:52.
Which Return Train If You Fly Out of Cusco the Same Day
If your flight leaves Cusco at 8 or 9 pm, you need one of these returns: Inca Rail at 14:30, or PeruRail at 14:55 or 15:20. They reach Cusco between 18:20 and 19:45. With a train after 4 pm you will not make the flight.
These are exactly the trains that sell out first. For April to June they can be gone from February; not always all of them, but the risk rises fast.
Our advice: when you can, fly out the next morning. A delay on the line can last hours, and the flight will not wait.
Luggage Rules on the Train
Both companies allow one bag or backpack of up to 8 kg per passenger. Inca Rail sets the size at 118 cm adding length, width and height, and its cars have no overhead racks.
PeruRail’s own pages give slightly different sizes, so plan for about 55 by 35 by 25 cm.
Large suitcases do not go to Machu Picchu. Our travelers leave theirs in our storage room in Cusco. If you sleep in the Sacred Valley, leave it at the PeruRail or Inca Rail storage in Ollantaytambo station and pick it up on the way back.
PeruRail sells extra luggage at its ticket offices: about US$15 for a hand bag and US$25 for the hold. Hikers of the short Inca Trail can ask for a luggage exception on the way in.
When the Train Stops: Strikes, Landslides and Plan B
The line is a single track through a narrow canyon, so one problem stops every train. Between September 2025 and October 2026 it closed at least five times, for a few hours or a few days.
- September 2025: local protests over the shuttle bus concession blocked the tracks, and service stopped for several days.
- 30 December 2025: a collision between two trains near km 94 closed the line until the next morning.
- August 2026: a forest fire and falling rocks near km 107 cancelled ten departures.
- October 2026: two incidents stopped traffic for about four hours each.
- January to April: rain brings landslides, which is why the Cusco trains switch to bimodal.
What We Do When the Line Closes
Ferrocarril Transandino, the company that owns the track, tells operators what happened and how long the repair should take. With that information we decide traveler by traveler.
Travelers in a hurry go by the Hidroeléctrica route. Those who can wait keep their train and leave when the line reopens. If the company cancels your train, you are entitled to a full refund or a new date.
Before leaving your hotel, check PeruRail’s live departures and arrivals page, which takes its data from the track operator.
Alternatives to the Train
- Via Hidroeléctrica: a van from Cusco in 6 to 7 hours, then a walk of about 2 hrs 30 min along the tracks, or PeruRail’s short train at 07:54 or 14:50. Our Machu Picchu by Car tour follows this route.
- On foot: the Salkantay Trek ends near Aguas Calientes, and the Inca Trail enters the citadel through the Sun Gate. Both still use the train for the return.
Every way to reach the citadel is compared in our guide to the routes to Machu Picchu.
Train to Machu Picchu Tours
If you prefer the logistics solved, our Machu Picchu by Train 1 Day and Machu Picchu by Train 2 Days tours include the train, the transfers, the bus, the entrance ticket and a guide.
The 2 day version sleeps in Aguas Calientes and enters the citadel in the morning, with more time and fewer people. More options are on our Machu Picchu tour packages page.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Train to Machu Picchu
How long is the train ride to Machu Picchu?
From Ollantaytambo, 1 hr 22 min to 1 hr 45 min. From Poroy, near Cusco, about 3 hr 15 min to 3 hr 45 min. With the bus and train service from Cusco, 4 to 4 hours 30 minutes in total.
Does the train go all the way to Machu Picchu?
No. It stops in Aguas Calientes, the town below the ruins. From there a shuttle bus climbs 25 to 30 minutes to the entrance.
Is there a train from Lima to Cusco or Machu Picchu?
No. The railway links Cusco with Machu Picchu, Puno and Arequipa, but not with Lima. You fly to Cusco in about 1 hr 20 min; see our guide on how far Machu Picchu is from Lima.
Is there a train from Cusco to Puno and Lake Titicaca?
Yes, the PeruRail Titicaca. It leaves Wanchaq station in Cusco on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 07:50 and arrives in Puno at 18:20. It returns on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Which side of the train has the best view?
The left side on the way to Machu Picchu and the right side on the way back. Seats are assigned automatically, so the panoramic classes are the best way to see both sides.
Is there wifi on the train?
Inca Rail’s The 360° offers wifi for messaging only. PeruRail does not advertise wifi, and mobile signal is weak or absent in parts of the canyon.
Can I take the train one way and hike the other?
Yes. Many travelers hike in on the Inca Trail or the Salkantay Trek and return by train. Buy a one way ticket for the return only.
How far in advance should I book the train to Machu Picchu?
For April, May and June, about 3 months ahead, at the same time as your entrance ticket. In the rainy season, 2 to 4 weeks is usually enough.
