Machu Picchu by Train
Two days, one night at the foot of the citadel
- 2 days
- 2,430 m max
- Easy
- Cusco to Cusco
A mid-morning departure, an afternoon to yourself in Aguas Calientes, then the citadel first thing with a guide. The gentlest way to see Machu Picchu, and the one we recommend to anyone who has just flown in.
Two days is the right length for Machu Picchu, and this is the simplest way to spend them. There is no Sacred Valley circuit bolted onto the front and no pre-dawn start. You leave Cusco mid-morning, you are in Aguas Calientes for mid-afternoon, and the whole of day two belongs to the citadel.
For anyone who has just arrived from the UK, that matters more than it sounds. The flight into Lima, the connection to Cusco and 3,400 m of altitude leave most people flattened for a day or two. A trip that starts at ten in the morning and ends with an early night at 2,040 m is the kindest thing on our list.
If you would rather fill day one with Chinchero, Moray and the salt pans, our Sacred Valley trip does exactly that for a little more. If you would rather have the afternoon off, book this one.
What you'll see
A civilised start
Collection between 10:00 and 10:30, not before dawn. If you landed in Cusco the day before, this is the version of Machu Picchu your body will thank you for.
An afternoon in Aguas Calientes
You arrive with the afternoon free. Wander the market, sit by the river, eat properly, and be in bed early instead of on a train.
The citadel in the morning
Up on the first buses with your guide, two to two and a half hours inside, and the light still low over the terraces.
Time inside, not just a circuit
After the guided tour you stay on, within the rules of your circuit, for as long as it lasts. Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain can be added on top.
Nothing left for you to book
Transfers, both trains, both buses, the hotel, breakfast and the entrance permit are one price and one arrangement.
Machu Picchu by Train: day by day
Times are what we actually aim for, not a best case. Traffic into Cusco and the train timetable move them by a little.
Day 1
Cusco down to Machu Picchu Pueblo
Half a travelling day and half an afternoon off. You lose 1,400 m of altitude on the way, which is the real reason people sleep well in Aguas Calientes.
- 10:00We collect you from your hotel or flat in Cusco. Pick-ups run until about 10:30, and we can collect from the Sacred Valley instead.
- 11:45Ollantaytambo station, after an hour and three quarters through the valley in a private vehicle.
- 13:00The train to Aguas Calientes — an hour and a half beside the Urubamba as the high country gives way to cloud forest.
- 14:30Our representative meets you on the platform and walks you to your hotel. The town is small enough that nothing is far.
- 15:30The afternoon is yours. The artisan market, the cafés along the river, and an early night if you have any sense.
- 19:00Your guide comes to the hotel for a short briefing — your entry time, which bus to be on, and what to bring up with you.
- Meals
- None included
- Night
- 3-star hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo
Day 2
The citadel, then the long way home
An early breakfast, the shuttle up, the guided circuit, and an afternoon of trains and transfers. You are back in Cusco in the evening.
- 06:00Breakfast at the hotel, then your guide walks you to the bus queue.
- 07:00The Consettur shuttle up the switchbacks, about twenty-five minutes to the gate.
- 07:30Guided tour of the citadel, two to two and a half hours across the temples, terraces and ceremonial ground.
- 10:00Free time inside the sanctuary, within the rules of your circuit — or the start of your Huayna Picchu climb if you added one.
- 12:30Shuttle back down, lunch in town at your own choosing, and your bag collected from the hotel.
- 15:30Afternoon train to Ollantaytambo. We confirm the exact departure when your tickets are issued.
- 18:45Private transfer to your hotel in Cusco, or to the Sacred Valley if that is where you are staying.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- Not included — you are back in Cusco
What the price covers
Transfers, both ways
- Pick-up from your hotel or flat in Cusco, or from most addresses in the Sacred Valley
- Private transfer to Ollantaytambo station on day one
- You are met at the station in Machu Picchu Pueblo and walked to your hotel
- Collection from your hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo on day two
- Private transfer from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco, or to the Sacred Valley
Trains and buses
- Return tourist-class train, Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo — Expedition on PeruRail or Voyager on IncaRail
- Return Consettur bus between the town and the citadel gate
The night and the meal
- One night in a 3-star hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Breakfast on day two, before you go up
At the citadel
- Your entrance permit, with the circuit and entry time set by what is available when you book
- English-speaking certified guide for two to two and a half hours inside the sanctuary
- Support from our Cusco office throughout, at any hour
Not included
- Lunch and dinner on day one
- Lunch on day two
- Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain, which need their own permit booked well ahead
- Travel insurance
- Tips, which are genuinely optional
- Anything personal — snacks, drinks, souvenirs, laundry
Machu Picchu by Train: prices and options
Add-ons
- +£60
Huayna Picchu
The peak behind the classic photograph. Permits are limited and go early.
