Planning guide
Train to Machu Picchu: Operators, Stations, Schedules
Written and reviewed by the Highland Adventures trip specialist team · Updated
No road reaches Machupicchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), the town below the citadel. Almost every visitor arrives by train, from Cusco or from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.
Your train ticket gets you to town only. You still need a separate Machu Picchu entry ticket, and a bus or a walk up to the citadel.
Who runs the trains
- The railway to Machu Picchu belongs to the state and is run under concession by Ferrocarril Transandino, which orders every suspension and restart. OSITRAN, Peru's transport infrastructure regulator, supervises the concession. (OSITRAN concession sheet, Apr 2026; PeruRail notices, verified )
- Two companies carry passengers to Machu Picchu. PeruRail runs the Expedition, Vistadome and Vistadome Observatory trains to Machu Picchu, plus the luxury Hiram Bingham, A Belmond Train. (PeruRail luggage page, Oct 2026, verified ) Inca Rail runs The Voyager, The 360, The First Class and The Private. (Inca Rail website, verified )
- PeruRail also lists a local train (Tren Local) that runs only on the Hidroelectrica to Machupicchu section. (PeruRail notice, Nov 2, 2026, verified )
Where trains leave from
- In Cusco, PeruRail uses Poroy station, about 20 minutes from the center at 11,480 ft (3,499 m), and San Pedro station. From Wanchaq station, 5 minutes from the historic center, a bus takes you to the Sacred Valley to board the train (the bimodal service). (PeruRail, Poroy station, Feb 2026; PeruRail travel tips, Apr 2026; PeruRail bimodal service, Aug 2026, verified )
- In the Sacred Valley, trains board at Ollantaytambo. Since September 1, 2025, some PeruRail bus plus train services transfer to the train at Pachar instead, and one Vistadome Observatory service at Urubamba. (PeruRail travel tips, Apr 2026; PeruRail notice, Aug 29, 2025, verified ) The Hiram Bingham departs from Poroy station in Cusco, Rio Sagrado station in Urubamba or Pachar station in the Sacred Valley. (Belmond Hiram Bingham page, verified )
- Inca Rail departs from Cusco and from Ollantaytambo station, and also sells a bimodal service: a bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, then the train. (Inca Rail help center, verified )
- Hidroelectrica station sits at 6,200 ft (1,890 m). (PeruRail Hidroelectrica page, Jul 2026, verified ) It is the back-door station at the end of the road via Santa Teresa, covered in how to get to Machu Picchu.
Rainy season: bus plus train from Cusco
From January to April, PeruRail runs every departure to and from Cusco as bus plus train: a bus from Wanchaq station to Ollantaytambo or Pachar, then the train. Poroy station usually closes in those months because of the weather. (PeruRail bimodal service, Aug 2026; PeruRail, Poroy station, Feb 2026, verified )
The bus plus train ticket takes you to Machupicchu Pueblo only, not up to the citadel. (PeruRail bimodal service, Aug 2026, verified )
How long it takes
- Ollantaytambo to Machupicchu Pueblo takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, depending on the train. Poroy (Cusco) to Machupicchu Pueblo takes about 3 hours 30 minutes, and Wanchaq (Cusco) by bus plus train about 4 to 4.5 hours. (PeruRail timetable, Aug 2026; PeruRail, Poroy station, Feb 2026, verified )
- Hidroelectrica to Machupicchu Pueblo takes 30 to 45 minutes by train, or about 2 hours 30 minutes on foot along the tracks. (PeruRail Hidroelectrica page, Jul 2026; PeruRail timetable, Aug 2026, verified )
- From town, the bus up to the citadel takes about 30 minutes. Who runs it and where to buy are in the Machu Picchu bus guide.
- Timings come from PeruRail's 2026 timetable and change by season. Confirm yours on your ticket.
