5 March 2010
Machu Picchu rail service
On 4 March, Peru Rail announced that rail services to Machu Picchu were expected to resume on 29 March, weather conditions permitting. This is 3 days ahead of the previously announced date of 1 April.
This will be starting the journey further along the train line than usual, with the first part of the journey to Piscacucho ( kilometre 82 of the railway line) made by road. The journey from Piscacucho to Machu Picchu will be made by train. The total journey time from Cusco to Machu Picchu should be approximately as normal and people will be able to visit Machu Picchu as normal.
The railway line is expected to reopen from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu in May. The route from Poroy (the closest train station to Cusco) to Machu Picchu is expected to reopen in June.
Currently, there are no alternative methods of getting to Machu Picchu and it is unlikely that there will be other ways of getting to Machu Picchu before the railway line is repaired.
Llama Travel is contacting passengers due to visit Machu Picchu in March and early April in case they wish to postpone their trip to Peru to a later date.
We will update this information when we receive more details.
Peru Rail also provide information on its own website:
www.perurail.com
More information
Heavy rains in the Machu Picchu area caused landslides on the railway line between Cusco and Machu Picchu on Sunday 24 January, which cut off access to Machu Picchu, which can only be reached by train or on foot. This resulted in tourists in the town of Aguas Calientes, below the ruins of Machu Picchu, unable to return to Cusco. The Peruvian authorities provided helicopters to transport people out of Aguas Calientes. The last remaining tourists left Aguas Calientes on 29 January.
Work reconstructing the railway line started on 3 February. The repairs on the railway line from Machu Picchu to Santa Teresa were completed on 11 February, a few days ahead of the initial date proposed for this section to be repaired. This route would provide an alternative access to Machu Picchu. However, road access from Cusco to Santa Teresa is not expected to be possible until late April. Therefore, this route is not likely to be available for access to Machu Picchu.
January is the middle of the rainy season in the Andes of southern Peru, and heavy rains are common. Disruption to transportation can happen at this time of the year, although the rains this year have been particularly strong, and the disruption to the railway line is very unusual.
Llama Travel does not operate to Peru from December to mid March, the peak of the rainy season. Llama Travel does not currently have any passengers in Peru.