Shuttle buses climb the winding road from Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu entrance in about half an hour, and run back down through the day. You can buy tickets in advance or on the spot, depending on current arrangements, and queues are longest around the first departures.
The only alternative is to walk up a steep stepped path, which many fit people choose.
The road and the bus
The road is a series of tight hairpin bends cut into the steep forested slope above the river. Only authorised buses may use it, and they travel in a continuous loop between the town and the gate. The ride is short but the views over the valley are striking, and the vehicles are crowded in the morning. If you have a mobility issue or a heavy bag, the bus is the practical choice, and accessibility explains what to expect at the top.
The road climbs several hundred metres in a short distance, which explains both the winding course and the slow speed. In the rainy season, mist often fills the gorge and the bus may travel through cloud, and in dry weather the hillside can be dusty.
Tickets and queues
Bus tickets have been sold both in advance online and at a ticket point in Aguas Calientes, and the practice has changed over time. Check whether a ticket is sold separately or included in your package, and whether it covers the return. The queue forms along the street from the departure point, often well before the first bus leaves, since visitors want the earliest entry.
If your entry window is early, reach the queue with a margin. If it is later in the morning, queues are usually shorter, although the first descents of visitors coming out can mix with arrivals. A return ticket lets you leave when you are ready, but check the conditions printed on it, since a one-way ticket and a return ticket are priced differently. The relationship between your entry window and the queue is explained in opening hours.
Tours and activities
Bookable online, chosen for their traveller reviews.
-
★ Top rated From €49 per person
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu Entry Ticket for Circuit 1, 2 or 3
-
★ Top rated From €23 per person
-
From €178 per person
Machu Picchu
Private Machu Picchu Tour with Guide, Entry and Bus
-
★ Top rated From €22 per person
The first bus and the sunrise queue
Visitors who want to be among the first through the gate begin queuing before dawn, in the dark, sometimes for a considerable time. The first buses depart before the site opens, so the people at the front reach the entrance early and wait together. Do not underestimate the cold and damp of that wait; a jacket, a hat and a snack help.
Most people who join this queue do so to be at the gate for the early windows described in sunrise at Machu Picchu, and the queue is longest in the dry season. If you are not aiming for the very first entry, you can often sleep an hour longer and still catch an early bus with a shorter line. Your window, not the sunrise, decides when you must be at the gate, and the staff check the time on the ticket rather than the order in the queue.
Walking up instead
A path with stone steps and a short stretch along the road climbs directly from the town. It is steep, humid and slippery in the rain (see the weather), and takes much longer than the bus, so allow plenty of margin and leave in good time. It is free, quieter than the queue, and gives a more physical introduction to the site. It is not a good idea in the dark without a head torch, and not suitable for anyone with knee trouble.
You also need energy for the visit itself, so walking up and then doing a big climb in the ruins is a heavy morning. If you walk, carry water, wear shoes with grip and keep your passport and ticket in an easy-to-reach pocket, because the staff check them at the entrance and not on the path. Hikers who set out before dawn will pass the last bend of the road several times, which can be disorienting in the mist.
Coming back down
Buses return from the entrance throughout the afternoon, and the queue builds up when many visitors finish at the same time. Leave the ruins a little before you need to if you have a train to catch. Walking down is easier than going up, and some people prefer it to wait in the line, but only if there is plenty of daylight.
A good compromise is to take the bus up and walk down, which saves the hardest part of the effort and avoids the longest descent queue. Allow roughly the same time as the bus ride plus the margin for slippery steps if you decide to walk. Remember that your train departure is firm, so do not leave the descent until the last moment, and check where you must collect any luggage you left at the town or the station.
Other practical points
Keep small change handy for any purchase at the bus stop, and carry your passport, because staff may check names against the bus ticket as well as at the gate. Use a toilet before you board, since there is none on the way. If you are travelling with a child or with someone who has difficulty with stairs, accessibility explains what to expect at the entrance and on the path inside.
Bus times and queue procedures can change after a season or a strike, so check the arrangements with your hotel in Aguas Calientes the evening before. Hotels usually know when the first departure is, how long the queue was that morning and whether the ticket can be bought nearby.
Choosing between bus and walking
Decide the night before. If you have an early window, a queue of unknown length and a long visit planned, take the bus up and keep your legs for the ruins. If you have time, good shoes and dry weather, walking up is a rewarding start, and it avoids the queue entirely. If it is raining, the stone steps are slick and the bus is the safer choice, particularly for older walkers and children.
The walk down is a more common choice than the walk up, because the effort is smaller and the queue for the descending bus can be long at the end of the day. Check your train time, leave a margin, and carry water. How to get to Machu Picchu shows the whole route from Cusco, and tickets explains why your entry window should shape your decision.
Where to sleep
-
Find hotels
Aguas Calientes
Sleep at the foot of Machu Picchu for an early entry
-
Find hotels
Ollantaytambo
Early trains to Machu Picchu and a walkable old town
-
Find hotels
Plaza de Armas and historic centre
Everything on foot, at the price of noise and crowds
-
Find hotels
San Blas
Artisans' quarter with steep lanes and views, a short walk uphill
-
Find hotels
All of Cusco
Compare every area and price level in one search
Frequently asked questions
How long is the bus ride?
Roughly half an hour, depending on traffic and queues at the top.
Can I walk instead of taking the bus?
Yes, by a steep stepped path. It takes much longer and is tiring, so leave plenty of margin.
Is the bus ticket included in the entry ticket?
No. The entry ticket and the bus are normally separate purchases, unless a package covers both.
What time does the first bus leave?
The first departures are before the site opens, in the early morning. Ask your hotel for the current time, and confirm it the evening before.
Do I need to book a bus ticket in advance?
Sometimes. Arrangements have varied between advance online sales and tickets sold in town,.
Can I pay for the bus by card?
Do not assume so. Payment methods differ between the online system and the ticket point in town, so carry some cash as a backup.
Is the bus included in a tour?
Often yes in day-trip packages, but not always. Check the list of inclusions before you book.
