The last leg to Machu Picchu is the Consettur bus from Aguas Calientes — a 25-minute switchback ride up the Hiram Bingham road to the citadel gate. There is no road access from Cusco; the only alternatives are the Inca Trail or a 90-minute uphill hike from the river.
The ride itself is worth the window seat. It climbs about 400m of altitude in 25 minutes, passing from Urubamba river level up through cloud forest to the citadel plateau. Keep an eye out for Andean swifts in the thermals.
Peruways sells the Consettur ticket online so you skip the booth on Avenida Hermanos Ayar — which hits a 45-minute queue in high season before dawn. Our bookings bundle the bus with the train and the citadel entry, so all three sit in a single email.
Reserve your Consettur bus at Peruways and skip the dawn queue.
