Ollantaytambo’s train station is the main departure point for Machu Picchu for most travelers — faster from here than from Cusco by about two hours, and set in a Sacred Valley town worth seeing in its own right.
Trains leave for Aguas Calientes roughly every hour through the morning and midday, with a 90-minute run through the Urubamba gorge. Both PeruRail and Inca Rail serve the route; Peruways books across both.
Before the train, the town itself is worth an hour. The terraced fortress above the plaza is one of the few Inca sites where you can see the ceremonial zone, the agricultural zone, and the still-functioning Inca street grid in the modern town below. Early morning is quietest.
The station is a 10-minute walk from the main plaza. Train, shuttle to the ruins, and site tickets can all be booked through Peruways.
