The route to Machu Picchu has many landscapes that transform the journey in a show worth admiring. That’s why the PeruRail Vistadome train, which has panoramic windows in every wagon, is the best option for those people who love to be in touch with nature from the moment they first arrive.

From Poroy Station, located near Cusco city, or Urubamba and Ollantaytambo Stations, both located in the Sacred Valley; begin an adventure full of magic to Machu Picchu on board the PeruRail Vistadome. Sit comfortably and feel the connection with nature. Beautiful landscapes will make the trip an unforgettable experience.

From a full dry pampas panorama, typical peruvian andes, to an intense green view of the jungle. Diverse sensations, a mixture of relaxation and wonder, will take you to a state of tranquility while the trip goes deep into the Inca territory.

While you enjoy a light snack prepared with unique local andean ingredients accompanied by traditional background music, the Vilcanota River, also called by the Incas “Wilkanayu” that means “Sacred driver’’, accompanies the train during much of the tour.

Finally, the adventure to Machu Picchu turns unforgettable when the magic takes in the PeruRail Vistadome train on the outbound journey. Dancers of Saqra, traditional dance of Puaucartambo, Cusco, get on the wagons to spread the typical euphoria of the Andean customs with their joy and dancing steps.

The journey continues with an elegant Fashion show that display on board an exclusive collection of Baby Alpaca, which have been worked in a collaborative way with the andean communities, to promulgate their art and textiles. Then you can buy them at the end of the presentation.

So, if you enjoy nature, landscapes and new experiences, your best alternative to get around the sacred Inca city, Machu Picchu, is on board of the magic experience found in PeruRail’s PeruRail Vistadome train.

Getting to know the PeruRail Titicaca train

You will be welcomed by the crew of our PeruRail Titicaca train, bound for the city of Puno in the Highlands or the imperial city of the Incas, Cusco, with an estimated travel time of 10 and a half hours.

Our dining cars have 08 properly marked emergency exits: 02 doors at the front of the car, 02 doors at the back and 04 emergency windows at the sides. In case of any emergency, our first aid kit and fire extinguisher are in the service areas.

Reminder: due to government regulations, smoking is prohibited inside the train. This rule also includes the observatory car.

What is on board the luxury train to Puno?
As we already mentioned, you will be welcomed with a hot drink at the boarding station. In addition, on the way, there will be a fashion show featuring baby alpaca garments, where our friendly hostesses will display the fine and delicate garments such as sweaters, hats, coats, shawls, gloves and much more. Of course, there will also be a fantastic live music show with typical local dances.

The luxury train to Puno would not be one without its respective observatory bar car, located at the end of the convoy. In it you will find cold drinks, hot drinks, cocktails, as well as international drinks and, of course, our flagship drink: pisco sour which we will also teach you to prepare during your train trip.

However, and as the name implies, the privileged Andean mystical landscape that can be seen from here is simply impressive. Imagine being surrounded by windows, on both sides and on the ceiling, and large glass walls from where you will be able to see the beautiful life in the valley. Small villages, cattle feeding from early hours of the day, corn fields, etc. You can witness all types of weathers in a single day! Not only will the landscape alternate between mountains and plains, but you will also be able to experience the different climates on the same trip, including snow. Unbelievable, right?

For this occasion, we have 1 scheduled stop: Abra La Raya, the highest point of the route.

Destinations before stopping at Abra La Raya
The first half of the trip is dominated by the Andes: a large outline of imposing mountains over the deep valleys of the meandering Huatanay River. The train will travel through the Andean plains, which seem never ending, and will offer us the unique opportunity to spot animals such as llamas and alpacas in their natural habitat.

Sicuani
Sicuani, located at 3,552 meters above sea level and 118 km from the city of Cusco, is one of the first towns that the PeruRail Titicaca train will cross. In this part of the journey, we will be listening to typical music of Sicuani to connect even more with this endearing city.

Did you know that it is the second most populated city in the entire department of Cusco? In addition, its main economic activity is growing Andean cereals; more specifically: wheat.

Arrival at Abra La Raya
The PeruRail Titicaca train would be arriving at Abra La Raya, its first stop, after having ascended to 4,319 meters above sea level. This is a cold and remote place where the snow-capped peaks are often covered in fog or drizzle and, for a few moments, the silence at this altitude gives you a little chilling sensation that you won’t experience anywhere else in the world.

Passengers will have about 10 minutes to rest, take photos of the landscape, and relax a little in the small handicrafts market that is located here where you can also buy clothes made by the local communities. In addition, this place has a chapel whose construction dates from the twentieth century and in it we can find an image of the Lord of the Cane.

