How to Book Your Epic Trip to Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, the ancient city of the Incas, “lost” for centuries, now welcomes up to 5,000 visitors per day.  The journey to get there involves a series of planes, trains, and automobiles, not to mention more than a few stairs.  The complicated logistics can seem overwhelming!  You may be tempted to take the easy way out and hire a tour agency to arrange everything.  But, if you are a savvy budget traveler, read on to find out how to book this dream trip on your own.

Step 0: Purchase Entry Tickets to Machu Picchu

Entry Ticket Price: 152 – 200 PEN ($39 – $51.50)

Obviously, if you want to go to Machu Picchu, you will need the appropriate entry ticket.  You have probably read that these can sell out months in advance.  That is partially true – some of the tickets do sell out.  However, when we visited in February 2024, it was possible to buy a basic ticket with only a few days notice.  There are many paths to Machu Picchu, and each option comes with a different daily ticket quota. 

We recommend that you do some research, decide which circuit(s) you want to do, and roughly plan out all the transportation to coincide with your ideal dates.  Once you have a tentative travel itinerary, book everything possible in one epic booking session. When I did this, it took me about three hours from start to finish to book all of my tickets.  I estimate that we saved anywhere from 50 – 90% versus working with a travel agency, so the time spent was well worth it!

One final note: make sure you are booking on the official Machu Picchu website!   Peru’s Ministeria de Cultura manages the Machu Picchu site.  They recently updated their ticket sales policies and now sell tickets through TuBoleto.cultura.pe.  Don’t be fooled by imposters; there are websites with very similar domain names. One of these lookalike website maintains a calendar that shows availability of each ticket type. I am linking it here because I found the calendar quite helpful, but the tickets sold on this third-party site are 60% more than the official price.

Step 1: Arrive in Lima, Peru

Machu Picchu is located in Peru, a country on the west side of the continent of South America.  Peru’s capital city, Lima, is also the location of its main airport.  Well, sort of… Jorge Chávez International Airport is actually located in Callao, a port town 6.8 miles northwest of Lima.  Due to traffic, it can take up to an hour by taxi to reach Plaza de Armas, the tourism center of Lima. Callao can be dangerous for tourists and authorities recommend that travelers stay near secured areas, like hotels, and only use registered taxis for transportation.  

For most visitors to Machu Picchu, arriving at Lima is the first step and will require a long international flight.  If you aren’t scheduled to continue on to Cusco the same day, we recommend staying at either Wyndham Costa Del Sol or Holiday Inn.  These internationally-run hotels are three times more expensive than the local Peruvian hostels, but the amenities are worth it: a safe location, a comfortable bed, a normal toilet and shower, free and ample breakfast, and a free airport transfer.

Step 2: Fly to Cusco, Peru

Roundtrip Airfare from Lima to Cusco: $130 – $220

The flight from Lima to Cusco is a short one, only 75 minutes long.  Latam Airlines have a flight scheduled almost every hour of the day.  The majority of passengers on the Lima to Cusco flight are bound for Machu Picchu, and it’s likely that you will see some of them again on your journey!

Disembarking the plane at the Alejandro Valasco Astete Airport in Cusco is a fast process, as the airport is quite small.  After collecting your luggage, head outside where you will find a line of taxis waiting to take you to the train station or your accommodations.  You shouldn’t need to pay more than 20 PEN ($5) to any location within the city of Cusco.

Step 3:  Purchase a BiModal Ticket to Aguas Calientes

BiModal Train/Bus Ticket: $110 – $400

Aguas Calientes is the town below Machu Picchu, and the only way to get there is by train.  While there are a few train stations to choose from, the most popular is Ollantaytambo.  And that means getting from Cusco to Ollantaytambo.  The easiest way to do this is by booking a bimodal ticket.  This ticket includes a bus ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, followed by a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.  Both PeruRail or IncaRail offer this option, so check to see which has the best price and time schedule for you.  Note that IncaRail’s upgraded options include a ticket for the Machu Picchu bus.

If you are planning to spend some days in Ollantaytambo, you can arrange separate transportation there and simply buy the train portion of the journey to Aguas Calientes.   

Tickets are easily bought online.  Be patient with the website, as I found there were sometimes long delays loading each screen on both PeruRail and IncaRail.  Both companies offer several different train car options, with the panoramic “360 degree” being about twice as much. After scrutinizing pictures of all the train cars, we chose the most basic Peru Rail Expedition car. We were very pleased with our choice to save our money as we had great views during our journey!  

Once your payment has been accepted, you will receive an email with further instructions.  You must collect your ticket in person at least 45 minutes prior to your departure time, or you will forfeit your ticket.  You will need to bring the credit card used to purchase your tickets and the passport of each passenger. 

If possible, we recommend that you visit one of the Sales Points a day prior to your journey.   While you are waiting for the ticket agent to process your paperwork, ask for a seat on the left side of the train. (In Spanish: “Por favor, puedo tener un asiento a la izquierda?”). The train tracks lie between the Vilcanota River on the left side and the mountains on the right.  The views on the left are amazing vistas of the rushing river and the towering mountains.  On the right, the cliff wall occasionally comes to within a few feet of the train and all you will see is a blur of greenery.

Step 4:  Bus to Ollantaytambo

A bimodal ticket starts with a bus ride from Wanchaq station in Cusco.  This is slightly confusing, because Wanchaq is a train station.  Trains no longer run between Cusco and Ollantaytambo, so you will be taking a bus or passenger van.  It is just over two hours of driving time.  The bus ride starts by weaving through the hectic, traffic-filled streets of Cusco and into the mountainside beyond.   You pass by a lot of agricultural fields and small villages, around Lake Huaypo, up some harrowing switchbacks, and through the town of Urubamba.  After another thirty minutes of beautiful mountain roads, you will arrive at Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo is a quaint town full of narrow cobblestone streets that wind in every direction.  It is definitely not laid out in the typical Spanish grid pattern!  Streets are so narrow that there are often manned signal stations to help cars pass each other.  The bus will drop you off in a parking lot a short five minute walk from the train station.  You will see bathrooms (for a fee) next to this parking lot, but if you can wait there are nicer options at the train station.

