Looking at trip to Machu Picchu in October. Inca Rail and Peru Rail are saying they are taking vans from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, then trains to Aguas Calientes. This is just for 2022. Has done this bimodal transport? I also have a question about leaving luggage at the train station in Ollantaytambo, which I understand you have to do since you can only take a small backpack on the train. Has anyone had any problems leaving their luggages in Ollantaytambo? I'm assuming since everyone has to do this, there is time between transportation? As I get a bit older, I get a bit anxious about some of these more complicated itineraries! We plan to arrive Cusco, take bus to Ollantaytambo to stay a few days. Any info on airport to Cusco bus station? Thank you so much!
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7146 posts
Granted we were on a tour, but we took luggage on the train at Ollantaytabo. At Machu Picchu we stayed at Sanctuary Lodge. I have to believe those staying at Aguas Calientes for more than a night take their luggage too. Double check your information source. To me, it doesn’t seem accurate.
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2547 posts
We took the Peru Rail train and there is very little room for luggage. We were instructed by our tour company to bring really small pieces of luggage and left the rest with the tour company. Even a 21 x 14 x 9 carry on would have been too big. We had to stow our “luggage” under our seats. We had enough stuff with us for a few nights and that was it. Maybe they have first class trains that have more room for luggage.
Posted by
Calgary
1740 posts
We hired a private driver to drive us from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, because we had stops we wanted to make in between. We stayed overnight in Ollantaytambo, and it's definitely worth a stay. The ruins there are great, and the town charming.
We took our luggage on the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, stayed overnight, and took our luggage on the train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco. Mind you, we travel with carryon-sized luggage, so it wasn't an issue.
There is more than one train per day, but, if I recall correctly, you need to book in advance.
We used a taxi to get from the train station to our hotel in Cusco, and to get from our hotel to the airport in Cusco when we were leaving.
Posted by
OP
Inlet Beach, FL
136 posts
jaimeelsabio - My source was the train companies themselves, I assumed their information would be accurate.
From Peru Rail:
Carry-on luggage means a bag or backpack with a maximum weight limit of 5.0 kg/11 lb and measuring no more than 157 cm (height + length + width). Any luggage that does not meet these limits cannot be carried aboard the train.
From Inca Rail:
INCA RAIL carriages / vans do not have luggage racks on board. Each travel ticket entitles its bearer to board the train / vans with only one piece of hand luggage (backpack, handbag, or briefcase) weighing no more than 08 kg/17 lb and with dimensions of no more 46 linear inches / 118 linear cm (height + length + width).
Posted by
8241 posts
I don't remember seeing a train station in Ollantaytambo.
We had a private tour guide that dropped us off at the train. We left our large cases at our hotel in Cusco where we were going back to after MP.
Posted by
Connecticut
692 posts
There is a sizable building housing the Ollantaytambo train station and its services. I did not personally use it to store luggage so I am unable to answer that question. However under FAQ for the Ollantaytambo site it states that luggage storage is available.
https://www.perurail.com/faq/#is-there-luggage-storage-at-the-stations
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7146 posts
Maybe my memory failed me and I incorrectly thought we carried our bags. Maybe we did just take a couple days items. That trip was in 2009.