Machu Picchu stands as one of the most challenging destinations to reach among the New Seven Wonders of the World. The journey can be summarized as: Lima✈️Cusco Airport🚗Cusco Station🚌Ollantaytambo🚂Aguas Calientes🚌Machu Picchu.
Here’s a detailed guide to each leg of the trip, along with some potential pitfalls to watch out for🕳️‼️
👉✈️Arrival in Cusco
Cusco sits at an elevation of 3,400 meters, making it a high-altitude city. Upon landing, take it easy and move slowly. When using the restroom, squat and stand up gradually to avoid altitude sickness. Also, don’t forget to apply sunscreen; the UV rays here are intense.
👉🚌Taking the bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo
We opted for a combined bus and train ticket from PeruRail, which requires a taxi ride from the airport to Estacion de Wanchaq (Figure 2) to catch the bus. This location doubles as both a train station and a bus terminal. The bus will take you to Ollantaytambo, where you’ll transfer to the train.
Make sure to use the restroom before boarding, as there are no stops during the two-hour journey.
ℹ️If you have any questions about the bus, head to the information desk at the airport (Figure 3). Ensure you know exactly where to board the bus before you depart.
👉🚂Transferring to the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
After disembarking the bus, you’ll find a luggage storage area where you can leave your large bags (Figure 4). The storage is open until 9 PM daily, and you must retrieve your luggage before 9 PM on the day of retrieval. Each person is allowed one piece of carry-on luggage🧳, similar in size to cabin luggage. Slightly overweight luggage is usually not a problem, as no one checks the weight.
🚻The restrooms near the luggage storage require a fee, but just a few steps away inside the train station, you’ll find free restrooms!☕️There’s also a proper restaurant in the train station where you can grab a hygienic lunch during the transfer.
🚂We chose the panoramic Vistadome Observatory carriage, which features a transparent glass ceiling (Figure 5). The train provides snacks and drinks, and during the journey, passengers are invited to the dining car for a cultural performance.
⚠️Before boarding the train, you must exchange your confirmation slip for a boarding pass; the confirmation slip alone won’t work! The boarding pass has two QR codes and the words “boarding pass” on it, while the confirmation slip only has one QR code! (This applies for the return trip as well!)
🤷Additionally, trains often experience delays, even if the station screen shows everything is on schedule!
👉🚌Taking the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
The place to buy tickets is called Consettur Bus Ticket, and right next to it is where you queue to board the bus. If you arrive in Aguas Calientes a day early, it’s highly recommended to purchase your bus ticket in advance so you can go straight to the queue the next day.
⚠️: Don’t forget to bring your passport to buy the bus ticket!