Step 5: Train to Aguas Calientes

You should arrive at the train station in Ollantaytambo with enough time to use the bathroom and grab a bite to eat.  Depending on the train delays, you may have time to explore some of the vendor stalls near the train station as well.  

The seats on the train are assigned, so hopefully you were able to ask for one on the left side for the best views.  Your ticket will have a letter indicating the train car, followed by a number indicating the seat.  If you did get a particularly good seat, don’t be afraid to ask someone to move if you find them sitting in it!  Once the train takes off, passengers will move around to snag any empty seats that are desirable.

The train route follows the Vilcanota River all the way to Aguas Calientes.  The scenery is incredible, with the rushing river below and the towering mountains above.  Occasionally you will see the Inca Trail winding along by the river.  The 90 minute train ride will go by quickly.

Step 6: Bus to Machu Picchu

Bus Ticket: 91.40 PEN ($24)

When you arrive in Aguas Calientes, one of the first things you want to do is find the Consettur office and buy a bus ticket to Machu Picchu.  Tickets cannot be purchased at the bus stop or on the bus. You can purchase a ticket online as well, but you will need to have it verified by a ticket agent before boarding the bus. You can pay in Peruvian soles or credit card at the ticket office.  Don’t forget to bring your passport to the Consetur office, as you are not allowed to buy a ticket without one.

There are no taxis in Aguas Calientes, and few street signs.  The town isn’t very big but it can be confusing to navigate initially.  The train station lies near the junction where the Aguas Calientes River (for which the town is named) joins the Vilcanota River.  There are three pedestrian bridges and one train/pedestrian bridge that cross the Aguas Calientes River.  Most of the tourism area (Consettur office, restaurants, shops, etcs) are located on the north side of the river, across the bridges from the train station.  

The Consetur office is located on a side street off of Alameda de los Presidentes, near the western-most pedestrian-only bridge.  This is the main street that runs along the northern side of the Aguas Calientes River.  You will see a small sign on the side of the Alameda indicating the way.  It is best to find this sign and follow it, because approaching from another direction or trusting Google Maps can leave you walking up more hills than necessary.  (Learn from our mistake!) After you turn down the side street, you will see the Consettur office a few doors down on the left side.  If a train just arrived, you will likely also see a line of other travelers purchasing bus tickets.

Tickets are good for three days from the date of purchase.  You are allowed to board the bus based upon your Machu Picchu entry time.  For example, we had a noon entry time and were allowed to board the bus starting at 11:20 AM.  

The bus station is different from the Consettur office. It is located between the train/pedestrian bridge and the westernmost pedestrian-only bridge, near the bottom of the hill. During the day, a line forms on Alameda de los Presidentes beginning near the middle pedestrian bridge, and passengers are led down to the bus station in groups.  You will see bus station attendants in official vests keeping things somewhat organized.  Don’t stress about the long line too much; during peak times a bus comes every ten minutes.

The bus ride up to Machu Picchu is about 30 minutes.  It is a series of 13 switchbacks on a narrow road.  There are occasional wide spots in the road for the buses going up to pass those going down.  The drivers do this route many times per day and are quite professional about handling their vehicles.  While we read that the bus trip could be nerve racking, I did not feel that way at all.

Step 7: Enter Machu Picchu

Optional Tour Guide: $25+

When you arrive at the bus station at Machu Picchu, you will see a line forming at the entry gate.  You will need to present your Machu Picchu ticket and your passport.  A digital copy of the entry ticket is sufficient, you are not required to have a printed copy.

Several tour guides will approach you as you stand in line to offer their services.  As of this writing, a tour guide is not required to enter Machu Picchu.  Personally, we had read countless articles regarding the history of the Incas and what is known and theorized about Machu Picchu.  We prefer to proceed at our own pace with our own thoughts.  However, a tour guide can be helpful to point out the best viewpoints and make sure you don’t miss anything on the one-way tour of the city.  For instance, we somehow missed the turn that led to the interior of the Temple of the Sun, and by the time we realized it was too late to go back.

Past the entry station, there are stairs.  A LOT of stairs.  You will pass the Inca Guardhouse and get a glimpse of the ancient city.  But you must go behind the guardhouse and up more stairs before you reach the “Postcard Picture” spot.  Take your time with the stairs, especially if you haven’t fully adjusted to the altitude.  If you have hired a tour guide, they will give you several chances to catch your breath as they fill you in on the incredible history of Machu Picchu and the Incan culture.

After getting your fill of the view, you descend about two flights of stairs and enter Machu Picchu through the main gate.  At this point, you are free to explore on your own, but you are not allowed to go backwards along the circuit.  This does not mean that you cannot retrace your steps at all; you can wander around the different sections freely.  But the paths from one section to the next are one way only.  While the tickets do technically have a four-hour time limit, in reality this is not enforced so you are free to linger in this incredible city as much as you wish.

Summary of Steps to Get to Machu Picchu

Whew! That is quite a lot of things to remember. Here’s a quick synopsis of what you will need to book:

Our Advice

It is possible to do a whirlwind tour of Machu Picchu from Lima in only three days.  But, in our opinion, that would be extremely disrespectful to the amazing culture of the Incas and the history of the entire area.  Not to mention the toll that the physical exertion and altitude will take on your body.  Spend some time exploring each of the cities you pass through: