The train from Cusco to Machu Picchu is the most practical way to make the trip, and one of the better scenic rail runs in the Americas. The route through the Sacred Valley and down into the Urubamba gorge is a large part of the appeal.
Trains leave from Poroy station on the outskirts of Cusco (dry season only) or from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley (year-round, and ~2 hours shorter). The two carriers — PeruRail and Inca Rail — split the market and both are reliable. The full Cusco–Aguas Calientes run is about 3.5 to 4 hours; the valley narrows and the vegetation changes as you drop altitude.
Keep the camera handy. You’ll pass terraced slopes, high villages, the snow-capped Veronica massif and finally the cloud-forest canopy that signals Aguas Calientes is close.
Service levels range from the Hiram Bingham at the top end to the Expedition / Voyager budget trains at the bottom, with Vistadome and 360° in the middle. All include some onboard food and the same views — pay for comfort and glass, not for scenery.
Book early. May–September sells out. For current times, service comparison and bundled bookings, visit Peruways and lock in the dates before you worry about anything else.
