Soon to open... Machu Picchu
Peru For Less, along with our partners at Peru Rail and the Peruvian tourism authorities, are delighted to announce the much anticipated reopening of Machu Picchu.
Confirmation has been received that rail access to the base town of Aguas Calientes is due to be restored by 29 March, with the site itself being reopened on 1 April.
Following flooding earlier this year, engineers have repaired vital sections of train line, meaning that access is now possible by bus from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Piscacucho, followed by train to Aguas Calientes.
A number of temporary measures remain in place: certain classes of train are restricted for weight reasons, meaning that only 5 Vistadome train services can run per day.
For this reason, Peru For Less is advising travelers to consider traveling from 5 April onwards. We are also pointing out that due to the limited availability of seats, not all first choice of schedules can be guaranteed.
Peru For Less is advising clients that the final section of road between Ollantaytambo and Piscacucho is unpaved and rough, although has been declared safe for use.
Peru Rail is operating the bus connections and is transferring all prior rail tickets to the new bus service. The company expects to have restored normal rail access by July.
Although Peru For Less is confident in these plans to restore access to Machu Picchu, we are keen to highlight the importance of purchasing travel insurance to cover any changes or cancellations to travel plans.
The following information should help clients with their travel plans. For any additional questions, please contact a Travel Advisor on travel@peruforless.com or 1-817-230-4971
Map
Peru Rail Route from Cusco to Machu Picchu
Schedules
Cusco to Machu Picchu Tempoary Schedule - Valid From March 29th to April 30th 2010
Machu Picchu to Cusco Tempoary Schedule - Valid From March 29th to April 30th 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the roads that we will use to reach the train safe?
The road from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is a paved, well-maintained and scenic road that is perfectly comfortable and safe to use.
The road from Ollantaytambo to Piscacucho is unpaved and therefore a bumpier, less comfortable ride, but is also declared safe to use.
How long will it take to reach Machu Picchu this way?
According to the temporary schedule (see above), a transport leaving Cusco at 6am will arrive at Aguas Calientes by 9:31am.
Will this travel arrangement shorten our time in Machu Picchu?
Unfortunately, yes. Availability of seats is out of Peru For Less’ control, but we will do our best to secure our clients the best and most convenient tickets. For those who want to make the most of their visit, it’s possible to book an extra day in Machu Picchu. Please talk to your travel advisor for further details.
Please note that all information is provided by Peru Rail and the Peruvian authorities, and remains subject to change. Peru For Less endeavors to provide accurate and up-to-the-minute information but cannot be held responsible for information changes beyond our control. This page will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
It’s a breaking news for me. As I am a traveler I want to go Machu Picchu but I could not be true because of this closeness. Now going to plan to Machu Picchu.