Peru has several train services of interest to visitors, including the famous train to Machu Picchu. There are two separate networks:
• The southern network including Cusco to Machu Picchu & Cusco to Puno (on Lake Titicaca). Passenger trains are run by a western company called PeruRail (www.perurail.com), part of the Venice Simplon Orient Express group. Two other private companies, www.machupicchutrain.com & www.incarail.com also offer competing shuttle trains to Machu Picchu, starting from Ollantaytambo which is further up the valley towards the Inca city.
• The northern network links Lima with Huancayo.
The train to Machu Picchu
Unless you plan to hike up the Sacred Valley on foot along the Inca Trail, you are going to need to take a train to reach the famous Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. There are three possible starting points, namely Poroy, which is 13 km (8 miles) from Cusco, Ollantaytambo which is in the Sacred Valley itself, 89 km (56 miles) from Cusco, and there’s also one train a day from Urubamba. There are three competing train companies, PeruRail is the main one, but there are two smaller companies called Machu Picchu Train and Inca Rail. PeruRail operates a range of different train classes to suit different budgets from the cheap and cheerful ‘Expedition’ through the mid-range ‘Vistadome’ to the super-deluxe ‘Hirham Bingham’.
Option 1: Cusco to Machu Picchu with www.perurail.com…
The nicest option is to catch the train to Machu Picchu all the way from Cusco, the big city where most visitors arrive. Sadly, trains no longer depart from the historic main station in Cusco itself. All of the tourist trains leave from Poroy station, a local stop about 13 kilometres (8 miles) west of Cuzco. You take the train almost all the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu but this means you miss out on the scenic but slow zig-zag train ride up Picchu Hill between Cuzco & Poroy.
So how do you get to Poroy? You’ll need to take a bus or taxi from downtown Cusco to Poroy. A 3-seat taxi from Cusco to Poroy costs around 20-30 soles ($6-$9) per taxi, and takes around 20 minutes. There is also a local bus for 6 soles per person.
Which train company to choose? The trains from Poroy to Machu Picchu are all run by www.perurail.com, which is part of the Venice Simplon Orient Express group. PeruRail took over operation of this network from the Peruvian railway company ENAFER in 1999. If you can’t get a seat on the three daily direct trains from Poroy, there are additional shuttle trains from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, run by a choice of three different companies.
So which train to choose? PeruRail run four different trains from Poroy to Machu Picchu every day, aimed at different budgets and none are offered at an interline discount. One of these trains is for locals only and foreigners are not allowed on it, so we won’t even cover it in this article.
• The Hiram Bingham. This is the super-deluxe option and the most expensive, from around $334 each way per person, including gourmet brunch on the way out and dinner on the way back, a selection of Peruvian wine, cocktails, entertainment, bus connections & entrance to the Machu Picchu citadel plus guided tour. A real luxury experience!
• The Vistadome. This is the mid-range option, costing around $71 per person including complimentary snacks & non-alcoholic drinks served at your seat. It’s a series of diesel railcars with panoramic windows as its name suggests.
• The Expedition (formerly the Backpacker). This is the budget option, from around $48 each way per person. It has basic but reasonably comfortable seating with panoramic windows and a buffet car where you can buy non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. In many ways it’s not really that different from the Vistadome.
Times for trains to and from Machu Picchu are as follows and subject to change:
Cusco – Machu Picchu
Train: Vistadome Expedition Hiram Bingham
Cusco depart: (by taxi) (by taxi) (by taxi)
Poroy (13km west of Cusco) depart: 06:53 07:42 09:10
Ollantaytambo arrive/depart: 08:40 09:35 11:10
Machu Picchu arrive: 10:38 10:51 13:09
Machu Picchu – Cusco
Train: Vistadome Expedition Hiram Bingham
Machu Picchu depart: 16:00 17:03 18:07
Ollantaytambo arrive/depart: 17:57 19:08 20:06
Poroy (13km west of Cusco) arrive: 19:42 21:01 21:59
Cusco arrive: (by taxi) (by taxi) (by taxi)
Option 2
If you can’t get a ticket for one of the PeruRail trains starting direct from Cusco (or rather, from Poroy just 8 miles away), don’t worry, there are additional shuttle trains from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, run by a choice of three different private companies. Ollantaytambo is 89 km (56 miles) from Cusco, 1 hour 40 minutes by taxi, so a longer bus or taxi ride, shorter train ride. There’s also one train a day from Urubamba.
• PeruRail service: www.perurail.com operates shuttle trains from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu at intervals through the day. Some of these shuttle trains are ‘Vistadome’ and some the cheaper ‘Expedition’. Fares vary by date and departure, but Expedition fares start at around $35, Vistadome fares at around $54. Check times and fares and book online at www.perurail.com.
Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu departures at 06:10, 07:05, 07:45, 08:00, 08:53, 10:32, 12:58, 13:27, 15:37, 19:00, 21:00. Journey time 1 hour 30 minutes.
Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo departures at 05:35, 08:53, 10:55, 13:37, 14:55, 15:48, 16:22, 17:27, 18:10, 18:45, 21:30. Journey time 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Machu Picchu Trains: www.machupicchutrain.com runs three trains a day, leaving Ollantaytambo at 07:20, 11:48 & 12:36, returning from Machu Picchu at 10:32, 16:12, 19:15. Journey time around 1 hour 30 minutes, fare $59 each way. Check times and fares on their website.
