Aguas Calientes - Machupicchu Transportation

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I have been to Maachu Pichu a few times now and I believe I have figured out the easiest way to get to Maachu Pichu. Once in Lima, Peru find yourself an agency that sells tickets. It is easier and more efficient to buy your tickets on PeruRail in Lima before you fly to Cusco as the train frequently sells out their tickets. Ask your concierge at the hotel where tickets from Cusco to Machu Pichu can be bought and they will direct you to the closest place that sells these tickets. There are numerous places. I found a good place located in the center of downtown Lima near the historic San Francisco Church. I have found that it is practically impossible to purchase tickets over the web and you will experience a good load of stress and wasted time if you try. Get to Peru first, then buy your tickets.
Prices are not that cool and fluctuate depending on the season. You can expect a ticket to range anywhere from 50-100 dollars round trip. It didn't used to be so much ten years ago. It was 12 dollars each way, but Peru Rail holds a monopoly on the rail/main hotel in Maachu Pichu and can charge what they please when they please. The phrase when in Rome really applies here. Other then that it is a nice scenic ride from Cusco to Maachu Pichu. The easiest way I found to get to Cusco from Lima is to fly. It really beats the bus.

runs since october 2003.
return ticket:416,50 euros.
4 coaches:2 dining cars with five stars service!
ticket price includes night dinner on the way back,meals,guides,cocktails and live music.
timetable:
cusco 9am-aguas calientes (puente ruinas) 12.30
aguas calientes (puente ruinas) 6.30pm-cusco 10.15pm

3 sorts of trains leave from cusco,san pedro station.the first two:ticket price includes food!
1.INCA train: cusco 6.15am aguas calientes 9.40am....return:3.30pm from aguas calientes fare was 80$
2.AUTOVAGON:cusco 6am aguas 9.10am
return:3pm from aguas fare was 55$
3.TREN TURISMO ECONOMICO (also called "backpacker express") mon-sat cusco 7.45am aguas 11.45am....return 5.45pm from aguas (10.10pm in cusco) fare was 8,80$
all prices are return tickets!
all trains stop in ollantaytambo.

of course,all the infos can change!!!but,they give you an idea....

Hi, Trying to avoid the high train fares to Aguas Calientes we used the Diamante Express service to Hidroandina and walked the rest like many do. The driver of the van was as dangerous as it gets overtaking other vehicles on blind corners and just about any other stupid move you can imagine. I know that millions of Peruvians put up with that sort of nonsense on a daily basis, but I find the obvious risk hard to justify for a vacation.

It is necessary to take a bus from Aquas Calientes to get to the ruins of Machu Picchu – or walk 1½ hour each way.

We arrived at the bus station before 7am in the morning and there were only a few people in line at the ticket stand. The price for a two way ticket was 14 USD (November 2009). With the bus ticket in hand, we queued up in the bus line. There are about 20 shuttle buses between Aqua Calientes and Machu Picchu, and we only waited a few minutes before we entered one of the buses.

The ride takes about 20 minutes and was an experience in itself. There is a great view of the mountain sides and the valley. Maybe too good a view… The road is narrow and a few times the bus drove very close to the edge with a direct view down the mountain side. However, I don’t think it was a scary ride. The buses are new and modern, and the driver seemed experienced. We felt we were in good hands.

Same procedure when you are leaving Machu Picchu – but if you have bought a return ticket you don’t have to line up for the bus ticket…

(I’m not sure if you can buy the bus tickets in advance, but you might check this out when you arrive at Aquas Calientes).

If you want to travel to Machu Picchu from Cuzco and you are not up for hiking the Inca Trail to get there, you can travel by train.

There are two trains that leave on a daily basis to MP from Cuzco. One is the "Backpacker" Train and the other the Vista Dome. The Backpacker Train leaves around 7am and arrives in MP around 11 am. Price is $48 USD each way plus taxes. The alternative is the VistaDome which leaves Cuzco at 6am at arrives at 10 am. Price is $71 USD each way plus taxes.

The Backpacker way is the cheapest alternative while the VistaDome has panoramic windows in the ceiling which will allow you to look around at the towering mountains and lush green scenery while you travel.

Once the train lets you off it is a short walk to the bus station where you can catch a bus up to the gates of MP.

There are trains that leave directly from Cuzco to MP however, if you want to get there earlier and beat the crowds you can catch the train from Ollyatatambo.

Ollyatatambo, in the sacred Valley just over a hour's drive from Cuzco has multiple departures a day on both the BackPacker Trains and Vistadome trains. The earliest train departs at 5:30 am followed by a departure at 6am. These trains will put you at MP by 7:30 am which is hours before the serious crowds arrive on the 10:30am train.

This is the route which I took to MP (as I didn't opt to hike the Inca Trail). By the time we were finished at MP and ready to leave the later trains had just arrived which made it impossible to even walk on the narrow paths around MP. I was even there on the off-season which makes me wonder how busy it would be on a normal day.

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Taking the bus up from Aguas Calientes to Maachu Pichu is really the only sensible thing to do. Tickets can be bought the day before you go up or the day of. Prepare to get to the bus station at around 6:30 in the morning for the best ride up. Sure there are later buses but Maachu Pichu really gets annoyingly packed after ten in the morning. My advice is that if you have made the journey this far, it won't be that hard to wake up early to go see one of the new seven wonders of the world.
The bus' pickup is right near where the train drops you off in Aguas Calientes.