Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley north-west of Cusco, is the main departure point for Machu Picchu trains. The station is small, well organised and sits a few blocks from the Inca ruins the town is named for.
The ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes takes about 1.5 hours and loses nearly 900 m of altitude, dropping from Andean grassland into cloud forest. Window seats face either the Urubamba river or the snow-capped Veronica massif, depending which side you’re on.
Peruways packages the train side of the trip from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, including the Vistadome and 360° services and the onward Consettur shuttle. Guides who come with the package can decode the Sacred Valley on the way through.
Have a look at Peruways’ Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu packages at Peruways. The station is a stop; the valley around it is a trip in its own right.
