Machu Picchu 2-Day Train Tour from Cusco & Aguas Calientes

The Train Leaves Ollantaytambo at Mid-Morning: Here's What Happens Next

You're picked up from your Cusco hotel at 7am and driven to Ollantaytambo to catch the train to Aguas Calientes, where you stay overnight. The next morning, a bus takes you to Machu Picchu for a two-hour guided tour of the citadel, with the option to hike Machu Picchu Mountain, Huayna Picchu, or the Sun Gate. You return by bus and train to Cusco, arriving around 9pm. All transport, entry, one night's accommodation, and a local guide are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Aguas Calientes

• Pick up from Cusco hotel at 7 AM
• Drive through Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo
• Board train to Aguas Calientes
• Transfer to hotel in Aguas Calientes
• Free time to explore town and hot springs
• Meet local guide for next day briefing

Day 2: Visit Machu Picchu and return

• Receive snack box at hotel
• Take bus to Machu Picchu
• Guided two-hour tour of Machu Picchu
• Optional hike to Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu
• Return by bus to Aguas Calientes
• Board train to Ollantaytambo
• Transfer back to Cusco hotel

The experience

Your hotel pickup in Cusco happens at 7am, and from there it's a private drive through the Sacred Valley toward Ollantaytambo. The landscape shifts as you climb: terraced farms give way to steeper slopes, and the Urubamba River threads through the valley below. By the time you reach the train station, you've already seen the geography that made the Incas choose this place. The expedition train itself is the real transition: two hours of windows and altitude, watching highland villages and agricultural patches roll past, until you drop into Aguas Calientes in the late afternoon. Your guide meets you at the station and takes you to your hotel, and then the evening is yours. The town has hot springs if you want them, or just a walk through the narrow streets to get your bearings before the early start tomorrow.

Day two starts with a snack box from the hotel and a 25-minute bus ride up to the citadel entrance. Once you're there, your local guide walks you through the main sites for two hours (the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana stone, the agricultural terraces), and explains the engineering and the purpose of each section in a way that makes the scale of it land differently than photos do. If you've booked one of the mountain climbs (Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu), your guide points you toward the entrance and you go from there. Otherwise, the Sun Gate hike is the alternative, a steep trail that takes you to the original entrance point and gives you the view most people come for. After your time on the site, the bus takes you back down to Aguas Calientes, you board the train again, and a representative meets you in Ollantaytambo to drive you back to Cusco. You'll arrive around 9pm.

What makes this Machu Picchu tour from Cusco work is that nothing requires you to arrange separately. The train tickets, the hotel night, the bus up and down the mountain, the guide, the entry fee, and breakfast are all locked in. You don't negotiate transport at the station or hunt for a guide in town. The pace is set so that you see the citadel properly (two hours is enough to understand the layout and the major structures) without feeling rushed, and the overnight in Aguas Calientes means you're not doing the whole thing in a blur.

What’s included

Your two-day Machu Picchu tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco, round-trip train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, one night's accommodation in Aguas Calientes, round-trip bus transport from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu citadel, a two-hour guided tour with an English-speaking local guide, entry to Machu Picchu, and breakfast on day two.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “We will meet you in your hotel, calling your name.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Machu Picchu Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Machu Picchu without arranging train tickets, accommodation, buses, or a guide separately: the fixed itinerary and overnight stay mean you arrive rested and leave nothing to chance.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

141 verified traveler reviews

5 ★139

4 ★2

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What time does the tour start from Cusco?

Hotel pickup is at 7am. You'll be driven to Ollantaytambo train station, where the train departs mid-morning.

Is the train ticket included?

Yes. Round-trip train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes are included in the tour price.

How long is the guided tour at Machu Picchu?

Your local guide leads a two-hour tour of the citadel, covering the main temples and structures.

Can I climb Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu?

Yes, but you must book it in advance. Your guide will direct you to the entrance. The Sun Gate hike is also available as an alternative.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup in Cusco, round-trip train tickets, one night's accommodation in Aguas Calientes, round-trip bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, guided tour, entry to the citadel, and breakfast.

What time do I return to Cusco?

You arrive back at your hotel around 9pm on day two.

Is there free time in Aguas Calientes?

Yes. After you check in on day one, the evening is free. The town has hot springs and restaurants.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. The citadel walk is guided and paced. Mountain climbs are optional and more strenuous.