- +£60
Machu Picchu Mountain
Higher and longer than Huayna Picchu, but less of a scramble.
- +£45
Vistadome train, one leg
Panoramic glass roof and table service instead of the standard tourist carriage.
- +£40
Private guide at the citadel
Your own guide inside Machu Picchu rather than a shared group.
As a private trip
Your own guide and vehicle, on your dates. Per person — the more of you there are, the less it costs each.
| Group | Each |
|---|---|
| 2 people | £580 |
| 3 people | £550 |
| 4 people | £530 |
| 5 people | £480 |
| 6 people | £445 |
What to bring
Papers and money
- Your original passport — the same one you booked with
- Your student card, if you are claiming the reduced rate
- Cash in Peruvian soles for lunches and tips
- Any medication you take
The day bag
- A daypack of 25 litres or less, which is the limit inside the sanctuary
- A refillable water bottle
- Snacks for the morning
- A camera and a power bank
Clothes
- A light t-shirt and comfortable walking trousers
- A fleece or warm layer for the evening
- A waterproof jacket or a poncho
- Walking shoes or trainers, and sandals for the hotel
Sun and skin
- High-factor sun cream and a lip balm with SPF
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- A sun hat
- Insect repellent, which you will want in the town
Questions we get asked
How is this different from your Sacred Valley trip?
Both are two days with a night in Aguas Calientes, and both end with a guided morning at the citadel. The difference is day one. This trip leaves Cusco at ten and gives you a free afternoon in Machu Picchu Pueblo. The Sacred Valley version leaves at half past six and spends the day at Chinchero, Moray, the Maras salt pans and Ollantaytambo before the train. Same ending, very different first day, and the Sacred Valley one costs more because of it.
Which circuit will I be on?
Whichever is available when we book you, which is an honest answer rather than a comfortable one. The Ministry of Culture caps permits per circuit per day and releases them on its own schedule. We tell you the circuit and entry time as soon as they are confirmed, and if you have a strong preference — Circuit 2 is the most complete — say so early, because that is the only thing that improves your odds.
Can I climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain?
Yes, but the permit is separate, limited and has to be reserved well in advance. Huayna Picchu is the steep peak directly behind the citadel in every photograph, with exposed steps and a scramble near the top. Machu Picchu Mountain is higher and takes longer, but the path is broader and less alarming. Tell us which you want when you enquire and we will check availability for your date before you commit.
Is this suitable for children or for older travellers?
Yes, more so than any other version. Almost all the distance is covered by train and bus, the day starts at a reasonable hour, and the only real walking is inside the citadel on stone paths and steps. Normal mobility is enough.
How much luggage can I take?
The train companies allow one bag of up to 8 kg per passenger, which is plenty for one night. Leave your main case at your hotel in Cusco — every hotel we work with stores it at no charge. Inside the sanctuary itself, bags over 25 litres are not allowed in.
Is hotel collection really included from the Sacred Valley too?
Yes, from Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Pisac and most addresses in between, and from flats as well as hotels. It also shortens your day one considerably, since you are already close to the station.
Is there a reduced rate for students or children?
Yes. Under-18s and university students pay about £20 less per person. The student rate needs a physical plastic card showing your university, your name, your photograph and an expiry date valid on the day you visit — digital cards and ISIC cards are not accepted, and you must be under 25. Send us a photograph of it when you enquire.
When is the best time to come?
May to September is the dry season and gives the clearest skies, which is also why it is the busiest and why permits go months ahead. April and October are the value in the middle — fewer people, a reasonable chance of clear mornings, and dates that are still obtainable a few weeks out. December to March is the wet season, when the citadel is emptier and greener and the rain is a genuine feature of the day.
What is included for meals?
Breakfast on day two, and that is all. It is deliberate — Aguas Calientes has more restaurants than it has anything else, the prices are reasonable, and forcing a set menu on you would make the trip worse and more expensive at once.
Ask us about Machu Picchu by Train
Tell us your dates and we'll come back with availability, the circuit we'd recommend, and a firm price. No deposit to ask, and we answer within one working day.