Cusco, Peru

Getting around Cusco

How to travel around Cusco — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Walking, and altitude

The centre is small and walkable, but at 3,400 m even gentle hills are hard for the first days.

Tip: Take the first day slowly. Altitude sickness is the main reason itineraries collapse here.

2. Train to Machu Picchu

The only practical route to Aguas Calientes, run by two operators from Poroy or Ollantaytambo.

Tip: Book well ahead — trains and entry permits both cap out months in advance.

3. Colectivo

Shared minivans to Sacred Valley towns, leaving when full.

Cost: PEN 5–15 depending on distance

4. Taxi

Unmetered, with fares agreed before departure.

Watch outAgree the fare before getting in. Registered taxis and apps are the safer option after dark.

5. Sacred Valley by hired driver

A car and driver for the day, the flexible way to see Pisac and Ollantaytambo.

Tip: Sleeping in the valley on arrival is easier on the body than sleeping in Cusco.

Booking apps in Peru

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Operates in Lima and other Peruvian cities.

Coverage: Lima, Cusco, Arequipa.
Why it helps: Avoids the unlicensed airport taxis, which are a well-documented risk in Lima specifically.

Cabify

Alternative ride-hailing with fixed in-app pricing.

Coverage: Lima.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.