Frequently asked questions

Yes. You'll get an email confirmation straight away after payment. In that email you'll find your Reservation Ticket, where all the details of your slot, date and number of visitors are printed.

Yes, our booking system shows live availability on the date you select for the ticket you want to purchase. You'll see if the slot is available, if only a few spaces are left, or if the slot is sold out.

Each passenger's full name (matching their passport exactly), passport number, nationality and date of birth. For minors, the parent or guardian's contact details. The booking holder also provides email, phone and country.

Contact us as soon as you have the new passport number. We may be able to update the records if the operator's policy allows it. As long as the name on the passport hasn't changed. If the name changed (marriage, etc.), you may need to purchase a new ticket.

On certain services, like Machu Picchu entrance, train tickets and Aguas Calientes shuttle. You receive two types of document. First, the Reservation Ticket, sent with your confirmation email at the moment of purchase, proof of the service, date and slot you booked. Later (following each service's policy) you'll receive the Access Passes for Machu Picchu, and the Boarding Passes for train and Aguas Calientes bus services. You need these passes to enter the citadel or board the train/bus. As with airlines, you must complete the mandatory check-in within the scheduled window in order for these passes to be issued. For other services. Such as Cusco-Ollantaytambo bus transfers or tour packages that don't include the services above, you'll only receive the Reservation Ticket, with no additional passes.

First, make sure you've completed the mandatory check-in. Without your visitor or passenger details submitted, the system can't issue the nominative passes with your personal details printed on them. Then check your inbox and spam folder. If you still can't find them, reach out on live chat during office hours or send us an email and we'll resend as soon as possible.

Visitor and passenger details (passport number, full name, nationality, date of birth) are a crucial part of the booking, access passes and boarding passes are personalized and cannot be issued without them. If you don't submit them by the deadline, we can't guarantee your slot. Contact us right away if you need help. We'd rather rescue the booking than lose it.

Train fares depend on three things: when you buy (booking early always gets you the best prices, cheaper seats and preferred departure times sell out first), when you travel (peak season and popular departure times cost more), and the class you choose. Options range from Economy, Superior, Superior Plus and First Class, all the way to the legendary Luxury (Belmond Hiram Bingham). See below for what each class includes.

Economy (Expedition / The Voyager) is the essential class. Comfortable seating and standard windows, ideal for value travelers focused on getting there efficiently. Superior (Vistadome and 360°) has panoramic glass roofs, a light meal, and live music, ideal for first-timers. Superior Plus steps up with a more spacious cabin, larger panoramic windows and enhanced onboard service. A bridge between Superior and First Class. First Class adds a pre-departure lounge, gourmet 3-course meal, and open-air observatory. Luxury (Belmond Hiram Bingham) is a 1920s-style train with 4-course dining, bar lounge and live entertainment, and includes the Machu Picchu entrance ticket and Aguas Calientes Bus.

All trains arrive at Aguas Calientes station (also called Machu Picchu Pueblo). Departure points depend on the class you choose: some classes leave from Cusco (Poroy or San Pedro station), while most depart from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. About 1h45 by road from Cusco. Ollantaytambo train tickets do not include transport to the station; taxis and shuttles from Cusco are widely available. When direct trains from Cusco aren't available for your travel date, book our Van/Car + Train combo instead: we pick you up in central Cusco, transfer you to Ollantaytambo station, and put you on your train, all in one booking.

The shuttle portion of the Van + Train combo is a complimentary courtesy service. The fare you pay covers your train ticket. If you choose not to use the shuttle from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (or vice versa), or you make your own transport arrangements, you are not eligible for a full or partial refund, the courtesy shuttle has no fare to be refunded.

Hotel pick-up is a courtesy service included in the Van + Train combo. But only if your hotel is in Central Cusco with easy vehicle access (narrow-road neighborhoods such as San Blas are excluded). If your accommodation is outside Central Cusco or hard to reach, please choose to be picked up from our meeting point in Central Cusco during the booking process.

Train-only from Ollantaytambo takes around 1h45. Train-only from a Cusco station takes between 3h40 and 4h30. Our combined Van + Train service from Cusco takes between 3h30 and 4h15 total. Times vary slightly by type of train, direction and departure time.

One carry-on per passenger (backpack, bag or briefcase), max 8 kg / 17 lb, up to 118 cm / 46 in total (Height + Length + Width). Larger luggage should be left at your Cusco hotel. Aguas Calientes is a small town and the entrance to Machu Picchu requires backpacks under 40 × 35 × 20 cm.