The story behind the image is worth mentioning because its expression reflects the suffering and sadness of Jesus after he was flogged. This image describes Jesus Christ tied up in front, holding a reed like a scepter and crowned with thorns covered with a mantle.

Every year on May 3rd the Feast of the Lord of the Cane is celebrated, where it is tradition to tie flowers to the image, decorate the altar with paper figures and light beautifully decorated candles. Then fireworks are lit making it a very festive atmosphere. There are people dancing and drinking chicha de jora until the next day, really quite a spectacle.

In addition, the imposing snow-capped Chimboya is located on the left side in the direction of the train, so it would be a good idea to take the opportunity to view it. Something to keep in mind is that the snow-capped mountains of the area have an invaluable spiritual value for the Andean people, since they are the origin of two important rivers: the Vilcanota towards Cusco and the Ramis towards Arequipa.

Ayaviri
When we arrive to the province of Melgar, we will cross its capital: the town of Ayaviri. It is located at an altitude of 3,925 meters above sea level and 96 km from the city of Juliaca. Ayaviri is known for its quality livestock production: llamas, vicuñas, cattle, and sheep. Such is its fame that it has earned the title of the cattle capital of Peru. Followed by the good views, the train journey continues with the exclusive services on board.

Bar class, music, dances, and happy hour
We take this opportunity to mention the short class that is given on board the train. The head of service on board has everything ready to teach the preparation of pisco sour, Peru’s flagship drink.

At a given point during the trip you can enjoy the fun and colorful Happy Hour on board the train to Puno. The dancers will amaze you with their exotic morenadas, diabladas and other typical dances of the region. Do you also want to join them? Of course you can! That’s precisely what this happy hour is about. Don’t worry, they will show you how to dance from the start and it will only take ten seconds before you catch this folkloric rhythm.

Arrival at Puno station
Finally, the last stop of the trip will be Puno station. After this incredible tour, the crew aboard the PeruRail Titicaca train says goodbye to their passengers and wishes them an unforgettable stay in the highland city of Puno.

As we mentioned at the beginning, the route is as important as the destination. And, after living all this experience, you will feel even more motivated than you already were to explore the wonderful City of the Sacred Lake of Puno.

A journey that you will never forget and that you will not want to end. Delicious food, super comfortable seating, onboard staff always at your disposal, amazing scenery, traditional live partying and much more. The PeruRail Titicaca train thus guarantees your luxury service. Ready to get on board? Get your train tickets by visiting our website.

Furthermore, there you can find the Ollantaytambo Train Station which is a railway to Machu Picchu Station in Machu Picchu Town.

How to get to Ollantaytambo Station?
As we mentioned before, Ollantaytambo Station is important because it links to Machu Picchu Station (as well as Poroy Station) by the railroad, but how do we get to Ollantaytambo Station? You can either go by bus, taxi, or private transportation service from Cusco downtown, arriving in one hour, 30 minutes approximately.

For traveling by train from Ollantaytambo Station, we recommend buying the tickets in advance on www.perurail.com. You can also purchase the train tickets at the Ollantaytambo Station ticket office, not later than 30 minutes before departure time.

If you wish to buy tickets at any of our ticket offices in the stations, you can pay either by credit/debit card or cash: in Soles or US Dollars.

Keep in mind that in case you are not sure about which train take, you can always have a look at each train page: the PeruRail Vistadome and the PeruRail Expedition.

From Ollantaytambo Station to Machu Picchu Station
The trip from Ollantaytambo Station to Machu Picchu Station takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes; and services are available year-round, so tourists can enjoy one of the World’s Wonder built by the Incas.

Find out Ollantaytambo’s stunning Inca monuments and have an adventure by train to the wonderful citadel of Machu Picchu!

Sources: Origen andino, PeruRail, and Cuscoperu.com.

There is something that is always in the plan of every traveler who embarks on the journey to Cusco, it is more noticeable when they are aboard our trains, the feeling of magical moment begins to invade their bodies. All this happens because the unforgettable experience of this great trip deserves a souvenir just as unforgettable; a great picture at Machu Picchu. Here are ten tips that will make help you to get an amazing picture.

First, it is important to schedule a nice day to visit the Inca citadel. The dry weather season, between May and October, guarantees a blue sky; while during the rainy season you can appreciate the greenest landscape of the year and have a larger clear area to take any type of pictures. The second important point is to keep your camera and/or phone set, Machu Picchu is a natural sanctuary and it is necessary to be aware at all time to capture the moment where flora and fauna perfectly combine.

