One thing we didn’t fully understand when we were figuring out how to get to Machu Picchu, was that there is no direct road into Aguas Calientes, (the town at the base of Machu Picchu). So, you either have to walk, trek, or train. If you’re on a budget, don’t feel like doing a 4 day trek, or just want to put a bit of effort in, the Hidroelectrica route is for you.
There is a direct shuttle from Cusco to Hidroelectrica, if you’re looking to skip Ollantaytambo.
Time – 6 hours
Price – 55 sol/pp
Book the direct shuttle from Cusco to Hidroelectrica here.
If you’re looking to break up the days a little bit and see a bit more of the Sacred Valley, I would recommend making your way to Ollantaytambo early the day before you want to hike in to Aguas Calientes. Not only because you need to get up ridiculously early to make it to Aguas Calientes with time to buy your Machu Picchu ticket, but also because Ollantaytambo definitely deserves a little exploring.
There’s not a whole lot to do, but the Ollantaytambo ruins are definitely worth a visit, and next to Machu Picchu they were my favourite of the ones we visited.
The collectivos to Ollantaytambo leave Cusco from Calle Pavitos and Av. Grau, which is a 10-15 minute walk or short taxi ride from the centre of Cusco. These minivans leave regularly from early in the morning, and depart when full.
Time – 2 hours
Price – 10 sol/pp
A private taxi one-way from Cusco to Ollantaytambo costs around 100 soles, but could cost more or less depending on your negotiation skills.
We stayed in Ollantaytambo for one night, and then we woke up at the crack of dawn the next day to get the collectivo to Hidroelectrica, where we would begin our walk in to Aguas Calientes. The first collectivos begin running around 7:30, from Calle Inca. We showed up to get the first one but since collectivos roll in to Ollantaytambo from Cusco, there’s no guarantee there will be seats available.
It took almost 2 hours for us to get on a collectivo, there’s a fairly strong unspoken ‘locals first’ rule. Which, I’m totally fine with for the first few, but after 2 hours watching the collectivos leaving with people who had just shown up, we spoke up and got put on the next one. If you’re travelling in a larger group and there are any seats available you’re probably better off splitting up to get there. The majority of collectivos technically take 15 passengers, but that’s just a suggestion in Peru.
We had read that we would need to get a collectivo from Ollantaytambo – Santa Maria – Santa Teresa – Hidroelectrica, but our collectivo went directly to Hidroelectrica.
Time – 3-4 hours
Price – 25 sols/pp Ollantaytambo – Hidroelectrica.
From the Hidroelectrica (it’s the hydroelectric station outside of Santa Teresa, not an actual town), it’s about 12 km in to Aguas Calientes. It’s a fairly popular route so you’re guaranteed to not be alone. The walk is an easy, flat stroll along the train tracks.
These are active tracks, so make sure to pay attention. but I still wouldn’t be wearing headphones, so don’t be dumb. You’ll be able to hear the train before it gets close, and there’s lots of space to get out of the way. During the walk there are two short tunnels you have to go through, and in the tunnels there’s no where to get out of the way if there’s an oncoming train, so double check before you go through and scurry.
** If you’re going this route, leave your large bags in Cusco. Our return shuttle from Hidroelectrica to Cusco didn’t stop in Ollantaytambo, so it would be a hassle to try to get back to get your things. Accommodations in Cusco are entirely used to this, with everyone leaving to go on the Inca Trail and what not. The majority of places will lock your stuff up for a few days, just double check before you book.**
During Peru’s rainy season (November to March), the train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes actually consist of a bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, and then the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
There are two train companies that run from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, Peru Rail and Inca Rail. Since the train to Machu Picchu is world famous, seats sell out. The seats are in three tiers, so unless you want to pay the hefty top tier price, book your ticket in advance.
The train station in Ollantaytambo is located on Av Ferrocarril. It’s about a 15 minute walk from the main plaza, so don’t cut it too close!
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