Getting from Aguas Calientes up to the Machu Picchu gate is a short, steep ride, and the shuttle bus is the way most visitors do it. The trip is 25 minutes up the Carretera Hiram Bingham, a hairpin dirt road climbing roughly 400 metres above the Urubamba.
If you want to save your legs for the citadel itself, this is the obvious choice. The alternative is a 90-minute uphill hike on steep steps. Early buses line up before 5am for the first entry; later departures ease once the morning rush has passed.
Buying your Consettur bus ticket in advance saves you queuing twice in Aguas Calientes. Via Peruways you can bundle the bus with your Machu Picchu entry and train.
Whether you’re there for a half-day visit or staying the night, the bus is the fast way to the gate — leaving you more time among the terraces, temples and viewpoints above.