The third tip you should keep in mind is that from an aerial view the majesty will be appreciated better; therefore, we suggest to go up the Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu to get a better angle to capture the citadel. Do not forget the tickets to go up this mountain are limited, so you should purchase them anticipatedly. If you prefer to take a classic postal picture of this World Wonder it is not necessary to put that much effort, you can do this just walking a flat path to arrive to the “Casa del Guardian”. For the record, did you know that when you turn the trademark Machu Picchu picture to the side, you can see the side face of a person?” Here is an example:

Our fourth recommendation is that at the time of taking your picture, you let your creativity flow. Many pictures have been taken, it is up to you to make yours unique. You may want to try posing in a new way or sharing the spot with friends, family or making a fun composition with determined items. There is always a way to get an original shot!

Always remember, you should be patient and wait for the right time. You should be prepared and have everything ready for the perfect picture; nevertheless, is necessary to keep calm. Machu Picchu is always packed with visitors who will be walking, learning, admiring, exploring and also trying to take that special picture like you.

The sixth tip is that despite you want to take astonishing pictures of the citadel and pose in every spot you can, is always important to wear comfortable clothing in order to explore each space and, in that way, take home not just a good picture but also a good memory of your experience.

As our eighth tip, you must know that it might be considerable to carry a selfie stick to document every second of your trip and keep the memory of being all together in this experience.

Even though it might be enough to take pictures with a smartphone, if you have a professional camera do not hesitate in taking it with you. Machu Picchu is totally worth to take a picture with the best possible definition.

Last but not least, our tenth advice is that you stay patient, after having read these recommendations you are now one step closer to take the best picture in one of the best Wonders of the World.

In this short note we tell you how PeruRail service personnel and trains have been adapted to the new situation in order to travel to Machu Picchu safely.

Our on-board service personnel are properly trained and prepared with all the necessary protective measures to welcome and assist you on this adventure to Machu Picchu.

As for our fleet of trains, cleaning and disinfection frequency has been increased to continue complying with safety and health procedures on board.

Once on board, areas have been delimited and signaled so that the capacity of our cars is 50%. This was necessary to meet the required physical distancing and protection of all our passengers. In addition to tracking protocols, various informational audios are available to explain and reinforce the guidelines to be followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

Continuing to comply with established safety and health protocols, another aspect to highlight on board our trains are some restrictions to be met such as no food and beverages on board to prevent the removal of double mask. Therefore, we have posted signs inside each train with recommendations on how to correctly use double mask to prevent the spread of the virus. Similarly, hygiene recommendations include avoiding speaking very loudly, and when sneezing or coughing, doing it into your elbow or in disposable tissue paper, which must be discarded in the lavatories.

We have recently implemented HEPA sanitization filters on board our cars, which meet international hygiene and sanitation standards that ensure reduction of the existing microbial load in the air, eliminating it by 99.9%. With these new devices, rest assured that the safety of your journey on board our trains will be fully guaranteed.

These are the implementations and adaptations that PeruRail has introduced both in our cars and other areas to continue giving our passengers the best travel experience to Machu Picchu. We invite you to check the full guide of our health and safety protocols, as well as the schedules and rates that we have available to you. See you on board!

Machu Picchu, the Inca Citadel

After more than 8 long months without receiving visitors, Machu Picchu reopened its doors to international tourism. The rates to enter this historic sanctuary can be purchased through its website.

The Safety and Health against Covid-19 for tourists visiting the Inca city, approved by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco (DDCC) and the Ministry of Culture, indicates the sanitary measures that the authorities have determined for the entrance to Machu Picchu:

• Use of double surgical mask or a KN95.
• Social distancing of 1 meter.
• Hand disinfection with the supplies provided at the time of entry.
• It is forbidden to consume food during the visit.

In addition to this, remember that the Inca citadel has a capacity of over 4,000 tourists a day at up to nine different times that go from 06:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Machu Picchu Sanitary contingency plan

Prohibitions during your visit to the citadel of Machu Picchu

During your visit to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, the following is prohibited, among other things:

• Carry backpacks, bags or purses larger than 40x35x20 cm (16x14x8 inches).
• Enter with food or kitchenware, i.e. plates, cutlery, thermoses, etc.
• Enter with umbrellas, walking sticks, portable chairs, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks or other photography/film stabilization accessories. 
• Enter with animals, except guide dogs. 
• Make loud or disturbing noises (scream, whistle, clap, sing, etc).
• Generate turmoil, undress, lie down, run and/or jump.
• Climb or lean on walls and/or structures. Touch, extract or move lithic elements such as rocks and stonework.
• Disturb, collect or remove flora or fauna.
• Smoke or vape, or start a fire of any kind.
• Litter.

Performing acts or entering with objects prohibited in this list will generate the immediate expulsion of the visitor without reimbursement and the start of legal actions if necessary. The park guards of the Ministry of Culture and the agents of the National Police are the authority within the monument premises.

