Updated in May/2017 – When the Incas built Machu Picchu, their intention was for the place to be difficult to access and hidden between mountains and forests, to make life difficult for enemies who might try to get there.
A few centuries later, you make the journey from Cuzco to the lost city by train and bus, but still, perhaps due to some Inca curse, entering Machu Picchu can be a test of endurance and patience for modern travelers. That’s why we’ve prepared a very detailed guide explaining everything you need to know to buy train and bus tickets, as well as tickets to Machu Picchu.
Attention: new Machu Picchu ticket rules for visits from July 1, 2017
The Ministry of Peru announced, in February 2017, new rules to protect Machu Picchu from intense tourist visits. From July 2017, anyone wanting to visit the Inca city will be subject to some restrictions. The main change is that it will no longer be possible to buy tickets for the entire day. During the purchasing process, visitors will have to choose between morning (6am to 12pm) and afternoon shifts (12pm to 5:30pm).
The new rules come into effect for tickets purchased from June 1st for visits scheduled from July 1st onwards. During the month of May, it will only be possible to purchase tickets for May and June. If you purchased yours further in advance, you will automatically be transferred to the first shift, although inspectors are flexible in these cases.
Read a full post just about the changes here
Other rules to control the flow of tourists were introduced along with the time change. Now, it will only be possible to visit the city with a tour guide, who can be hired in advance by you or arranged at the park entrance. It is not yet known how this rule will be implemented, whether there will be official guides at the entrance or whether this will be the responsibility of agencies in Cusco and Aguas Calientes, or even whether or not there will be a fixed price. Groups must have a maximum of 16 people.
In addition, three visiting circuits were established, each lasting between two and three hours. This means you will no longer be able to wander around Machu Picchu at your leisure. No one will be able to explore the city outside the circuits or separately from their group, which, in my opinion, will impoverish and enrich the experience. The circuits will be decided at the time of the visit. It will no longer be permitted to re-enter the park once the visit has ended and the use of selfie sticks will be restricted to certain regions.
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Phase 1: I want to go to Machu Picchu. How do I buy tickets?
There is always the possibility of handing over a trip like this to an agency to take care of these details, but, let’s face it, as good DIY (do it yourself) travelers, we wouldn’t give up so easily. The first step is to access the official Machu Picchu website. In the left menu, choose Machu Picchu in the “Place to Visit” field. Just below, “select the route”: Machu Picchu (U$50) to just enter the park or Machu Picchu + Huayana Picchu (U$58) to climb the mountain (I highly recommend it. The climb is scary at first, but it’s very peaceful). In this option you also need to choose the pick-up time: between 7am and 8am or between 10am and 11am. Each time slot has a limit of 200 tickets per day, so if you plan to go to Huayana, buy in advance.
After choosing the route and date, a screen will appear informing you of the number of tickets still available for that day. In the “Extranjeros” – Adults field, enter the number of tickets you want to reserve.
Go to step 2. Fill in the required data and go to step 3. Check the data, agree to the terms and click on create reservation. A pop up will appear on the screen informing you of your reservation number. Take a printout and save this number.
Now comes the really tricky part: paying. The site only accepts payment by cards Verified by Visa. In Brazil, the banks that offer this service are Bradesco and Banco do Brasil. So far so good. The problem is that we, for example, had a card that met these requirements, but we still couldn’t buy it. What happens is that there are several cases of card cloning in Peru, so for any reason the system blocks the purchase. I think in our case it was because we were trying to buy in India with a Brazilian card, but who knows. The trick is to try with different cards. If you can’t buy it, look for someone who can buy it for you. I know, it’s very annoying, but there is a chance that people will be helpful for this type of cause.
The second problem is that reservations expire in 6 hours and you are only allowed to attempt payment five times per reservation. If you use all your chances, you will have to wait for the reservation to expire and book everything again.
Let’s go: Close the pop up and click on the “paid” tab in the top menu of the site. There will be a field for you to enter your reservation code (the one you saved). You will be redirected to a page from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. Click “send” and fill in your card details Verified by Visa.
If everything goes well (cross your fingers), go back to the official website and click on the “Check-in” tab, also in the top menu. Enter your reservation code again and print your tickets. You will need them printed to enter Machu Picchu.
