The Machu Picchu shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes to the ruins is a 25-minute ride up the Hiram Bingham Road — the final leg between the train and the citadel entrance.
Buses run continuously from 05:30 to 15:30, with return runs through the afternoon. Tickets are good for any departure in either direction, so you can match loosely to your site entry time. The 05:30 run is the sunrise option; a later departure thins the morning crowd.
The alternative is the footpath — a 60-minute direct trail or a 90-minute walk along the road itself. Both are hard on the knees at altitude. Most visitors bus up and walk down.
Peruways bundles the shuttle ticket with the train and site entry in one booking — see Peruways.