Each of our five travel classes. Economy, Superior, Superior Plus, First Class and Luxury. Comes with its own onboard experience: from panoramic windows and light snacks up to gourmet dining and a Belmond lounge car. For the full side-by-side comparison of what's included in every class, see the Choose your class section on the Trains page.

As soon as you complete your purchase, you'll receive your Reservation Ticket by email, proof of the service you've booked, with all the details printed on it. Your Boarding Passes come later, once you've completed the mandatory check-in: as soon as possible from the check-in time, and up to 48 hours after, depending on the type of slot booked. You'll need the boarding pass to board your train.

Machu Picchu ticket prices depend on two things: your route (a base circuit like Circuit 1, 2 or 3 is more affordable than a route with an iconic hike add-on such as Machu Picchu Mountain or Wayna Picchu), and who's traveling. Official discounts apply for students, children, and travelers from Peru or the Andean Community. Kids under 8 enter free. To see the exact price for your date and traveler mix, check availability with our booking system ↑.

Circuit 1 is the upper terraces with the iconic panoramic postcard view (1h-2h30) and unlocks add-on hikes like Machu Picchu Mountain, Inca Bridge or Intipunku. Circuit 2 is the classic route, the panoramic view plus a walk through the inner citadel with temples, plazas and royal residences (2h-2h30, split into Group A and Group B). Circuit 3 takes you into the lower citadel with royal residences and ceremonial terraces up close (1h30-2h30), and unlocks the iconic add-on hikes like Wayna Picchu, Temple of the Moon or Huchuy Picchu.

Wayna Picchu is the steep, iconic peak you see in every classic Machu Picchu photo. A 2-3 hour round-trip hike with stone stairs carved into the mountain. It is not included in the standard Circuit 3 ticket. To hike Wayna Picchu you must pick the Circuit 3 + Wayna Picchu ticket at the moment of booking, this combination cannot be added on later. Recommended for adventure lovers chasing a magnificent bird's-eye view of the citadel. Limited daily entries, so book early.

We strongly recommend booking as early as possible. For Circuit 2 Traditional, our best seller. Aim for at least 3 months in advance. For Circuit 1 and Circuit 3, book a minimum of 2 months ahead. In peak season (June-August), add extra buffer: Wayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain often sell out even earlier.

Your ticket has a fixed entrance time chosen at booking, pick the hourly slot that fits your day best. You can enter anytime within a 45-minute window from that time (for example, if your slot is 9:00, you can enter until 9:45). Hourly slots run from 6 AM to 2 PM. The choice is really down to preference: morning slots are colder but less crowded, while afternoon slots have warmer, softer light for photos.

No, each ticket is single-use. If you want a second visit, book two separate dates or two timeslot tickets. The restrooms and the Belmond buffet restaurant are outside the gate. But if you exit Machu Picchu, you can't re-enter on the same ticket.

All Machu Picchu circuits follow a strict one-way direction. Once you begin the circuit, you progress toward the exit. You cannot backtrack. You can pause briefly for photos, but plan your visit knowing that missed viewpoints can't be revisited on the same ticket.

ISIC cards alone are not accepted by the Peruvian authorities for the discounted student ticket. You need a valid national student card from your country plus your passport. The discount is available for students up to 25 years old with a valid student card. Please provide accurate documentation, refunds are not issued if the discount is denied at the gate.

No. Machu Picchu tickets are not sold at the entrance gate. Every visitor must book their official ticket in advance. Peruways, as an official provider, is the recommended way to book your tickets. We strongly recommend booking as early as possible to lock in your preferred date, circuit and slot.

As soon as you complete your purchase, you'll receive your Reservation Ticket by email, proof of the service you've booked, with all the details printed on it. Your Access Passes come later, once you've completed the mandatory check-in: as soon as possible from the check-in time, and up to 48 hours after, depending on the type of slot booked.

Special case. Bookings made in one year for a visit the following year (for example, a booking placed in 2026 for a visit in 2027): Access Passes for visits in the first days of January are released at the end of December. Passes for visit dates from January 6th onward are released during January itself.

You'll need your Access Pass to enter the citadel.

Trains arrive at Machu Picchu station (also called Aguas Calientes Pueblo), which is a 1h30 to 2h uphill walk from the citadel entrance gate. The Aguas Calientes Bus is a shuttle service for visitors who prefer not to hike up (or back down) the mountain and want to go straight from Aguas Calientes village to the citadel. The bus drops you off right in front of the main entrance, the ride takes only 30 minutes.

Machu Picchu welcomes thousands of visitors every day, and the queue at the physical ticket office in Aguas Calientes can eat up an hour or more. Booking online lets you skip that entirely - go straight to the boarding point and hop on the next available bus.

