Tourist Transportation Tensions at Machu Picchu

Sun Nov 30 2025 22:57:51 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Machu Picchu faces transportation challenges as confrontations between rival bus companies affect tourists' access.

Machu Picchu, Peru's iconic UNESCO World Heritage site, is embroiled in a transport controversy as disputes between local bus operators have left hundreds of tourists stranded. The ongoing conflict centers around the licensing of bus services, with Consettur, the incumbent provider, losing its contract to a rival company. The situation raises concerns about local tourism revenue and accessibility to this major attraction.

Machu Picchu, the remains of a 15th Century Inca city, is Peru's most popular tourist destination, and a UNESCO world heritage site. Yet a continuing dispute over the buses that take visitors up to the mountain-top site recently saw some 1,400 stranded tourists needing to be evacuated.

Cristian Alberto Caballero Chacón is head of operations for bus company Consettur, which for the past 30 years has transported some 4,500 people every day to Machu Picchu from the local town of Aguas Calientes. It is a 20-minute journey, and the only alternative is an arduous, steep, two-hour walk.

He admits that in the past few months there have been some conflicts between people from different communities here. This conflict revolves around Consettur losing its licence to a rival bus firm in this remote part of Peru, where, unless you want to hike over Andes mountains, the only access is by public transport.

To get to Machu Picchu without walking, tourists must first take a train to Aguas Calientes, which takes from two to three and a half hours. And then transfer to a bus for the final leg.

Back in September, local protestors unhappy with the bidding process blocked the railway line to Aguas Calientes with rocks, resulting in Peruvian authorities having to clear the tracks and evacuate tourists on special train services. These protests have raised questions about the distribution of tourism revenues.

Although Consettur's licence ran out in September, it continues to run its buses amidst ongoing legal challenges faced by new firm San Antonio de Torontoy. As the row over transportation rumbles on, local businesses and officials express frustration over ticket sales primarily benefiting the national government rather than their communities.

Mayor Elvis La Torre highlighted that only 10% of entry ticket sales remain locally, calling for better distribution of tourism benefits. With the transportation conflict unresolved, local stakeholders continue to push for changes to foster a more sustainable tourism model benefiting both visitors and the surrounding communities.

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