The route on the map
Cusco sits east of Machu Picchu; the train reaches the Pueblo from the east along the Urubamba. The road goes the long way round: north-west out of Cusco through Ollantaytambo, over the Abra Málaga pass at about 4,300 m, down the eastern slope of the Andes into the cloud forest at Santa María, then a dirt road along the Urubamba to Santa Teresa and on to Hidroeléctrica, the power station on the river below the back of Machu Picchu mountain. From there the only way is the railway: 10 km of flat track along the river to Aguas Calientes. No vehicle covers that last stretch. The whole thing is a horseshoe of some 230 km around the sanctuary to end up 8 km from where the train would have left you.
Hour by hour, going in
- 07:00 to 08:00, Cusco: Shared vans leave from agencies around the centre and from the Pavitos area; our transfer picks you up at the hotel. Breakfast first: the first stop is three hours away.
- 10:00, Abra Málaga: Two hours of climbing past Ollantaytambo to the pass, cold and often in cloud, then a long descent of switchbacks into warm air. Motion-sickness pills are not optional on this road; take the window seat on the right going out for the views and the left for a steadier ride.
- 12:00, Santa María and lunch: The road reaches the valley floor at Santa María and turns to dirt. Most vans stop for lunch here or in Santa Teresa, 30 to 60 minutes. Santa Teresa has the Cocalmayo hot springs, worth the stop if your van allows it on the way back.
- 14:00, Hidroeléctrica: A car park, a few restaurants and the control booth where you write your name and passport number before walking onto the tracks. Fill your bottle, use the toilet, and start walking by 14:30 at the latest.
- 14:30 to 17:30, the tracks: 10 km on the flat, beside the river, under trees, with the back of Machu Picchu above you for the last stretch. 2 h 30 to 3 h at a walking pace with stops. Trains use this line: walk on the side, not between the rails, and step off when you hear the horn. There are a couple of stalls selling drinks along the way.
- 17:30, Aguas Calientes: You walk into the Pueblo past the old station. Buy tomorrow's bus ticket at the booth before dinner ($24 round trip at the counter, or $34 booked online with us and already on your phone), and sleep. The town, the hotels and the morning are in the Aguas Calientes guide.
Coming back, and the plan that works
The vans leave Hidroeléctrica between 14:00 and 15:00 and reach Cusco between 21:00 and 23:00, which fixes your Machu Picchu morning: an entry at 06:00 or 07:00, two and a half hours inside, the bus down by 10:30, and you are on the tracks by 11:00 to make Hidroeléctrica for 14:00. It works, with no margin. The plan we recommend instead is mixed: in by road, a night in the Pueblo, Machu Picchu in the morning at your pace, lunch in town, and the afternoon train out to Ollantaytambo and Cusco by the evening. One way by road costs $55 with us, one way by train from $62 in low season, and you save the second long day and the risk of missing the van. The full three-day version (road both ways, two nights in the Pueblo) is the cheapest and the slowest; our itineraries show where it fits in a longer trip.
What it costs against the train
| Hidroeléctrica, round trip | Train from Ollantaytambo, round trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Transport | $50 to $80 shared van; $60 with hotel pickup with us | From $124 in low season on the cheapest class; more in high season and on panoramic trains |
| Time, each way | About 9 hours door to door | 1 h 20 to 1 h 45 on the train, plus 2 hours by road to Ollantaytambo |
| Days needed | 3, or 2 with the mixed plan | 1 (day trip) or 2 with a night in the Pueblo |
| Luggage | A backpack you can carry 10 km | 8 kg hand luggage per person, no walking |
| Rainy season | Risky in heavy rain, January to March | Runs all year from Ollantaytambo |
Practical rules
- Pack for carrying: Everything you take walks 10 km each way. A 30-litre pack with a rain cover, shoes you can walk in, water and sun cover for the tracks, repellent for the sandflies. Suitcases stay in Cusco; hotels keep them for the night.
- Buy the Machu Picchu ticket first: The route takes a day to get there and the sanctuary sells out weeks ahead in high season. Fix the entry on the live calendar before you book any van; if your date is gone, the sold-out guide has the way in.
- The short train from Hidroeléctrica: PeruRail runs a local train between Hidroeléctrica and Aguas Calientes that skips the walk; it is sold at the station and the timetable and fare change, so check on the day. Most people walk in and consider the train for the way out if the legs are done.
- Cash: Soles for lunch, the control booth stalls, the Pueblo bus booth and the hot springs. Santa Teresa and Hidroeléctrica have no reliable ATM.
- Who it is for: Travellers with time, a backpack and a budget; anyone finishing the Salkantay trek, which ends here anyway. Not for a tight schedule, for anyone with a bad knee or a suitcase, or for the rainy months.
Frequent questions about the Hidroeléctrica route
Can you drive to Machu Picchu?
No. No road reaches Machu Picchu or Aguas Calientes. The closest a vehicle gets is Hidroeléctrica, 10 km of railway away; from there you walk or take the short local train.
How long is the walk from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes?
10 km along the railway, flat, 2 h 30 to 3 h at a walking pace with stops. Start by 14:30 to arrive in daylight.
How much does the Hidroeléctrica route cost?
Shared vans from Cusco cost $50 to $80 round trip on the street; our transfer with hotel pickup is $60 round trip or $55 one way. Add lunch, the Pueblo bus and the night in Aguas Calientes. The train from Ollantaytambo starts at $62 one way in low season.
Is the Hidroeléctrica route safe?
In the dry season, yes: a long mountain road and a flat walk that thousands do every month. In heavy rain, January to March, landslides close the road and the river reaches the tracks; take the train in those months.
Can I do Machu Picchu by Hidroeléctrica in two days?
Yes, with the mixed plan: in by road on day 1, Machu Picchu on the morning of day 2 and the afternoon train out. Road both ways needs three days, or a very early entry and no margin on day 2.
Where do the vans to Hidroeléctrica leave from in Cusco?
From agencies around the centre and the Pavitos area between 07:00 and 08:00; booked transfers pick you up at the hotel. They return from Hidroeléctrica between 14:00 and 15:00 and reach Cusco between 21:00 and 23:00.