Machu Picchu train: season from January to April

From January to April rains are frequent in Cusco and Machu Picchu. Because of this, train departures are only made at Urubamba and Ollantaytambo stations. And what about the direct departures from the city of Cusco? In these cases there are bimodal services: travel by bus and then by train.

Most tourists choose to travel to Machu Picchu by train. For this you can choose any of the 3 stations available in Cusco: Ollantaytambo, Urubamba or Cusco. The latter remains closed from January to April because of the rains.

What is the rainy season in Machu Picchu?

• The rainy season of Machu Picchu runs from November to April .
• It is characterized by constant rains, which can occur at any time of the day.
• February is the rainiest month of the year. In those days the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is closed due to landslides.
• In the rainy season the safest way to get to Machu Picchu is through the train route.

How does the rainy season change the departure of trains?

• During the rainy season maintenance work is carried out on the train rails in its section that connects the city of Cusco with the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• Because of this, from January 1 to April 30, train services that depart from Wanchaq and Poroy station in the city of Cusco are suspended .
• Now departures will take place at Urubamba and Ollantaytambo stations in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• This standard operates for both train services of Peru Rail companies as well as Inca Rail.

Train departures changes from January to April

• Due to the rainy season, Peru Rail and Inca Rail companies implement the ‘Bimodal (bus + train)’ service on their departures from the city of Cusco .
• This measure is maintained from January 1 to April 30 of each year.
• The bus service will take you from the city of Cusco to the Ollantaytambo train station. There will be a transfer to the train that will take you to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes).
• From May they begin to reestablish the train departures from the city of Cusco.

Peru Rail

• Peru Rail is one of the train companies to Machu Picchu. It offers the following services: Expedition, Vistadome, Sacred Valley and Hiram Bingham .
• From January 1 to April 30, Peru Rail offers its ‘Bimodal’ service for departures from the city of Cusco.
• The journey begins with a bus trip from Wanchaq station to Ollantaytambo station (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes).
• At the Ollantaytambo station, the train will take you to the final station in Machu Picchu town (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes).
• The ‘Hiram Bingham’ train service is different : the bus departs from Wanchaq station to Belmond Río Sagrado station in Urubamba (approximately 1 hour trip). Then start the train journey to Machu Picchu town (2 hours trip).

Inca Rail

• Inca Rail is one of the train companies to Machu Picchu. It offers the following services: Voyager, 360º, First Class and The Private .
• From January 1 to April 30, Inca Rail offers its ‘Bimodal’ services for its departures from the city of Cusco.
• The journey begins with a bus trip from the entrance door of the Costa del Sol hotel in the city of Cusco to the Ollantaytambo station (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes).
• Once in Ollantaytambo the transfer is made to the train trip to Machu Picchu, which takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to Aguas Calientes.
• The return trip from Machu Picchu to Cusco follows the same route of the ‘Bimodal’ one-way service: the train journey ends in Ollantaytambo and, from there, by bus to the city of Cusco.

The Ollantaytambo train station is the most used by tourists because it has more train departure and arrival times. This station operates year-round, either in the rainy season (from November to April) or dry season (from May to October).

How are train schedules from April to December?

Peru Rail train schedule: departures from Cusco (from January to April)

* Departure of the Hiram Bingham train at Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado station.

Inca Rail train schedules: departures from Cusco (from January to April)

More information about train tickets

• If you do not want to buy a train ticket in Bimodal service from Cusco, the best option is to travel on your own from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and take the train from there.
• The trip by public transport from Cusco to Ollantaytambo costs (3 USD) and takes 1 hour 30 minutes. The buses are taken in the ‘Pavitos’ street of Cusco.
• After the rainy season (from January to April), Inca Rail offers again the train service Cusco – Machu Picchu.
• Inca Rail offers its service ‘Bimodal’ Cusco – Machu Picchu throughout the year.
• Train tickets are purchased online from the websites of Peru Rail or Inca Rail .
• The final station is in the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). From there you must take a bus to the Inca City (the trip takes 30 minutes).
• Train departures are punctual. Tourists are recommended to arrive at train stations 30 minutes in advance .