Peru - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 758

9 TRAIN JOURNEY TO MACHU PICCHU

The new, improved service offered by PeruRail between Cusco and Machu Picchu enhances
the thrill of riding tracks through such fantastic scenery even further by offering good service
and largely comfortable carriages. If you can afford to, pay the extra US$24 for a Vistadome
seat; not only do you get a better view, but there's also leg room - something conspicuously
absent from the “backpacker” carriages.
Daily rumbling out of Cusco (see p.745), the train zigzags its way through the backstreets,
where little houses cling to the steep valley slopes. It takes a while to rise out of the teacup-like
valley, but once it attains the high plateau above, the train rolls through fields and past
highland villages before eventually dropping rapidly down into the Urubamba Valley using
several major track switchbacks, which means you get to see some of the same scenery twice.
It reaches the Sacred Valley floor just before getting into Ollantaytambo , where you can
already see scores of terraced fields and, in the distance, more Inca temple and storehouse
constructions. The train continues down the valley, stopping briefly at Km88, where the Inca
Trail sometimes starts, then following the Río Urubamba as the valley gets tighter and the
mountain more forested and precipitous. The end of the line these days is usually the new
station at Aguas Calientes (see below).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
The town's main attraction (besides
Machu Picchu) is the natural thermal
bath (daily 5am-8pm; S10), which is
particularly welcome after a few days on
the Inca Trail. Several shops rent towels
and bathing suits near the entrance.
There is also a hiking trail (around
90min each way; closed at the time of
writing) up the sacred mountain of
Putukusi, starting just outside of town,
a couple of hundred metres down on
the left if you follow the railway track
towards the ruins. The walk offers
stupendous views of the town and across
to Machu Picchu, but watch out for the
small, venomous snakes. It is also not for
the faint-hearted as the trail is very steep
in parts (some sections have been
replaced by ladders) and very narrow.

plus photocopied maps. Next door is the INC o ce (daily
5.20am-8.45pm) where it's best to buy your entrance ticket
to Machu Picchu, as the queues at the site itself are very long.

ACCOMMODATION
Although there is an overwhelming choice of accommo-
dation options, most hostels in Aguas Calientes lack
charm; there can be a lot of competition for lodgings
during the high season (June-Sept) and the better places
need booking a week or two in advance. The check-out
time at most hostels is 9-9.30am.
Camping Municipal The municipal campsite is just before
the bridge over the Río Urubamba, a 20min walk from Aguas
Calientes. The campsite has toilets, showers wi th inter-
mittent hot water, and cooking facilities. Camping S15
Margarita's House C Chaska Tika 107 T 084 211 069,
E [e-mail]. Just a short walk away
from the train station, Margarita offers simple rooms with
private bath. Most are dark as they face the interior court-
yard. Rates include breakfast and wi-fi. S70
Pirwa Tupuc Yupanqui 103 T 084 244 315, W pirwa
hostelscusco.com. No-frills hostel with dorms and doubles,
some with private bath. There's a kitchen for guests' use,
free breakfast and wi-fi. Call ahead and a staff member
will p ick you up from the train station. Dorms S35 , doubles
S100
Hostal Quilla Av Pachacutec s/n T 084 211 009, W cusco
places.com/hostalrestaurantquilla. This pleasant little guest-
house has clean and tidy rooms, all with private bath,
decorated with local fabrics and ceramic lamps. There's a cosy
adjoining restaurant, free wi-fi and computers for guests. S80
Super Tramp Hostel C Chaska Tika, at Plaza de la Cultura
W supertramphostel.com. This friendly hostel offers a range
of dorm rooms sleeping 8-12. Doubles, all with shared bath,
are small but comfortable. There's a communal kitchen,

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By train You are most likely to arrive in Aguas Calientes
by train (see box above). To get to the heart of the town,
walk through the market and cross one of the bridges.
Trains connect Aguas Calientes with Poroy (for Cusco) via
Ollantaytambo. The options to Cusco are Backpacker/New
Backpacker, 8 daily between 9.56am and 9.45pm, S99-
174; Vistadome, daily at 3.20pm, S206; Hiram Bingham,
daily except Sun, S853. All take 3-4hr.

INFORMATION
Tourist information iPerú (Mon-Sat 9am-1pm &
2-6pm, Sun mornings only; T 084 211 104) has an o ce
just off the main plaza and informative leaflets about the area