Ollantaytambo station, in the Sacred Valley 60 km from Cusco, is the main departure point for trains to Machu Picchu. Both PeruRail and Inca Rail run most of their daily departures from here, so even if your itinerary starts in Cusco, you’ll likely transit through this station.
From Ollantaytambo it’s 90 minutes down the Urubamba gorge to Aguas Calientes. Trains run from early morning (around 5:00am) through the evening, with the frequency peaking in high season. The cabin options cover the full range: PeruRail Expedition (economy), Vistadome (panoramic windows and snacks), Hiram Bingham (Belmond luxury, once daily). Inca Rail runs Voyager, 360° and First Class on parallel timings.
Ollantaytambo itself is worth arriving early for. The Inca fortress above the town takes 2 to 3 hours — enough time to tour the Temple of the Sun, climb the granaries opposite, and still catch an afternoon train.
Station layout is simple: ticket windows, cafes, a snack kiosk, luggage left-at-your-own-risk. Arrive 30 minutes before departure in high season — the single pedestrian bottleneck onto the platform can be slow when a full train is loading.
Book your tickets through Peruways and the Ollantaytambo train lands in the same email as your Consettur bus and your citadel entry — one email, one chain.
History buff or just here for the view, Ollantaytambo station is the right starting point for the Machu Picchu leg.
