How to Get to Machu Picchu from Cusco: Train, Bus and Timing, Step by Step
There is no road from Cusco to Machu Picchu, so the usual way to get there without hiking has three legs: a road transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley (about 1.5 to 2 hours), a tourist train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (about 1.5 hours along the Urubamba River) and a bus up to the citadel (about 25 minutes). Two companies run the trains, PeruRail and Inca Rail, and your Machu Picchu ticket, train and bus all depend on one thing: your entry hour. Our advice is to sleep one night in Aguas Calientes rather than doing it all in one day.
Cusco to Machu Picchu at a glance
| Leg | From – to | How | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cusco – Ollantaytambo | Tourist transport by road through the Sacred Valley (or a bus-and-train service sold with the train ticket) | About 1.5 to 2 hours |
| 2 | Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes | Tourist train (PeruRail or Inca Rail) | About 1.5 hours |
| 3 | Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu | Consettur bus up the zigzag road, or on foot | About 25 minutes by bus; about 1.5 hours walking up |
| Back | Same route in reverse | Bus down, train to Ollantaytambo, road to Cusco | Allow 5 to 6 hours door to door |
Leg 1: Cusco to Ollantaytambo by road
Almost every Machu Picchu train leaves from Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town at the end of the Sacred Valley, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Cusco. You can get there by private transfer, by shared tourist van or as part of a Sacred Valley tour.
The best option, if you have the time, is the last one: visit the Sacred Valley on the way and take an afternoon train. That is what our 7-day Peru itinerary does: Chinchero, the circular terraces of Moray, the Maras salt mines and the fortress of Ollantaytambo, and only then the train. It also helps with the altitude, because the Sacred Valley is lower than Cusco.
Plan to arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before departure, with your passport: it is checked against your train ticket. On our packages we get you there about an hour early.
Can you take the train directly from Cusco?
Sometimes. PeruRail runs some services from stations in and near Cusco (San Pedro and Poroy), but during the rainy season, usually from January to April, those trains do not run from Cusco and are replaced by bimodal services: a bus from Cusco to a station in the valley, then the train. From May 2026 PeruRail resumed its services from San Pedro and Poroy.
In practice, the train from Cusco is slower than going by road to Ollantaytambo, because the line climbs out of the city in switchbacks. Most travelers, and all of our programs, use Ollantaytambo. Always check the current timetable on the official PeruRail or Inca Rail website before you book.
Leg 2: the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
The ride takes about an hour and a half and follows the Urubamba River as the valley narrows from dry mountains into cloud forest. Sit on the left side going there if you can, for the river views. There is no road alongside most of the line, which is why the train is the main way in.
Two companies share the line. PeruRail runs the Expedition (the simplest), the Vistadome (panoramic windows) and the luxury Hiram Bingham. Inca Rail runs The Voyager, the 360° and its First Class. For most travelers the basic services are fine: the views are the same through any window, and the trip is short. The panoramic and luxury trains add service, drinks and larger windows.
Train tickets are issued in your name and passport number for a fixed time. In the dry season and on holidays the convenient morning and afternoon times sell out, so book the train at the same time as your Machu Picchu ticket, never before.
How much luggage can you take on the train?
- PeruRail: one bag or backpack per person, up to 8 kg and 157 cm in total (height + length + width), on the Expedition, Vistadome and Hiram Bingham trains to Machu Picchu.
- Inca Rail has a similar small-bag rule. Rules change, so check the operator's luggage page before you travel.
- Leave your suitcase in Cusco. Every hotel keeps luggage for guests, and on our packages your big bags stay at your Cusco hotel and are there when you come back.
- For one night in Aguas Calientes you need a small backpack: a change of clothes, a warm layer, rain jacket, toiletries, chargers and your passport.
Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu
The train ends at Aguas Calientes, officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo, a small town squeezed between the river and the mountains, full of hotels, restaurants and the hot springs that gave it its name. Everything is walkable, and the railway runs right through the main street.
This is where the buses to the citadel leave, where many travelers spend the night and where the Inca Trail and our Salkantay Trek come down to before the visit. The site museum, a short way out of town at the foot of the road, is worth an hour after your visit.
Leg 3: the bus up to Machu Picchu (or the stairs)
The Consettur bus climbs the zigzag road from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of the citadel in about 25 minutes. The first buses leave at around 5:30 am and they run continuously through the day. Buy the ticket online or at the office in town the day before, and carry your passport: it is checked when you board.
In the dry season there is a queue for the early buses, sometimes long. Join it at least an hour before your entry hour if you have one of the first slots; for later hours, 45 minutes is usually enough.
You can also walk up. A stone stairway climbs from the bridge below town to the entrance in about 1.5 hours, steep and humid. It is free and beautiful in the early light, but it is a hard start to the day, so most people walk down instead, which takes about an hour.
Time everything around your entry hour
Your Machu Picchu ticket is for one date, one circuit and one entry hour, from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, and on most routes you then have 2 hours 30 minutes inside. The gate allows only a short tolerance, and the mountain checkpoints none. So plan backwards from that hour.