The Aguas Calientes Bus doesn't run on a fixed timetable. Buses leave from Aguas Calientes to the citadel (and back) every 10 minutes, all day. Each ticket can be used once on any bus during your booked date.

Yes. Buses depart every 10 minutes in both directions, and your boarding pass is valid all day for any available bus - one ride per direction. Just board on a first-come, first-served basis.

We recommend getting to the boarding point at least 45 minutes before your Machu Picchu entrance time. For example, if your entrance is at 7:00 AM, plan to arrive by 6:15 AM.

Aguas Calientes Bus tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded. If a mistake was made on the date or traveler details at the time of purchase, a data change may be considered as a goodwill gesture, subject to availability. By contacting our customer service at least 10 days before your visit. After that deadline, no exceptional change requests can be processed.

Yes. The walking trail from Aguas Calientes to the entrance gate runs on stone stairs through the mountain cloud forest, a 1.5-2 hour uphill hike. If you'd rather not walk up and down and arrive fresh for your Machu Picchu visit, we recommend booking a bus ride.

As soon as you complete your purchase, you'll receive your Reservation Ticket by email. Proof of the service you've booked, with all the details printed on it. Your Boarding Pass comes later and is automatically sent 3 days before your visit date, but only if the mandatory check-in was completed after the purchase of your ticket. You'll need the boarding pass to board your bus.

A standalone shuttle service that takes you from Central Cusco to Ollantaytambo station (or vice versa). Perfect for travelers who already have a train ticket or who prefer to arrange transport separately. The ride takes about 1h45 by road.

One small bag per passenger, max 40 × 20 × 25 cm (including handles or wheels), it must fit under the seat in front of you. Small trolley cases, handbags, rucksacks and laptop bags all count if they respect the dimensions. If you have larger luggage, you can either pay an extra 20 PEN per piece, or book a private transportation service instead.

Shared road transportation uses either an 18/16-passenger van or a shared 5-seat car. The vehicle type is stated in the reservation system before you book. If you'd feel uncomfortable traveling in a shared 5-seat car, we recommend the van: the seats are noticeably wider. For private transportation, where you choose the number of seats and the pickup location, please contact customer service.

Hotel pick-up is a courtesy service included on certain departures, but only if your hotel is in Central Cusco (or Central Puno) with easy vehicle access. Whether your specific departure includes courtesy hotel pick-up is shown in the reservation system during booking (look for the "Courtesy hotel pick-up: Yes" line). If your accommodation is outside Central Cusco/Puno or has difficult access. Narrow-road neighborhoods such as San Blas, you'll need to meet the vehicle at our main pick-up point: Plaza Regocijo, Central Cusco (in front of the water fountain).

As soon as you complete your purchase, you'll receive your Reservation Ticket by email. Proof of the service you've booked, with all the details printed on it. Standalone Cusco - Ollantaytambo Van/Car services do not issue a separate boarding pass, your Reservation Ticket is what you show to board the vehicle. Make sure it's saved on your phone or printed before departure.

Trains. Children aged 3 to 11 on the travel day get a 25% discount on their fare. Infants under 3 on the travel day travel free, on the lap of an adult.

Machu Picchu. Children under 8 enter free, and minors under 18 get a special reduced fare. Official discounts also apply for students and travelers from Peru or the Andean Community with valid ID.

Aguas Calientes Bus. Children under 5 travel free on a parent's lap. Children aged 5 to 10 get a discounted fare. The standard (adult) fare applies from age 11 onward. Peruvian citizens also get a special discounted price.

For exact prices on every service, you can view them live on our booking system before selecting your ticket.

Every price for every service is displayed live on our booking system before you select a ticket or complete payment.

For Machu Picchu tickets, current prices and availability are here. For trains or the Van + Train combo, live prices and availability are here. For all other services (Aguas Calientes Bus, private guide, Belmond buffet, etc.), pricing appears directly in the booking system when you add them to your order.

We never hide prices behind the checkout, what you see at search is what you pay.

Machu Picchu tickets cannot be modified or cancelled once issued. Peru's Ministry of Culture enforces strict rules that don't allow any changes to date, circuit or traveler names. Please double-check every detail before completing your booking. Train tickets and Van/Car services, to make your ticket modifiable or refundable, add our Refund Protection at checkout: a small add-on that entitles you to a partial refund if you need to cancel or reschedule, for any reason. Refund Protection claims must be submitted at least one week (7 days) before your travel date. For the full policy. Including tours, private transportation and any other service, see our Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy (also available from the footer of any page).

