Getting to Machu Picchu by Rail or Trail

Are you preparing to make a journey through the Sacred Valley of Peru to arrive at one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Americas? It’s a well-worn tourist path for sure, but getting to Machu Picchu isn’t as simple as visiting many of the other great wonders of the world. You’ll need to trek for days or take a train.

Until explorer and Princeton professor Hiram Bingham walked the grounds of Machu Picchu as the first foreigner ever in 1911, the “lost city of the Incas” truly was lost. This hidden city didn’t turn out to be any kind of Inca capital filled with gold, merely a citadel that was too remote for the conquistadors to find it. (Vilcabamba was actually the last capital of the Incas before they fell.)

Still, it was a place full of awe-inspiring ancient buildings that the locals knew about but nobody else did. Set high on a mountain and requiring a grueling hike to get to, it holds many secrets that will probably never be revealed and mysteries that can’t be solved without a time machine.

The place still inspires wonder and awe today, the setting now burned into our mind by millions of Instagram photos. (Half of them from the exact same spot at the Sun Gate.) The government keeps raising the daily cap on visitors while finding a way to spread them out during the day, each year or two bringing more rules that attempt to straddle the line between milking the cash cow and keeping the UNESCO World Heritage monitors at bay.

This fragile collection of ruins was never meant to host such massive crowds—the limit was just 1,250 per day when I first visited in the early 2000s—so many of the admission price rises and increased visitor rules over years are an attempt to avoid turning people away, while still protecting the structures.

This is not a visit where you just wing it without doing any research unless a tour company is taking care of all the details. Plan ahead on getting advance tickets and decide on booking your route to get there, the further ahead the better.

This choice of how you’ll arrive shapes your experience, energy, and how much time and money you spend. Some travelers face time pressure. Others worry about altitude sickness or whether they’re in good enough shape for long walks. The journey can be as interesting as the destination. The path to Machu Picchu isn’t just about arrival—it’s also about what happens on the way.

Machu Picchu by Train

A train journey to Machu Picchu offers speed, comfort, and a lot less planning effort than the hiking options. It suits travelers with limited time or those who prefer easier logistics. Machu Picchu rail tours from Cusco and Ollantaytambo train stations provide direct access with reliable departures. Families, older adults, or people with mobility needs may prefer the train.

The train ride is smooth, calm, and easy on the body. It welcomes travelers of all ages and fitness levels. You can sit back and enjoy the views with no strain or effort. You also have several choices of departures since there’s a train from the Cusco area or from several spots in the Sacred Valley.

You can book a “vistadome” kind of train that has a glass panel roof for taking in the view. Even on the cheapest option, the train offers large windows and open views of the Andes. You’ll see rivers, cloud forests, and farmland glide past your seat. It’s not as scenic as a hike, but you do see some of the Peruvian countryside. This is the one I was on below, but you can go up a class to get meal service and fewer passengers per car.

There’s one very expensive option, the Hiram Bingham Train named after the explorer. It’s run by the same company as Belmond Hotels, formerly Orient-Express, a division of the world’s largest luxury goods company LVMH. If your rich uncle is paying, enjoy the drinks, food, and entertainment: they’re included in the $1,140 round-trip price tag.

Trains to Machu Picchu technically run all year, but it’s not uncommon for service to get halted in the rainy season and sometimes the tracks have been hit by mudslides or floods and require weeks of repairs. Unless there’s absolutely no other choice, it’s best to avoid a trip to Machu Picchu in the months of January through March.

Hiking to Machu Picchu

Getting to Machu Picchu by foot lets you see the countryside at a slow pace instead of seeing it whiz by. Trekking appeals more to adventure seekers, backpackers, and nature lovers, which was definitely my camp when I set out on the Inca Trail in my younger days. Solo travelers often enjoy the guided groups that come with hikes and couples enjoy the chance to dine with other travelers for days. Each route offers distinct rewards based on your travel pace and physical condition.

Whether taking the famous Inca Trail or the less traveled Salkantay trek (compare the Peru treks here), expect some strenuous days of steep hiking at times and some long downhills that can test your joints. Physical readiness is key, especially with altitude changes and rugged paths. The trek demands stamina and the right gear, plus research into tour companies.

In theory you can do the Salkantay route on your own, but that requires a lot more planning and carrying a lot more gear. The Inca Trail has a cap on daily trekkers and it requires permits and early booking. You must book with an approved tour company and you’ll likely want to pay extra to have a porter carry your large pack so you can just hike with essentials and a water bottle.

Train travel keeps you comfortable but distant from daily life in the region. You pass through towns and villages without much interaction. Most of the focus stays on sightseeing, and maybe live music onboard. The various trekking routes, especially the Salkantay and Lares trek, provide more insight into local life in the Andes. The guides, cooks, and porters will be from nearby communities. These teams often share stories, traditions, music, and knowledge of the land. Some routes stop in small villages where locals sell food or crafts.

You may learn about Quechua customs, farming practices, clothing shows, native ingredients, and regional beliefs. The experience becomes more than physical—it connects you to history and people.

Some of my best photos and best memories have come out of these treks in the mountains of Peru. I’ve learned enough to write in-depth culture articles for magazines from those trips, something that wouldn’t have been possible just riding the rails with other tourists. Here’s me in my younger days with my group at Dead Woman’s Pass, 4,215 meters:

Put some time into planning though to get the most out of your trip. The dry season, from May to September, offers the best weather for trekking. Trails stay open and dry, making conditions safer and more comfortable. Clear skies also give better mountain views.

Even at the optimal times though, make sure you’ve got the right clothing for the multi-day trek, especially layers for cool evenings, a sun hat, good socks, and broken-in hiking shoes or boots. You can buy altitude sickness pills in Cusco though if you think you’ll need them and there will be plenty of coca tea on the trail.

The rainy season, from November to March, brings risks. Landslides, muddy paths, and trail closures can disrupt plans. The Inca Trail closes each February for maintenance. This includes the last “taste of the Inca Trail” part that some people book to just arrive at the Sun Gate first thing in the morning.

Can You Get to the Citadel by Bus?

No, you cannot take a bus to Machu Picchu, no matter what any travel agent in Cusco may tell you. Yes, you can get most of the way there by bus, but you’ll still need to walk for miles or take a train for the final stretch.

The easiest option is to take a bus to Ollantaytambo because that’s the shortest official train ride. It’s a pleasant ride that’s not too long and you pull right into Aguas Calientes, sometimes called Machu Picchu Town. Ollantaytambo is worth the visit too.

There is an unofficial train ride departing from near the hydroelectric station down the tracks, which can be reached by bus, but this backpacker hack is not very convenient and it’s not one that the government is very keen on you taking advantage of (it’s a train for local workers really), so you won’t easily find a published timetable that’s correct.

Remember that it’s not an either/or choice on whether to hike or take the train for getting to Machu Picchu. Most of the trekkers end up leaving Aguas Calientes on the train after walking to get there. They take a train to the closest stop and then explore from there (enabling bus or car hire options) or they head all the way back to Cusco.

For more details on planning your trip, see this post: How much does a Machu Picchu trip cost?

Article and photos by Tim Leffel, author of The World’s Cheapest Destinations and a traveler who has completed the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trail, and the Lares Trek in Peru. All photos by Leffel except the exterior train photo, courtesy of Inca Rail.