Buy the Machu Picchu ticket first, then the train, then the bus. If you have a 6:00 or 7:00 am entry, you must sleep in Aguas Calientes the night before: no train from Ollantaytambo arrives that early. With a midday entry you can come up on a morning train, but leave at least two hours between the train's arrival and your entry hour, for the walk to the bus, the queue and the ride.
Our guide to the Machu Picchu circuits explains the routes and how long each one allows, which tells you which train back you can catch.
Day trip or one night in Aguas Calientes?
| Same-day trip from Cusco | One night in Aguas Calientes | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | About 4:00 to 5:00 am in Cusco | An easy afternoon train the day before |
| Entry hours you can take | Late morning or midday only | Any, including the first ones of the day |
| Time at the citadel | Your route's time, with a train to catch | Your route's time, then no rush |
| Back in Cusco | Late at night, often 10:00 pm or later | The next evening |
| Risk | Any train delay can cost you the visit | Margin for delays and weather |
| Best for | Very short trips | Almost everyone |
A same-day trip is possible, and many travelers do it. But it means 12 to 16 hours on the move, much of it in the dark, for a visit of a few hours. A night in Aguas Calientes gives you an early, quieter entry, time to enjoy the site and a buffer if a train runs late, which happens in the rainy season. All our Machu Picchu packages include that night.
The budget route via Hidroeléctrica
There is a cheaper way that avoids the train from Ollantaytambo: a long road journey from Cusco, via Santa Teresa, to the Hidroeléctrica station, followed by a walk of about 2.5 to 3 hours along the railway line to Aguas Calientes. The road part takes most of a day on mountain roads, some of them unpaved.
It saves money but costs a full day each way, and it is not a good idea in the rainy season, when landslides can close the road. For travelers short of time, or with children or older relatives, the train is worth the difference. If you want to walk to Machu Picchu, a trek such as the Salkantay is a far better use of those days.
Or walk in: the Inca Trail and Salkantay
- The Inca Trail is the classic way to arrive on foot, through the Sun Gate on the morning of the last day. It needs a permit, with only about 200 places a day for trekkers, so book 4 to 6 months ahead. See when Inca Trail permits go on sale.
- The Salkantay Trek needs no permit, crosses a 4,600 m pass under a glacier and reaches Aguas Calientes on Day 4, with Machu Picchu on Day 5. Compare them in Salkantay Trek vs Inca Trail.
- On both treks we take you back to Cusco by train to Ollantaytambo and road transport, the same route described above, so you only hike one way.
Our checklist for the journey
- Original passport, the same one used for your Machu Picchu, train and bus tickets. A photocopy is not accepted.
- Printed or downloaded tickets for the citadel, train and bus. Mobile signal in the valley is patchy.
- Small backpack only. Leave the suitcase at your Cusco hotel.
- Layers and a rain jacket. Aguas Calientes is warmer and much more humid than Cusco, but early mornings at the citadel can be cold and misty.
- Insect repellent and sunscreen. The cloud forest has small biting flies.
- Cash in soles for snacks, the toilets at the entrance and tips.
- Time margin. Do not book a flight out of Cusco on the evening you come back from Machu Picchu.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu?
About 4 to 5 hours on the most common route: 1.5 to 2 hours by road to Ollantaytambo, about 1.5 hours by train to Aguas Calientes, and a 25-minute bus up to the citadel, plus waiting time at the station and the bus stop.
Can I get to Machu Picchu without hiking?
Yes. Most visitors go by road to Ollantaytambo, by train to Aguas Calientes and by bus up to the entrance. Inside the site you still walk on uneven stone paths and steps for 2 to 3 hours.
Is there a road to Machu Picchu?
Not from Cusco. The only road to the citadel is the zigzag road from Aguas Calientes, used by the Consettur buses. Aguas Calientes itself is reached by train, or on foot from the Hidroeléctrica station.
Which train is better, PeruRail or Inca Rail?
Both run the same line with similar times. The difference is the service class: PeruRail Expedition and Inca Rail The Voyager are the basic options; Vistadome, 360° and First Class add larger windows and service; Hiram Bingham is the luxury train. Choose by timetable first.
Can I do Machu Picchu in one day from Cusco?
Yes, with a late-morning or midday entry, an early train and a late train back. It makes a very long day of 12 to 16 hours. We recommend one night in Aguas Calientes for an early entry and a margin for delays.
How much luggage can I take on the train to Machu Picchu?
PeruRail allows one bag or backpack per person of up to 8 kg and 157 cm in total size. Inca Rail has a similar small-bag rule. Leave your suitcase at your Cusco hotel.
Can I walk from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu?
Yes. A steep stone stairway goes from the bridge below town to the entrance in about 1.5 hours. Many people take the bus up and walk down, which takes about an hour.
Official sources: PeruRail: luggage allowed on board the trains to Machu Picchu · PeruRail: official train timetables between Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu · Inca Rail: official train services between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu · Consettur Machupicchu: official bus service between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu · Ministry of Culture of Peru: official Machu Picchu and Inca Trail tickets · Tu Boleto, the Ministry of Culture's official ticket platform for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