No. Chargebacks are not travel insurance. Opening a bank dispute over booking terms you agreed to at checkout is considered fraudulent behavior. Banks routinely request supporting documents from merchants to verify the legitimacy of the purchase, and losing a dispute can affect your credit history and future travel bookings. If you're unsure about our policies before or after booking, watch these short guides: Follow the Rules. Booking Tickets and Tours explains what happens when a bank dispute is opened, and Guidelines for Ethical Customer Conduct covers responsible requests when a ticket or complimentary service goes unused.

Machu Picchu tickets cannot be modified once issued. This is the Ministry of Culture's policy, and applies to date, circuit and traveler names. Trains and Van/Car services, to keep flexibility on your booking, add Refund Protection at checkout, which lets you claim a partial refund if you need to cancel or reschedule, for any reason. Refund Protection claims must be submitted at least one week (7 days) before your travel date. For the full policy. Including tours, private transportation and any other service, see our Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy (also available from the footer of any page).

We strongly recommend booking a travel insurance policy before starting your trip to Peru. A proper travel insurance can help you recover costs when local rules or supplier policies don't allow cancellation. For example, if your international flight is delayed and you miss your Machu Picchu slot. Please note: chargebacks or disputes filed through your bank or credit card are NOT travel insurance. Attempting to reclaim funds through your bank against the booking terms you agreed to can be treated as a fraud attempt and may damage your credit history. Purchase proper travel insurance before you travel, it's the only legitimate way to protect against unforeseen events.

At least 30 minutes before departure. Boarding closes 5-10 minutes before departure time. Bring your passport. They verify ID at boarding.

Passport, printed or e-ticket, water, light snacks, sunscreen, hat, light layers (cool morning, warm midday), insect repellent, and a small backpack (max 40 × 35 × 20 cm). Walking sticks are not allowed unless you have a medical reason. Bathrooms are outside the gate.

Cusco is at 3,400 m / 11,150 ft and altitude sickness is common. Spend at least one full day acclimatizing in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before going to Machu Picchu. Drink coca tea, avoid alcohol for the first 24h, and ask your hotel for soroche pills if symptoms appear. Machu Picchu itself is at 2,430 m, much lower than Cusco.

Two seasons: Dry season (April-October). Sunny days, cool nights, occasional clouds. Wet season (November-March), green landscapes, more rain especially January-February (Inca Trail closes in February). Temperatures range 5-22 °C year-round. Mornings are cold, midday is warm. Dress in layers.

Officially, all visitors should enter Machu Picchu with a licensed guide on their first visit. In practice, this rule is rarely enforced, it's difficult for the site to verify who is visiting for the first time. That said, if you want to understand the history and unlock the true meaning of what you're seeing, a private guide makes a huge difference. You can add a Private Multilingual Guide as an add-on during the Machu Picchu booking process. Available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and more.

Your passport, the same one used for booking. Names must match exactly. Photocopies and digital copies are not accepted. If your passport was lost or replaced, contact us before traveling so we update the records.

Children under 3 don't need a train ticket if traveling on an adult's lap. Children 3+ need their own train ticket. For Machu Picchu, children under 8 enter free but still need their passport for ID. Ages 8+ need their own entrance ticket.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB credit and debit cards, plus PayPal. Payments are processed via SSL-encrypted, 3D-Secure compliant gateway.

Yes. All payments use industry-standard SSL encryption and 3D-Secure 2 verification. We never store your full card number. Only a tokenized reference for your booking record. The site holds an active SSL certificate (visible as the lock icon in your browser).

All prices are quoted and charged in US Dollars (USD). If your card issuer is in another currency (for example Euros, British Pounds, etc.), your bank will apply their own conversion rate at the moment of the transaction.

Peruways is Cusco's leading multi-service platform for official Machu Picchu tickets and train travel. Thousands of travelers book with us every month, with instant e-tickets delivered straight to their email or phone, multilingual support from our team on the ground in Cusco, and every leg of the journey (train, entrance, bus, transfers) coordinated in a single booking.

We are the largest Machu Picchu ticket platform, with real-time availability across every circuit; an official ticket provider with thousands of tickets sold every year; and we operate Peru's widest train selection. More departures and travel classes to Machu Picchu than anywhere else.

Our team speaks English, Spanish and French, plus several other languages. Feel free to reach out to us in your own language via live chat or email, whichever you prefer.

You can reach us through three channels:

Live chat. With our team during office hours: Mon-Wed 5AM-11PM · Thu 5AM-2PM · Fri-Sun 8AM-5PM (Peru time). Replies in minutes.

Email, anytime, via our support portal. Replies within 4 hours during team hours.

Lisa, our AI assistant. Available 24/7 for instant answers, even outside office hours.

Choose whichever fits your moment, we're here to help.

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