How much does it cost to get to Machu Picchu?

Travelers from all over the world dream of visiting Machu Picchu but many of them think that the budget to get here is very high. As in any trip, the important thing is to have a good organization and to know the approximate costs before arriving at the destination. This way, nothing will surprise you and you can save enough money with time.

If you want to know how much you will spend on transportation in your trip to Machu Picchu, here we leave you an approximation.

Arrival in Lima

Most people who visit Machu Picchu make their first stop in Lima, since almost all flights that come from outside Peru are only allowed to land in the capital and not directly in Cusco.

The price of the flight ticket will depend on your origin, but if we think about the average, the it usually costs, in average, between 1000 and 1500 dollars, when you come from outside the American continent.

If you come from a country in America, it will also depend on the country: you can find flights from Santiago de Chile for 150 dollars, but from places like Miami it rises to more than 500 dollars.

From Lima to Cusco

You have two ways to get from Lima to Cusco: by plane or by bus. For the more adventurous and those who have more time and less money, the land route is the most economical. Travel time is around 24 hours and you can find tickets from around 20 dollars (one way).

As for the plane, there are more and more companies offering this route, so the price has been decreasing year after year. Thus, at the time, you can find flights from Lima to Cusco from $ 45 round trip.

From Cusco to Ollantaytambo or Poroy

As you know, to take the train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo you have to travel to the Ollantaytambo or Poroy stations.

Poroy station is 20 minutes from Cusco and you can get there in a colectivo, which is a kind of shared taxi. The price of this trip is approximately 2 dollars.

Ollantaytambo is the furthest station from Cusco. The tour from the Imperial City takes about two and a half hours and you can arrive in a colectivo for about $4.

Also, if you buy your train ticket with Inca Rail, you can hire the bimodal service, with which we take you from Cusco to Ollantaytambo without an additional charge to your train ticket.

Train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Town

This stage is, perhaps, one of the most complex when you have to decide. At Inca Rail we have four types of trains that leave from the stations of Poroy (with restrictions of dates) and Ollantaytambo.

Prices vary a lot depending on the train to Machu Picchu you choose and the schedule. At Inca Rail, we have trains from 55 dollars.

To make the choice a lot easier, we recommend you to read this article in which we tell you, step by step, how to choose your train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo.

Bus to the Machu Picchu Citadel

A fact that many do not know is that the train is not the last means of transport you have to take to get to the citadel of Machu Picchu. Once you are in Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo, you will have to take a bus that goes up to the entrance of our Wonder of the World. The trip takes around 20 minutes and the general price is 24 dollars round trip.

If you want to save time, we recommend you to buy the bus ticket through the company’s website.

Summary of costs

We will make a summary of the expenses excluding airfare to Lima since depending on your country of origin the price can vary drastically.

Airplane to Cusco: 45 dollars
From Cusco to the train station: 3 dollars (average)
Train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo: 110 dollars
Bus to Machu Picchu: 24 dollars

Ticket to Machu Picchu: 47 dollares (52 dollars if you want to visit Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu)

Total: 229 dollars.

As you can see, although you have to take several means of transportation to get to Machu Picchu, you can do it in an economical way by choosing the best price options.

If you are one of those who thought that getting to our Inca citadel required a great economic effort, you have no excuse! With a little effort, you can get the necessary money and finally cross out Machu Picchu from your list of dream destinations.

Do you want to know more about the prices of our trains to Machu Picchu? Visit our website and book the one that best suits your trip. Have a great journey!