The Consettur bus from Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu entrance is a 25-minute ride up 13 switchbacks — the only vehicular road into the site. First departure is 5:30 a.m. for the sunrise crowd; last up-trip is around 3:30 p.m.
The road climbs 400 m above the Urubamba river gorge, with views of Veronica (5,750 m) on clear days. Buses leave every 10–15 minutes from the dedicated Aguas Calientes terminal, and in high season you’ll want to be in the queue by 5 a.m. — or hold a pre-booked ticket.
Pre-booking through Peruways skips the local-office queue, which can stretch to 90 minutes in July and August. You print or screenshot the voucher and board directly.
The alternative is the 1,500-step hike up — about an hour for fit hikers, longer for most. Many people walk down after their visit and ride up to save energy; it’s a reasonable split.
Book Consettur bus tickets with Peruways alongside your citadel entrance.