I don’t have Verified by Visa, nor anyone to buy for me, what do I do?
A friend and some blog readers used the website https://www.ticket-machupicchu.com and approved. They charge a fee for the service, but if you can’t buy from the official website at all, it might be worth it.
You can also buy in person at the Ministry of Culture offices in Cuzco or Aguas Calientes. But be careful, because the first thing we see on the official website is a government warning about fake ticket sales in Cuzco. Therefore, do not buy from any agency or from other people. Go straight to the Ministry of Culture building and buy there. During high season, in June and July, there is a risk that tickets will run out weeks before the date.
Phase 2: I landed in Lima. How do I get to Cuzco?
There are two ways to leave the Peruvian capital to the “capital” of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The easiest is, obviously, by plane. Three companies make the journey: LAN, TACA and Star Peru. In our simulations, LAN was the most expensive, with round-trip tickets costing more than R$1000. At TACA, from R$500. In July, the high season month, prices rise even more. Star Peru presented the best prices. We found round-trip tickets for US$130. However, I don’t know the company’s service.
The second option is to face the long journey overland. Despite the hours lost on the journey, those who choose this type of trip have an advantage: they will gradually get used to the altitude and have less chance of getting sick. We tested it and, although we were a little out of breath, no one suffered from the dreaded mountain effect.
The company that took us was Cruz del Sur. The service is luxurious, the buses are very comfortable and there is a beautiful landscape outside the window, but the trip lasts at least 21 hours. They serve lunch or dinner (depending on your departure time) and breakfast. You can choose whether you want meat, chicken or a vegetarian dish for your meal. Still, don’t be fooled: take a snack because there is a lot of space between meals and if the bus is late you could die of hunger (it happened to us). The one-way ticket cost us US$69 and the return ticket US$72.
The buses leave from the company’s own terminal in Lima, which is located at Av. Javier Prado Este, 1109. And arrive at Av. Pachacútec, 510, in Cuzco.
Are you going to Machu Picchu and don’t know where to stay? See our selection of hostels and hotels here
Phase 3: I arrived in Cuzco. How do I get to Aguas Calientes?
By train. You need to buy tickets in advance on the Peru Rail website. In the menu on the left, choose your destination (Machu Picchu) and then your route (Cuzco > Machu Picchu). And here’s the tip: As the departure from Cuzco is very busy, the cheapest tickets may have already run out. Try searching for the Sacred Valley > Machu Picchu route option. The trains for this option leave from Olantaytambo, a small town near Cuzco that is part of the Sacred Valley. As we were going to tour the Valley during the day and take the train at night, we agreed with our taxi driver to leave Olanta as the last tour and we stayed there.
A list will appear with different time and price options. Choose the option that best suits you. We paid U$38 for one-way tickets and U$34 for the return ticket. The website says they accept any Visa and Mastercard, but we had trouble purchasing without one Verified by Visa or one Securecode MasterCard. My suggestion is: try it. If it doesn’t pass, send an email to [email protected] explaining the situation. They will respond to you and provide the name of the sales executive who will contact you. This person will check your details and credit card and, if everything goes well and your bank authorizes the purchase, they will reserve your seats. You will only have to fill out a form sent by email for the operation to be completed.
Once you’re there, go to the train station at least an hour in advance to print your ticket. It’s best if you bring a printed receipt, but if you don’t have one, they can locate you using your passport number.
Phase 4: I arrived in Aguas Calientes. How do I go to Machu Picchu?
By bus. It is possible to buy tickets in Cuzco, but we left it to buy on the spot and had no problem, as vehicles leave every 5 minutes during peak hours. Tickets are sold at a kiosk near where the buses leave. Finding the starting point is easy. Aguas Calientes is tiny and anyone on the street will be able to give you directions. The first bus leaves at 5:30 am. On the way back, the last bus is at 5:30 pm.
Those who are more willing and want to save a few dollars can go up on foot. The walk takes 1h30.
Congratulations! After completing all these phases, you have reached Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas. Enjoy your day there!
PS: There is a path to Machu Picchu mode hard, doing the Inca trail, but we haven’t tackled that yet. See here the tips from the Viajante Sustentável blog, which took on the challenge.
