Cusco houses important tourist attractions such as Sacsayhuaman, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and, of course, Machu Picchu. To get to the most tourist city of Peru, you must take a plane or a bus from Lima. How to get to Cusco by car? Know all the information you should know.

• How to get to Cusco by car?
• The trip to Lima, Peru
• Car rental in Lima or another city in Peru
• How to get to Cusco from Lima?
• How much does it cost to get to Cusco by car?
• How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco by car?
• Distance from Cusco with other cities in Peru
• Frequently asked questions about travel to Cusco
• Important information about the car trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu

How to get to Cusco?

These are the main ways tourists arrive in Cusco:

• By plane from the city of Lima.
• By bus from the city of Lima or Arequipa.
• By bus from the city of La Paz in Bolivia.

Currently, the Cusco airport receives direct flights from the city of Santiago de Chile.

The trip to Lima, Peru

The city of Lima is the capital of Peru. Tourists who wish to reach Cusco must first arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru.

• Lima and Cusco are separated by 1, 101 kilometers away by road.
• To get from Lima to Cusco by car you must follow the ‘Panamericana Sur’ road.
• From Lima, direct flights to the city of Cusco are also addressed.
• Lima offers numerous tourist attractions such as the Pachacamac Ruins or the Sacred City of Caral.

Car rental in Lima or another city in Peru

The majority of car rental services are concentrated in the city of Lima.

• The minimum age to rent a car in Peru is 21 years.
• Some companies ask foreigners for an International Driver’s License (PIC) to rent a car in Peru.
• Tourists must have an international credit or debit card that covers the amount requested by the company.

In Peru, several car rental companies operate such as Europcar, Hertz, Alamo, Budget , etc.

How to get to Cusco from Lima?

There are 2 main routes to get to Cusco from Lima by car:

• Route through Abancay:
  • From Lima to Nazca by the Pan-American Highway South: 446 kilometers.
  • From Nazca to Abancay: 462 kilometers.
  • From Abancay to Cusco: 193 kilometers.
• Arequipa route:
  • From Lima to Nazca by the Pan-American Highway South: 446 kilometers.
  • From Nazca to Arequipa: 567 kilometers.
  • From Arequipa to Juliaca: 266 kilometers.
  • From Juliaca to Cusco: 343 kilometers.

The shortest way to get to Cusco is with the route through Abancay. However, many tourists want to visit Arequipa before arriving in Machu Picchu.

How much does it cost to get to Cusco by car?

The price of the trip by car from Lima to Cusco depends on the route that the tourist decides to take:

• The cost of the trip by car to Cusco through the route through Abancay is 200 soles on average ($ 63). This price only includes fuel.
• The cost of the trip by car to Cusco through the route through Arequipa is 460 soles on average (143 dollars). This price only includes fuel.

How to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco by car?

The city of Cusco and Machu Picchu are separated by 74 kilometers away. Unfortunately, you cannot reach the Inca City by car. The trip is by train to the town of Aguas Calientes and then Machu Picchu :

• Tourists can drive to the town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• From Ollantaytambo, visitors can board the train that takes visitors to the town of Aguas Calientes.
• Aguas Calientes is a town located at the foot of Machu Picchu. There are no cars there except buses that take tourists in 30 minutes to the door of the Inca City.

Road to Machu Picchu

Distance from Cusco with other cities in Peru

The city of Cusco and Machu Picchu are separated by 74 kilometers away. Unfortunately, you cannot reach the Inca City by car. The trip is by train to the town of Aguas Calientes and then Machu Picchu :

* Road distances

Frequently asked questions about travel to Cusco

These are the questions that tourists ask about the trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu by car, plane or bus.

• 1) How to get to Cusco by plane?

  The main flights to Cusco depart from the city of Lima. There are also flights to Cusco from the cities of Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, Iquitos, Trujillo, Puno and other parts of Peru.

• 2) How to get to Cusco by bus?

  If you do not want to rent a car to get to Cusco, you can travel by bus. The main terminals depart from Lima. However, you can also get there from Arequipa, Ica, Puno, Puerto Maldonado and other points.

• 3) How to get to Machu Picchu by train?

  To take the train to Machu Picchu, you must travel to Ollantaytambo station. From there the trains depart to Aguas Calientes (2 hours trip). Tickets are purchased online.

• 4) How to get to Machu Picchu on foot?

  There are many hiking trails to reach Machu Picchu on foot. The most famous of all is the Inca Trail (4 days). There are also other routes such as Salkantay (5 days), Lares Trek (4 days) and others.

• 5) How to get to Machu Picchu by bus?

  The buses do not reach Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu. However, there is a long route where tourists travel by bus to the ‘Hydroelectric Station’. From there you reach Aguas Calientes walking (2 hours).

• 6) How much does a bus ticket from Lima to Cusco cost?

  The bus ticket from Lima to Cusco costs approximately one hundred soles (25 dollars on average).

• 7) How much does a plane ticket from Lima to Cusco cost?

  The airplane ticket from Lima to Cusco costs 100 dollars approximately.

• 8) Is it dangerous to travel by bus from Lima to Cusco?

  The bus from Lima to Cusco is safe. However, the route takes 20 hours and crosses roads above 3,000 meters above sea level. Therefore, the trip is tiring. Passengers may suffer from the symptoms of altitude sickness.

• 9) How much does the bus ticket from Arequipa to Cusco cost?

  The bus ticket from Arequipa to Cusco costs approximately 60 soles. The trip takes 10 hours on average.

• 10) How much does the bus ticket from Cusco to Puno cost?

  The bus ticket from Cusco to Puno costs 50 soles approximately. The trip takes 7 hours on average.

Important information about the car trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu

The city of Cusco and Machu Picchu are separated by 74 kilometers away. Unfortunately, you cannot reach the Inca City by car. The trip is by train to the town of Aguas Calientes and then Machu Picchu :

• The trip by car to Cusco is one of the best ways to get to know Peru better.
• Peru’s roads have a speed limit of 90 km / h.
• The trip by car to Cusco from Lima ascends through the mountains of the Andes Mountains. Lima is 101 meters above sea level Cusco, at 3,399 meters above sea level
• At some points on the roads of Peru there are tolls. These control booths charge approximately 6 soles (2 dollars).
• Cusco is a city located in southern Peru. The cities of Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, Puno and Tacna are also part of this region of the country.
• Neither in Aguas Calientes nor in Machu Picchu are the circulation of private vehicles allowed as a protection measure for the Wonder of the World.

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, August 15, 2024