Machu Picchu Citadel Timetable:

The authorities have also established the schedules in which Machu Picchu will operate for the visit of tourists. The citadel will be available for tourist visits daily from 6:00 a.m., closing at 5:00 p.m. There are 9 time ranges for the entry of visitors, the first being from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. and the last from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Currently, the doors are already open to also visit Huayna Picchu and Huchuy Picchu, and in what corresponds to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, there are four circuits divided into short, long, low and high. You can find the details of each one in the following links:

• Circuit 1: It includes the upper part near the Machu Picchu Mountain, followed by the Main Portal, the area of granite chaos, Room of Mirrors and Ceremonial Fountains. Map of this route: https://bit.ly/3AKLbtV
• Circuit 2: It includes the upper part near the Machu Picchu Mountain, followed by the Main Portal, the granite chaos area, the Sacred Main Square, the Intihuatana, the Sacred Rock, the Room of Mirrors and the Temple of the Condor. Map of this route: https://bit.ly/3ThehYQ
• Circuit 3: It includes the entrance to the Guardian’s House, a walk through the area of the platforms, walk near the Temple of the Sun, the House of the Inca, the Ceremonial Fountains and the Room of Mirrors. Map of this route: https://bit.ly/3QOtIpY
• Circuit 4: It includes the walk through the area of the platforms, walk near the Temple of the Sun, the House of the Inca, the Ceremonial Fountains, walk behind the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Sacred Rock, the Room of Mirrors and the Temple of the Condor. Map of this route: https://bit.ly/3pKVpnL
• Circuit 4: It includes the Qolqas, the Agricultural Zone, the Water Canal, the Dry Moat, the complex of the Temple of the Sun, the complex of the House of the Inka, the Water Fountains, the complex of the Three Windows, the Pisonay Main Square and the Archaeological Reserve. Map of this route: https://bit.ly/3KiTobO

Finally, keep in mind that during the tour, the consumption of food or beverages will not be allowed under any circumstances while you are inside the citadel of Machu Picchu.

What foreign tourists will be able to step on Peruvian lands ?

If you are Peruvian, a resident foreigner, or a nonresident foreigner 12 years of age or older, regardless of the country you come from, you must present the COVID-19 vaccination certificate with the full doses, or present a negative molecular test taken no more than 48 hours before your flight in the country of origin. Similarly, consider the mandatory use of a double mask or a KN95 mask at all times during the flight and within the airport facilities. Finally, within 72 hours prior to the trip, you must register in the online form “Affidavit of Health and Geolocation Authorization“.

Machu Picchu awaits for you! Trust us to take you to this magical place.

At PERURAIL, we are Ready:

For PeruRail it is vitally important to provide our passengers with a first-rate experience and service, ensuring the well-being for those who choose us. This is why we implement protocols that keep the safety and health among passengers, our staff and the train services.

Some of the measures we have worked on are:

• We take care of our staff. Our collaborators are trained through a comprehensive training plan and under constant control through symptomatic surveys and regular medical supervision.
• All our collaborators will permanently use adequate protection material with the highest standards of service and attention.
• Our offices and workspaces are now suitable according to the appropriate social distance, in addition to having informative and audiovisual pieces.
• Ticket and on-board service personnel comply with cleaning and disinfection through proper hand washing for 20 seconds and use of hand gel.
• Constant cleaning and disinfection of our trains with highly trained and specialized personnel.
• Our main concern is everyone’s safety. For this reason, we have implemented preventive and informative signage to comply with health and safety protocols throughout the travel experience.
• To contribute to social distancing, we have launched a Mobile Application: PeruRail e-Ticket that will provide greater ease at the time of boarding using the digital ticket.

More information about our Protocolos.

What sanitary measures should you take in Machu Picchu?

The measures delivered by the authorities and PeruRail also depend on the active role you take when making your trip. For this reason, PeruRail will request all passengers to permanently wear a double mask from their arrival at the stations until the end of their trip, to respect the lines and the minimum distance of one meter suggested by the health authorities, and to show their ticket or digital ticket.

For a comfortable and safe trip on our PeruRail Vistadome or PeruRail Expedition trains to Machu Picchu, please remember to follow these protocols and to pay attention to the instructions of our staff in order to take care of your health and those around you.

These measures will allow tourists and our staff members to walk around safely in sanitized spaces that prevent the spread of any type of virus or disease.

If you are thinking about making a magical trip to Machu Picchu after its reopening, keep in mind these health measures provided by the authorities and PeruRail. Thereby, you will make your adventure a safe and unforgettable experience. Check the trains service schedules that PeruRail delivers on your way to the Inca Citadel.

May your new first destination be Machu Picchu. Buy Your Tickets Here!