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 services from here, so most Machu Picchu itineraries transit this station even if they start in Cusco.
From Ollantaytambo it’s 90 minutes down the Urubamba gorge to Aguas Calientes. Trains run from around 5am through the evening; frequency peaks in high season. 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 in parallel.
Ollantaytambo itself is worth arriving early for. The Inca fortress above the town is a 2–3 hour visit — the Temple of the Sun, the Wall of the Six Monoliths, the Pinkuylluna granaries on the opposite cliff.
Station layout is simple: ticket windows, cafes, a snack kiosk, luggage left-at-own-risk. Arrive 30 minutes before departure in high season; the pedestrian bottleneck onto the platform slows down when a full train is loading.
Book Ollantaytambo tickets through Peruways and the train lands in the same email as your Consettur bus and citadel entry — one email, one chain.
History buff or just here for the ride, Ollantaytambo is the right starting point for the Machu Picchu leg.
