Car In, Train Out
Machu Picchu by Car and Train 2 Days: The Affordable Route to the Inca Citadel
The Machu Picchu by Car and Train 2 Days combines a scenic drive and a riverside walk on the way in with a comfortable train ride back to Cusco. It is the best-value way to visit Machu Picchu with a hotel night and a guided tour.
This Machu Picchu car and train 2 days tour costs USD 220 per adult (students USD 200, children 3 to 17 USD 190). It includes the 5 to 6-hour drive from Cusco to Hidroelectrica, lunch, dinner and breakfast, 1 hotel night in Aguas Calientes, the bus up and down, your Machu Picchu ticket, a 2 to 2.5-hour guided tour and the train back to Ollantaytambo with transport to Cusco (around 7:00 PM).
It is our Machu Picchu budget tour with train return: you cross the Abra Málaga pass and the valleys of Santa María and Santa Teresa, walk about 11 km (3 to 3.5 hours) to Aguas Calientes, and visit Machu Picchu early the next morning, with enough time to add Huayna Picchu.
Duration2 days / 1 night
PriceFrom USD 220
Walk11 km, 3–3.5 hours
MealsLunch, dinner, breakfast
DifficultyEasy
Scenic Andean Drive
From the Sacred Valley over Abra Málaga to the cloud forest of Santa Teresa.
Riverside Walk
About 11 km along the railway and the Vilcanota River to Aguas Calientes.
Machu Picchu with a Guide
A 2 to 2.5-hour tour on the best circuit available, starting with Circuit 2.
Train Back to Cusco
No walking back: a comfortable train to Ollantaytambo and transfer to Cusco.
Read the full Machu Picchu by Car and Train 2 Days description
On Day 1 we leave Cusco at 6:30 AM and drive 5 to 6 hours through the Sacred Valley, the Abra Málaga pass, Santa María and Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica. After lunch, you walk about 3 hours along the railway to Aguas Calientes, where dinner and your hotel are waiting.
On Day 2, after breakfast, you take the bus up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour. In the afternoon you return by train to Ollantaytambo and by tourist transport to Cusco, arriving around 7:00 PM.
Prefer the train both ways? See our Machu Picchu 2 Day Tour by Train.
Availability & Booking
How to Book Your Machu Picchu by Car and Train 2 Days
01
Click Book Now, choose your date on our real-time calendar and book online.
02
Receive a confirmation email with your booking and payment details.
03
We buy your included Machu Picchu and return train tickets and book your hotel.
04
Get your tickets, hotel details and entry time within 24 hours.
Your Machu Picchu Ticket Is Included
The Machu Picchu entrance ticket is included in the price of the Machu Picchu by Car and Train 2 Days. You don’t need to buy it yourself: our team buys it for you as soon as you book.
We always book the best circuit available at the time of your booking, following a clear order of priority. Our 1st choice is always Circuit 2 · Route 2-A, the best way to visit Machu Picchu. If it is sold out, we book Route 2-B as the 2nd choice, then Circuit 1 as the 3rd choice, and finally Circuit 3 as the 4th choice:
1
Circuit 2 · Route 2-A Classic designed route Best option
1st choice. Classic Machu Picchu viewpoint and the most complete tour of the citadel.
Map · Video
2
Circuit 2 · Route 2-B Lower terrace route
2nd choice. Also includes the classic viewpoint, with a slightly different route through the citadel.
Map · Video
3
Circuit 1 · Panoramic Route 1-B, 1-C or 1-D
3rd choice, only if Circuit 2 is sold out. Panoramic views from the upper section, without access to the citadel.
Map · Video
4
Circuit 3 · Machupicchu Realeza Route 3-B or 3-D
4th choice, only if Circuits 2 and 1 are sold out. Lower section of Machu Picchu only, without the classic viewpoint.
Map · Video
Want Circuit 2-A for sure? Book at least 4 months in advance, as the best circuits sell out first. You can check live availability on the official Machu Picchu ticket website, the same platform we use.
No availability, or already have a ticket? We have flexible options for both cases. Ask us on WhatsApp.
