Local Train vs Tourist Train to Machu Picchu: Who Can Ride, Prices and Differences (2026)

Two kinds of train run between Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu Pueblo: the tourist trains of PeruRail and Inca Rail, which any traveler can take, and the Tren Local, a PeruRail social service designed for the people who live in the area. In this guide we explain who can ride the Tren Local, how much it costs, its schedules, how to buy it and what discounts Peruvians get on the tourist trains. We use the official pages of the Tren Local, PeruRail and Inca Rail, and when something is unclear, we say so.

The short answer: foreign tourists cannot use the Tren Local. Peruvians from other regions can, but only if seats are left.

Tren Local vs tourist train: quick comparison

What the Tren Local is

The Tren Local is a social rail service operated by PeruRail for residents of Machupicchu and of the Cusco provinces of Anta, Urubamba and La Convención, for whom the train is the main means of transport. That is why it runs on non-commercial fares and gives priority to residents. Besides the main stations, it stops at intermediate halts that only local passengers can use.

The railway is a concession held by Ferrocarril Transandino (FETRANSA), but the contract does not allow it to carry passengers directly: that service is provided by operators such as PeruRail and Inca Rail. Inca Rail has no local train; it only runs tourist trains.

Who can ride the Tren Local

• Local passenger: citizens of the Machupicchu district and of the towns and communities along the line. They pay the lowest fare; the ticket office checks the ubigeo (place code) on their DNI.
• Provincial passenger: citizens of the Cusco provinces of Anta, Urubamba and La Convención.
• National passenger: Peruvians from anywhere else in the country. They can only ride if there is space, because locals have priority.
• Foreigners living in Peru: they can ride with a carné de extranjería with resident immigration status, at the national fare.
• Foreign tourists: they cannot buy tickets or ride the Tren Local.

To board you need a valid DNI or Peruvian passport, or a resident carné de extranjería. If you lost your DNI, a RENIEC registration certificate with a photo is accepted. The PTP is not accepted. The Tren Local's own pages do not fully agree on the exact list of places that count as local or provincial, so confirm it at the ticket office.

Tren Local fares

According to the official fare table published in 2026:

• Provincial and national passengers: S/12 per leg between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, and S/18 between Ollantaytambo and Hidroeléctrica. Between Machu Picchu and Hidroeléctrica it costs S/6. Children pay S/6 between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.
• Local residents: between S/3 and S/14 depending on the leg; for example, S/5 between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu and S/11 between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

If seats run out, you can buy a standing pass at the same price, if there is room. Fares are in soles and paid in cash.

Tren Local schedules

According to the current official timetable, provincial and national passengers can use these departures from the Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu stations:

• Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo: 5:05 (arrives 6:37), 9:50 (arrives 11:49), 12:55 (arrives 14:25), 19:04 (arrives 20:45) and 21:00 (arrives 22:45).
• Machu Picchu Pueblo to Ollantaytambo: 5:35 (arrives 7:44), 8:53 (arrives 10:52), 14:55 (arrives 16:31), 18:30 (arrives 20:17) and 21:50 (arrives 23:37).
• To Hidroeléctrica: the trains that reach Machu Picchu Pueblo at 6:37 and 11:49 continue to Hidroeléctrica, arriving at 7:30 and 13:30.

From April to December, one train leaves Cusco (San Pedro station) at 7:02 and another arrives in Cusco at 23:13, but San Pedro station is for local passengers only. From January to March, every service leaves from Ollantaytambo only. Schedules may change with the season.

How to buy a Tren Local ticket

• In person only: at the official PeruRail ticket offices in Wanchaq and San Pedro (Cusco), Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu Pueblo, Hidroeléctrica and Santa Teresa. There are no online or third-party sales.
• With your ID: tickets are personal and issued in your name; you can only buy for yourself or for immediate family, such as parents, children or a spouse.
• When: sales open 30 days ahead for local passengers and 7 days ahead for national passengers. In high season (July to December), buying at least a week ahead is recommended.
• Payment: cash only, in soles.
• No changes: tickets cannot be changed or refunded.
• On the day: arrive 30 minutes early and bring your physical DNI. You can carry one bag or backpack up to 8 kg and 157 linear cm; there is free luggage storage in Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu Pueblo.

Discounts for Peruvians on tourist trains

If you are Peruvian and can't get a seat on the Tren Local, both tourist rail companies have promotions:

• PeruRail: up to 50% off selected Expedition departures with the code PER50, and up to 25% off selected Expedition and Vistadome departures with the code PER25. You can buy until December 31, 2026 to travel until that date, but it is not valid from June 23 to 25 or in July 2026. It does not apply to the child fare.
• Inca Rail: up to 50% off with the code INCA50 on selected The Voyager and The Prime departures, and up to 25% with INCA25 on The Voyager, The 360° and The Prime, until December 31, 2026. INCA25 is not valid from July 22 to 31, 2026. Your DNI is checked at boarding.

In both cases these fares are subject to availability, allow no changes or refunds, and are for Peruvians only. The terms of both promotions say they apply to the adult passenger, although Inca Rail's FAQ says the discount also applies to children; confirm when you buy.

