The famous and mysterious Incan ruins of Machu Picchu are famed for being hidden away on a long forgotten mountain, reachable only by multi-day treks across the Peruvian Andes. But is that really still true in the modern world? The answer may surprise you. Machu Picchu is actually very easy to reach without trekking and barely any walking at all. If hiking over multiple days at high altitude doesn’t sound fun to you, rule out the Inca Trail and Salkantay trek and read this guide instead to discover how to travel to Machu Picchu without hiking!
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- How to get to Cusco, Peru
- How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco
- How to get from the train station to Machu Picchu
- More Questions on how to get to Machu Picchu
- What is the cheapest way to travel to Machu Picchu?
- Do you need to acclimatise to the altitude before visiting Machu Picchu?
- Can you walk up Machu Picchu in a day?
- How to buy entrance tickets to Machu Picchu?
- How far in advance do you need to book Machu Picchu tickets?
- What is the best time of year to visit Machu Picchu?
How to get to Cusco, Peru
Your easiest starting point is likely to be Cusco. This is the nearest city to Machu Picchu and is a tourist hotspot in itself with lots of museums and its very own Inca ruins to explore. You can also explore the area via lots of day trips so it’s a great city to base yourself in.
How to Get to Cusco via International Flights
If you are travelling in from outside of South America, you will likely have to fly into a larger hub airport such as Lima, the capital of Peru or Bogota, Columbia and catch a connecting flight from there.
How to Get to Cusco via Bus
If you are travelling from within Peru, you can get short, domestic flights from Lima and Arequipa to Cusco. Alternatively, you can travel on land via bus or train. There are several options for overnight buses from Arequipa and Puno to Cusco. I’d recommend checking out PeruHop if you’re looking to travel to a few places in Peru.
How to Get to Cusco via Train
For more luxurious travel options, you can hop aboard PeruRail’s Andean Explorer trains from Arequipa or Peru. This is by far the most expensive and slowest option – this journey takes several days but is an experience in itself!
How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco
From Cusco, you can visit Machu Picchu in a day trip or stay overnight in the town of Aguas Calientes which is at the bottom of the hill. Either way, your transport options are bus or train, or a combination of both.
Getting the bus from Cusco to Machu Picchu
There are bus options from Cusco to Machu Picchu but the timings are limited and they are no cheaper than the trains. The buses, also operated by PeruRail, offer services from the centre of the historic old town of Cusco to Aguas Calientes around 05:00 and 16:30. The journey takes just over 4 hours. Click here to compare bus prices for your dates.Â
Getting the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu
There are several different types of train you can get, they vary in terms of luxury and views as some have glass ceilings. We took the PeruRail Expedition train – the cheapest – but it was still fairly spacious and had skylights. The trains don’t all depart from the centre of Cusco and some involve a bus journey that will be included in the ticket – so double check the station name when booking.
Be sure to book your trains and Machu Picchu tickets a few weeks, if not months, in advance to ensure you get the time slots you want – especially if you plan to visit in a single day trip.Â
Train Stations near Cusco
- Poroy is a 30 minute taxi ride away from Cusco. From there the train is approximately 3.5 hours.
- Wanchaq is closer to the centre of Cusco but the journey from Wanchaq includes a 2 hour bus to Ollantaytambo then a 2 hour train to Machu Picchu.
- San Pedro is in the centre of Cusco’s old town (10 minute walk from the main square) but there are fewer trains from there. From there the trains are approximately 4.5 hours to Machu Picchu
Types of Train to Machu Picchu
There are different types or classes of trains available. Each offers a slightly different level of visibility and comfort. Your options from Cusco are:
| Train | Price (USD) | Stations | Details |
| Expedition | $80 – 110 | Wanchaq (with bus), San Pedro, Poroy | Comfy seats, skylights |
| Vistadome | $95 – 130 | Wanchaq (with bus), San Pedro, Poroy | Comfy seats, skylights. Includes music, dances and traditional snacks. |
| Vistadome Observatory | $160-170 | Wanchaq (with bus), San Pedro, Poroy | More spacious, larger windows. Includes music, dances and traditional snacks. |
| Hiram Bingham | Around $600 | Poroy | Luxurious 1920s carriages. Cocktails, and gourmet meal options. Includes your ticket to Machu Picchu. |
Peru Travel Posters
How to get from the train station to Machu Picchu
Once you have arrived in the small town of Aguas Calientes, your final hurdle is reaching the top of the hill to enter Machu Picchu. You have two options here.
Firstly, you can walk up the hill. That’s what we did. It was very steep but it was rewarding! If you’re going to hike, follow the river round to Camino peatonal a Machu Picchu – this is the start of the trail. On the map it looks like a long winding road, this is actually the route the bus goes. There are steps and paths that shortcut through the roads so your hiking trail will be more direct. Be sure to bring plenty of water!
The second, much quicker option is to get the bus. The buses depart regularly and take around 30 minutes to travel up the winding mountain path. Click here to check times and prices for bus tickets.
More Questions on how to get to Machu Picchu
What is the cheapest way to travel to Machu Picchu?
The cheapest way to reach Machu Picchu is probably the combination that we did. The PeruRail Expedition train from Cusco then the 1.5 hour hike to the top. You might think that trekking would work out cheaper, but because of the limited permits and experience guides required, the multi-day hikes cost hundreds of dollars per person.
Do you need to acclimatise to the altitude before visiting Machu Picchu?
Yes, it is highly recommended to acclimatise to the high altitudes first! Altitude sickness can occur at heights above 2,500 metres above sea level (8,202 feet). Machu Picchu is 2,430 metres up and Cusco is 3,399 metres. The symptoms of altitude sickness are headaches, vomiting, dizziness and tiredness. It’s caused by the lower oxygen levels.
Staying hydrated, taking altitude sickness medication or coca tea and travelling more slowly to higher altitudes can help. I recommend spending a few days in Cusco before heading to Machu Picchu just to make sure you’re okay.
If you are travelling to Machu Picchu after spending a few days in other high altitude cities such as Arequipa (2,335m), La Paz (3,640m), Quito (2,850m) or Bogota (2,625m) then you’ll likely not notice it. For context, London is 24 metres above sea level and New York City is 10 metres.
Can you walk up Machu Picchu in a day?
Yes! From the town of Aguas Calientes, you can walk up to the top of Machu Picchu in under 2 hours. This is a steep uphill hike with lots of stairs. Give yourself plenty of time to do this hike and bring water with you!
How to buy entrance tickets to Machu Picchu?
Some tours include entrance but if you are taking public transport, its easy to book your entrance tickets yourself. Click here for the official Machu Picchu ticket website. You will need to select which circuit you want to do before you book. Different routes might have better availability than others so if one circuit is fully booked on your chosen date, try another.
How far in advance do you need to book Machu Picchu tickets?
If you are getting public transport to Machu Picchu, you don’t need to book your tickets as far in advance as you would if you were doing the Inca Trail or Salkantay Trek. This is because there are limited spaces on the hiking trails. I’d still recommend booking train tickets and Machu Picchu tickets with as much notice as you can to ensure you get the times and dates you want. We booked our train and entrance tickets around one month in advance but book earlier if you can – we may have got lucky!
What is the best time of year to visit Machu Picchu?
May to October is the dry season around Machu Picchu. It is usually busiest around June, July and August so I’d recommend May, September and October are best times to visit.