Boarding and luggage
- PeruRail asks for a valid passport or DNI and arrival 30 minutes before boarding. Inca Rail staff check your ID or passport and ticket at check-in, and Inca Rail suggests arriving 30 to 60 minutes before departure. (PeruRail travel tips, Apr 2026; Inca Rail help center, verified )
- On PeruRail's Machu Picchu trains you may carry one backpack up to 17 lb (8 kg) or one piece of hand luggage up to 26 lb (12 kg). PeruRail offers free storage for excess luggage. (PeruRail luggage page, Oct 2026, verified )
- Inca Rail allows one piece of hand luggage up to 17 lb (8 kg) and 46 linear in (118 cm). There are no luggage racks, and luggage storage is only at the Ollantaytambo ticket office. (Inca Rail luggage policy, verified )
- Inca Trail short-route passengers on PeruRail may carry one bag up to 17 lb (8 kg). (PeruRail luggage page, Oct 2026, verified )
- Plan to leave big suitcases at your Cusco or Sacred Valley hotel. How to use the night in town is in our Aguas Calientes guide.
How far ahead to book
PeruRail opened sales for 2027 travel on September 22, 2026, and Inca Rail is also selling trains for 2027. (PeruRail notice, Sep 2026; Inca Rail terms, verified )
Book your Machu Picchu entry ticket first, then choose a train that reaches town in time for your entry hour. Under Ministerial Resolution 334-2026-MC (September 11, 2026), a Machu Picchu entry ticket is valid only for its date, time, circuit and holder. (RM 334-2026-MC, verified )
Your train ticket is not an entry ticket
Machu Picchu entry tickets are bought from Peru's Ministry of Culture, separately from the train, and issued in the buyer's name with a passport or DNI. Inca Rail includes entry only in packages, subject to confirmation by the Ministry of Culture. (PeruRail entry tickets page, Oct 2026; Inca Rail terms, verified ) How entry tickets, circuits and routes fit together is in Machu Picchu tickets, circuits and routes.
Current changes (checked November 4, 2026)
- From October 8 to December 31, 2026, bus plus train passengers on one PeruRail return train from Machu Picchu get off at Poroy and finish by bus to Wanchaq, and on some return trains passengers may get off at Pachar instead of Ollantaytambo. (PeruRail notice, Oct 7, 2026, verified ) Check the stop printed on your ticket.
- A rockslide at Puente Ruinas suspended the Machupicchu to Hidroelectrica section on November 2, 2026. PeruRail announced on November 3 that, with Ferrocarril Transandino's authorization, regular service would resume from November 4, 2026, with the local train and PeruRail Expedition on their usual schedules. (PeruRail notice, Nov 2, 2026; PeruRail notice, Nov 3, 2026, verified )
- If your train is suspended or cancelled, see when the train to Machu Picchu is cancelled.
Questions travelers ask
Is there a road to Aguas Calientes?
No road for regular traffic. The only alternative to the train is the road via Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica, then the train or a walk along the tracks.
Which is better, PeruRail or Inca Rail?
Both run on the same track with similar journey times. Pick by departure time and service.
Does the train go to the citadel?
No. It stops in Machupicchu Pueblo. The citadel is about 30 minutes up by bus, or a steep walk uphill.
Can I take the train from Cusco in the rainy season?
Yes. From January to April, PeruRail runs Cusco departures as bus plus train from Wanchaq station.
Does the train ticket include Machu Picchu entry?
No. Entry tickets come from the Ministry of Culture, separately.
Where to go from here
- How to get to Machu Picchu
Every route from Cusco compared: train, treks, and the road to Hidroelectrica.
- The Machu Picchu bus
Who runs the bus up from town, where to buy, and what happens when the road closes.
- When the train is cancelled
What happens to your train ticket, entry ticket and permit, and how to check service status.
- Aguas Calientes guide
The town at the end of the line, and how to use the night before.
- How Machu Picchu access works
Tickets, circuits, add-ons, and permits in one verified overview.
- Custom Peru Trip Planner
A feasibility read for your month and group, no email required.