Inca Rail — Local services in Distrito de Cusco

I paid $76 USD for 360 train and upon arrival Puroy station was put on a bus instead. We took this bus for 1.5 hours of the 3 hour trip. There wasn’t any kind of compensation or reimbursement for taking the bus instead of the train we had paid for.

In addition, no one informed us as to why we were getting on the bus, or showed us how to get to the train when we switched in an unknown town. Once I found a crew member and asked what was going on we found out it was a mechanical issue. The train was half an hour late getting us to Machu Picchu.

On the return trip, the train was AGAIN late, this time by a full hour. We kept stopping and moving both forwards and backwards. AGAIN there was no explanation as to why we were so late and when I asked a crew member, AGAIN I was told it was a mechanical issue.

Once we finally arrived at our station, we waited on the tracks for another 10 minutes, while another train that arrived after us was allowed to disembark first. We again had to switch to a bus and NOT A SINGLE worker from Inca Rail was in sight to help direct anyone to where the buses were waiting. The buses were not only different from the ones we took previously, but also did not say Inca Rail on them, making it very difficult to find the correct buses. Many of us were lost and had to ask others where to find the Inca Rail bus. Once on we sat around for another 10 minutes before departing. Our “3-hour” trip back to Cusco from Machu Picchu took 5.

Finally, the train advertised free WiFi; while we were able to connect, only the Inca Rail website is accessible so it was not usable.

Over all, I was extremely disappointed with this company; the trip was frustrating to the point of infuriating. They show no professionalism or care for their customers. I would definitely NOT use them again for transportation to or from Machu Picchu and would recommend Peru...

They get one star for just getting me to Machu Picchu.

Okay here’s the Tea 🍵 First time traveling with Inca Rail, it was highly unprofessional. I am Peruvian but grew up in the USA. I speak Spanish fluently, and so does my family. We were going, there was an incredible lack of communication from the staff, everything was chaotic and disorganized. Their marketing is very very good. It’s all a lie basically. For the 360 view, it’s giving more like 180 degrees if that. Not to mention that over half of the journey is not spent on the train, but it is spent on a bus, a bus that is subcontracted, and the driver, while I trust are professionals, are pulling dangerous stunts. Passing other cars during curves, going above the speed limit, and driving through bumps so hard you jump out of your seat. This is my 4th time going to Machu Picchu, and frankly Inca rail made this experience terrible. My partner has Crohns and they do NOT give enough time or communicate about bathroom breaks or even if there will be stops. Not accessibility friendly. They had a very cringy Inca Performance in the train where the staff dressed up. As a Peruvian, with Incan family, this was EMBARRASSING. It was in incredibly bad taste. I felt scammed for sure, and honestly I feel bad for the employees. They just care about making money. Not respecting the sacred journey. It’s a shame. All of this tourism monopoly. Machu Picchu is now just a place for white people and other tourists to do a lil tik tok dance and post it on social media. I am grateful to have been able to go 3 times before, by just renting a car. If you have the money, getting to Ollaytantambo is not hard. Don’t pay for the full thing. Do NOT do the Bimodal transport. They treat you like cattle, and you can probably Pay 20 soles to ride with cattle and it would be a better...

I deeply regret choosing IncaRail for our trip. Despite spending nearly $1,000 on four tours booked months in advance, the service was disorganized, unprofessional, and disappointing.

Poor Coordination: Trip details were shared late the night before, with intrusive calls to our hotel room at 9 PM asking for information I couldn’t possibly have, showing a lack of internal organization. Outsourced and Unreliable Services: Tours were outsourced to local providers and confirmed last minute, leading to confusion and a lack of professionalism. Rigid Policies: After responsibly informing the guide I was sick on the morning of the last tour, IncaRail refused to reschedule or refund, hiding behind a rigid 72-hour cancellation policy—even for a shared tour where costs wouldn’t have changed. Unpreparedness: On the Humantay Lake tour, no guidance was provided on the poor road conditions, trekking essentials, or oxygen for altitude sickness. Unprofessional Staff: During the Aguas Calientes journey, staff forgot a phone at a viewpoint, forcing the van to reverse uphill without explaining to passengers. Tacky Entertainment: Over-the-top parades on the way to the train and onboard felt forced and detracted from the experience. Hidden Costs: Additional ticket costs were not disclosed in advance, leaving us unprepared. IncaRail’s lack of professionalism and disregard for customer experience do not justify the premium price. I strongly advise against booking with them. For tours, do not book to much in advance, and be aware or policiest. For trains I...