The Bus Ride to Machu Picchu Entrance
The bus ride to Machu Picchu entrance starts from the town of Aguas Calientes, located approximately 90 kilometers from the city of Cusco.
This town is also known as Machu Picchu town since it is only ten kilometers from the Inca archaeological site. This distance is covered by bus along the Hiram Bingham road, ascending the slopes of a high mountain at the foot of the Vilcanota River.
However, the route can also be done on foot, climbing hundreds of stone steps in a 2-hour walk on average. The bus ride takes only 30 minutes.
To take the bus to Machu Picchu, tickets from the Consettur company must be purchased, either online or in person in Aguas Calientes. Because the walking route is challenging, most tourists choose the bus ride.
The entrance gate to Machu Picchu is at the same location as the exit gate. This is also where buses depart for the return trip back to Aguas Calientes. Tickets for the return trip can also be purchased there. Of course, the return can also be done on foot, mostly downhill, and an average visitor completes this walk in about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The bus ride to Machu Picchu is the final step to reach the Inca city. The first two steps are: taking a bus to the Ollantaytambo station, and then taking the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
There are also two alternative ways to reach Machu Picchu: the 8-hour route via Hidroelectrica or the famous trekking route called the Classic Inca Trail (4 days).
💡 Bus Lines for Entering Machu Picchu – The entrance gate to Machu Picchu is 10 kilometers from Aguas Calientes. Depending on the season, queues can form for entry. From April to October is the high tourist season in Cusco, when the Inca city has the most visitors. Queues at the entrance take 5 to 15 minutes, especially in the mornings when most tourists want to access the site. From November to March is the low tourist season in Cusco, with fewer visitors, so queues are usually short or nonexistent. During this period, long queues for boarding the bus from Aguas Calientes are also uncommon.
Bus Lines to Machu Picchu on the Outbound Trip
The outbound trip covers the route Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.
Buses depart from Hermanos Ayar Avenue s/n. Tickets can also be purchased there.
To board the bus, visitors must show two tickets: the bus ticket and the Machu Picchu entry ticket with the scheduled time. Additionally, bus staff will request a passport or ID.
For the outbound trip, there are up to ten bus boarding times, aligned with Machu Picchu entry times: 6 am group, 7 am group, 8 am group, 9 am group, 10 am group, 11 am group, 12 pm group, 1 pm group, 2 pm group, and 3 pm group.
Tourists must queue according to their assigned group. For example, if the entry ticket is for 8 am, the queue must be joined with the 8 am group. The queue begins moving from 7:20 am.
No visitor can board a bus outside their assigned schedule. Queues may form up to 1 hour in advance, but they start moving 40 minutes before departure.
When queues start moving, it may take 5 to 30 minutes to reach the bus. During low season in Cusco, queues take 10 to 20 minutes. In high season, queues can take up to 30 minutes.
Bus Lines to Machu Picchu on the Return Trip
The return trip covers the route Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes.
Buses depart from the Machu Picchu exit gate (also the entrance gate). Tickets for the return trip can be purchased there.
To board the bus, visitors only need their bus ticket and ID or passport; the Machu Picchu entry ticket is not required.
There are no specific bus boarding times for the return trip. Queues form naturally with tourists finishing their visit. The Inca city is open from 6 am to 5 pm. Therefore, the last return bus departs at 5:30 pm. The first bus from Aguas Calientes departs at 5:30 am.
Since most tourists visit in the morning (6 am to noon), queues are longest around noon and 2 pm. Return trip queues are usually longer than outbound trip queues.
Queues are shorter in low tourist season (November to March) and longer in high tourist season (April to October).
When queues start moving, it may take 1 to 30 minutes to reach the bus. During low season in Cusco, queues take 1 to 10 minutes. In high season, queues can take up to 30 minutes.
Estimated Waiting Time for Machu Picchu Bus
This is the estimated time a visitor takes to board the bus on the route Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes:
| Bus Trip to Machu Picchu | High Tourist Season (Apr–Oct) | Low Tourist Season (Nov–Mar) |
|---|---|---|
| Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu (Outbound) | Queues up to 10–20 minutes | Queues up to 1–10 minutes |
| Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes (Return) | Queues up to 10–30 minutes | Queues up to 1–10 minutes |
More Information About Bus Lines to Machu Picchu
Queues for boarding the bus on the Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu route are more organized since they form in groups according to the scheduled entry time to the Inca citadel. In contrast, return trip queues can be more chaotic. It is recommended to join the queue immediately after finishing the visit to Machu Picchu, especially during the high tourist season in Cusco.
If the visitor is young or in good physical condition, a good option is to choose the walking route instead of taking the bus. This applies both for the outbound trip (Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu) and the return trip (Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes). The return route is the most recommended since it is mostly downhill and requires less effort. The uphill route is more strenuous, and visitors may feel fatigued before their visit to Machu Picchu. Walking the outbound route takes 2 hours, while the return takes on average 1 hour and 45 minutes.
For outbound trip bus queues, staff are available to guide visitors to the correct queue according to their scheduled entry time. Additionally, staff will request a passport or ID. Both the bus ticket and Machu Picchu entry ticket can be presented digitally (on a mobile device) or printed.
Buses to Machu Picchu operate daily, except in emergencies such as social protests or natural disasters. The first bus departs Aguas Calientes at 5:30 am (for the 6:00 am entry group). The last bus returns from Machu Picchu at 5:30 pm (the last entry time is 3:00 pm).
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long is the bus queue to Machu Picchu?
Bus queues to Machu Picchu take between 5 to 30 minutes depending on the time of year.
2. How long is the bus queue during high tourist season?
The bus queue from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes between 5 to 20 minutes.
3. How long is the bus queue during low tourist season?
The bus queue from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes takes between 1 to 30 minutes.
4. What time does the first bus to Machu Picchu depart?
The first bus departs Aguas Calientes at 5:30 am.
5. What time does the last bus to Machu Picchu depart?
The last bus departs Machu Picchu at 5:30 pm.
6. How long is the queue for the return bus to Aguas Calientes after visiting Machu Picchu?
The return bus queue takes between 1 to 30 minutes depending on high or low tourist season in Cusco.
7. How long is the queue to enter Machu Picchu?
Entry queues to Machu Picchu take between 1 to 10 minutes depending on the time of year.
8. How long does the bus ride to Machu Picchu take?
The bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes 30 minutes.
9. How long does it take to walk to Machu Picchu?
Walking from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes about 2 hours on average, depending on the visitor’s physical condition.
10. Do bus queues to Machu Picchu form year-round?
Queues generally form throughout the year, especially during the high tourist season (April to October).