Tourist trains in brief

• PeruRail: Expedition (the cheapest), Vistadome, Vistadome Observatory and the luxury Hiram Bingham, with departures from Cusco, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Hidroeléctrica.
• Inca Rail: The Voyager (the cheapest), The 360°, The Prime, The First Class and The Private, with departures from Ollantaytambo.

Classes, stations, schedules, luggage and child fares are in our guide to trains to Machu Picchu. The distance of each leg is in our guide to the distance from Cusco to Machu Picchu.

Myths and scams

• "I can get you Tren Local tickets": the Tren Local does not sell through third parties. Tickets are issued in the passenger's name and your ID is checked at boarding, so a foreigner with a ticket bought by someone else will not be allowed on.
• "They sell it to anyone at the station": no. Without a DNI, Peruvian passport or resident carné de extranjería, you can't buy a ticket or board.
• "The Tren Local is the cheap backpacker train": it is not a tourist train. The cheapest tourist class is PeruRail's Expedition or Inca Rail's The Voyager.
• "Peruvians always find a seat": space for national passengers is limited and not guaranteed.

If someone offers you a Tren Local ticket while you are a foreign tourist, don't pay: buy only through official channels.

Alternatives if you can't use the Tren Local

If the tourist train doesn't fit your budget, you can go by road to Hidroeléctrica and walk along the tracks: we explain how in our guides to reaching Machu Picchu without the train and on a budget. To compare every option, see how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco and from Lima. Every train arrives in Machu Picchu Pueblo; from there you go up as we explain in our guide from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.

Before booking any train, secure your Machu Picchu ticket and check the entry requirements. If you want to climb a mountain, read our guide to Huayna Picchu tickets, and if you arrive without a ticket, how to buy tickets in Machu Picchu Pueblo. To choose your train time around your visit, see our guides to Machu Picchu circuits, circuit 2A vs 2B and circuit 3 (Royal Machu Picchu).

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners ride the Tren Local?

Foreign tourists can't. Only foreigners living in Peru with a resident carné de extranjería can.

How much does the Tren Local to Machu Picchu cost?

For provincial and national passengers, S/12 per leg between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu; for local residents, S/5.

Can I buy the Tren Local online?

No. It is only sold in person, in cash, at official PeruRail ticket offices.

How far ahead can I buy it?

National passengers can buy from 7 days ahead, and locals from 30 days ahead.

Does the Tren Local leave from Cusco?

There is a train from San Pedro station from April to December, but only for local passengers. Everyone else must board in Ollantaytambo.

What can Peruvians do if the Tren Local is full?

Use the discounts of up to 50% for Peruvians on PeruRail's Expedition and Inca Rail's The Voyager, on selected departures.

In short

The Tren Local is a social service for the people who live along the route to Machu Picchu: it costs S/12 per leg for Peruvians from other regions, it is sold only in person with a DNI, and foreign tourists cannot use it. If you are a foreigner, your option is a PeruRail or Inca Rail tourist train; if you are Peruvian and the Tren Local is full, take advantage of the discounts of up to 50%. Be wary of anyone offering Tren Local tickets outside the official ticket offices.

Sources

1. Tren Local, home page (who can ride, requirements and purchase): https://www.trenlocal.pe/
2. Tren Local, frequently asked questions: https://www.trenlocal.pe/preguntas-frecuentes/
3. Tren Local, fares by type of trip: https://www.trenlocal.pe/tarifas-por-tipo-de-viaje/
4. Tren Local, provincial and national fare table (PDF): https://www.trenlocal.pe/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/TARIFA-TURISTA-PROVINCIAL-Y-NACIONAL.pdf
5. Tren Local, local residents fare table (PDF): https://www.trenlocal.pe/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/TARIFAS-POBLADORES-Y-RESIDENTES.pdf
6. Tren Local, timetable (PDF): https://www.trenlocal.pe/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/TL-HORARIOS-RESIDENTES.pdf
7. Tren Local, stations and halts: https://www.trenlocal.pe/estaciones-y-paraderos-del-tren-local/
8. Tren Local, points of sale: https://www.trenlocal.pe/puntos-de-venta/
9. Tren Local, luggage and cargo: https://www.trenlocal.pe/equipaje-y-carga-en-el-tren-local/
10. Tren Local, about us: https://www.trenlocal.pe/conocenos/
11. PeruRail, frequently asked questions (Tren Local and Peruvians): https://www.perurail.com/es/preguntas-frecuentes/
12. PeruRail, promotion for Peruvians: https://www.perurail.com/es/promociones/peruanos/
13. Inca Rail, promotion for Peruvians: https://incarail.com/es/promociones/descuentos-para-peruanos
14. Ositran, performance report on the Southern and South-Eastern Railway concession (2014): https://www.ositran.gob.pe/anterior/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2.-ID2014-Ferrocarril-Transadino.pdf
15. Tourist train prices published by agencies (unofficial reference): machupicchuagency.com and railmachupicchu.com