• Inca Rail: www.incarail.com runs three trains a day, leaving Ollantaytambo at 06:40, 11:35 and 16:36, returning from Machu Picchu at 08:30, 14:02 and 19:00. Journey time around 1 hour 30 minutes, fare $50 each way. Check times and fares on their website.
• Daily PeruRail train from Urubamba: www.perurail.com also run one train from Urubamba to Machu Picchu at 06:50, journey time 2 hours 35 minutes, returning from Machu Picchu to Urubamba at 15:48.
First, buy your entry tickets to Machu Picchu Inca ruins at www.machupicchu.gob.pe
These can be bought in advance online at www.machupicchu.gob.pe or in Cusco at the National Culture Institute (INC) at Avenida La Cultura 238, Condominio Huascar (in front of the Universitario Stadium). Since July 2011, visitor numbers have been limited to 2,500 per day, about the expected number on a normal day in a busy month such as June, but less than the numbers previously visiting in the busiest peak months of July and August, so book ahead at www.machupicchu.gob.pe. If you book in advance at www.machupicchu.gob.pe (recommended), just remember you’ll still have to exchange the printout for an actual ticket at the office at either Cusco or Aguas Calientes. For lunch at Machu Picchu, you can eat lunch at The Sanctuary, at around US$33 it’s expensive but saves you an hour travelling to Aguas Calientes and back for lunch in the town.
Then buy your train tickets online at www.perurail.com
You can buy tickets for all three tourist trains from Poroy to Machu Picchu online at www.perurail.com. Train tickets can also be bought from Perurail offices at Lima Airport on level 2 between gates 13 & 14, or in Cusco at Portal de Carnes 214, Plaza de Armas, Cusco, call (084) 260809 or (084) 260792. Tickets for the alternative MachuPicchuTrain service from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu can be bought at www.machupicchutrain.com, and for the Inca Rail trains at www.incarail.com.
Where is the station at Machu Picchu? How do you get to the Inca ruins?
The station referred to as ‘Machu Picchu’ is in fact located in the local town of Aguas Calientes, approximately 8 km (5 miles) from the ruined Inca city of Machu Picchu. A bus link runs every 30 minutes from the station to the ruins costing US$10 return, payable in either US$ or local Peruvian currency. To find out more about the Inca ruins, see www.peru-machu-picchu.com or www.machupicchu.org.
What’s the journey like?
The Vistadome & Backpacker trains (the latter now renamed Expedition) used to leave from Cusco’s main San Pedro station on the Avenida Sol and spent half an hour climbing a series of Switchbacks or zig-zags up the mountainside to gain height. Unfortunately, all trains now start from Poroy (the Hirham Bingham always started here), and so miss this interesting section. After Poroy the train descends into the Sacred Valley and the Andean foothills, along the Urubamba river. You’ll pass colourful villages and herds of llamas. Cusco to Machu Picchu is 107 km (67 miles), Poroy to Machu Picchu is 86km (54 miles). The best views are on the left hand side of the train going up to Machu Picchu and on the right hand side returning, as the train follows the river and this is the side which the river is on, with the odd Inca ruin or terrace visible as the train runs along the Sacred Valley. PeruRail won’t assign seats on a particular side, but you can easily move over if there are empty seats after departure.
Other Peru Train Options
PeruRail also run an excellent train called the Andean Explorer from Cusco to Puno on Lake Titicaca. It runs 3 times a week and covers 385 km in a 10-hour scenic daytime journey from $220 per person, three-course lunch and afternoon tea included. This luxurious train has a dining-car, lounge and open-air observation car at the rear. It gets great reviews from travellers, a superb journey that knocks the spots off a flight or bus journey, it’s well worth the extra cost to take the train.
Cusco ► Puno
Puno ► Cusco
Andean Explorer Mon, Wed, Sat Andean Explorer Mon, Wed, Sat
Cusco (Wanchaq station) depart: 08:00 Puno depart: 08:00
La Raya arrive: 12:30 La Raya arrive: 12:45
La Raya depart: 12:50 La Raya depart: 13:00
Puno arrive: 18:00 Cusco (Wanchaq station) arrive: 18:00
The Andean Explorer may also run on Fridays from April to October. Cusco to Puno is 385 km (241 miles).
Fares: From $220 per person including lunch and afternoon tea.
How to buy tickets: www.perurail.com for times, fares and online booking.
Lima to Huancayo
The railway between Peru’s capital Lima and Huancayo was once the highest railway in the world, until the Chinese built the line to Lhasa in Tibet. The air-conditioned Tren de Sierra links Lima & Huancayo once or twice a month, with touristico (1st) class & clasico (2nd) class & bar car. The Touristico fare is around 160-200 Soles (£32-£40) and includes breakfast and complimentary tea, coffee, water and soft drinks. Classico fares start at 100 Soles £20. You can check departure dates & book tickets online at www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe. In Lima, the train departs from Desamparados or Monserrate stations. Bear in mind that the high altitude doesn’t suit everyone! Twice daily trains also link Huancayo with Huancavelica – or rather should do, it was reported in July 2012 that it hadn’t been running for a year or so.