Getting around · Cusco · Peru
Getting around Cusco
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Cusco's historic centre is compact and walkable, though hilly at altitude. Taxis are cheap for short hops, colectivo minibuses run to the Sacred Valley, and trains link Cusco and Ollantaytambo with Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- CUZ
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Boleto Turístico del Cusco
Ways to get around
Walking
The centre, San Blas and San Cristóbal are walkable, but the altitude and steep streets make walking tiring at first; take it slowly.
Taxi
Taxis are inexpensive and unmetered; agree the fare before getting in. App-based taxis also operate.
Use registered taxis or apps, especially at night and from the bus terminal.
Bus
Colectivo minibuses and shared cars run from Cusco to Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, leaving when full from terminals in the city.
Ask your hotel for the current departure points; they can change.
Train
PeruRail and Inca Rail run trains to Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, from Poroy near Cusco and from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.
In the rainy season, trains often start from Ollantaytambo with a bus connection from Cusco; check when booking.
Car
Private drivers and tours are a convenient way to see the Sacred Valley in a day, stopping at Pisac, Chinchero, Moray and Maras.
Tickets and passes
Boleto Turístico del Cusco
A combined ticket covering many archaeological sites and museums, including Sacsayhuamán, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and Chinchero; it is available as a full ticket or partial circuits.
From the airport
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport is about 5 km southeast of the historic centre; taxis reach the Plaza de Armas in about 15–20 minutes. Many hotels arrange pick-ups.
Do you need a car?
No. Taxis, colectivos, tours and trains cover the city, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Mountain roads are winding and driving is not recommended.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Machu Picchu | About 3.5–4 hours each way by train and bus | Train from Poroy or Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, then bus |
| Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) | About 3 hours each way by road | Organised tour with early-morning pick-up |
| Humantay Lake | About 3 hours each way by road | Organised tour via Mollepata and Soraypampa |
| Moray and the Maras salt pans | About 1.5 hours by road | Taxi, private driver or Sacred Valley tour |
| South Valley: Tipón and Andahuaylillas | About 1 hour by road | Taxi, colectivo or tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Cusco?
No. Taxis, colectivos, tours and trains cover the city, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Mountain roads are winding and driving is not recommended.
+How do you get from the airport to Cusco?
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport is about 5 km southeast of the historic centre; taxis reach the Plaza de Armas in about 15–20 minutes. Many hotels arrange pick-ups.
+What is the best way to get around Cusco?
Walking: The centre, San Blas and San Cristóbal are walkable, but the altitude and steep streets make walking tiring at first; take it slowly.