Machu Picchu Tickets 2026: Prices, Circuits and Availability
Machu Picchu tickets for 2026 are sold for a specific date, entry time and route. This guide explains the current prices, which circuit to choose, how to check availability and the correct order for arranging your complete journey.
Entry permit, return train and return bus can be booked together. You choose your Machu Picchu visit, and we coordinate the journey around it.
How much do Machu Picchu tickets cost in 2026?
Official Machu Picchu ticket prices cover entry to the citadel only. They do not include the return train from Ollantaytambo or the return bus between Machu Picchu Pueblo and the entrance.
| Cost | Included in the official entry price? |
|---|---|
| Machu Picchu entry permit | Yes |
| Return train | No |
| Return bus | No |
| Coordinating the timings | No |
| Personalised Journey Plan | No |
The entry permit is only one part of the journey. Most independent travelers also need a suitable outbound train, a return train and the return mountain bus.
View official entry-only prices
Official entry permit only. Train and bus not included. The Peruvian Ministry of Culture sets these prices in Peruvian soles (PEN). US dollar figures are approximate and move with the exchange rate.
| Route | Official price (PEN) | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit 2-A Designed Route | S/ 152 | ~$49 |
| Circuit 3-A Huayna Picchu | S/ 200 | ~$59 |
| Circuit 1-A Machu Picchu Mountain | S/ 200 | ~$59 |
Reduced entry rates are available for foreign students (with a valid university or ISIC card) and for children. The Ministry of Culture sets and can revise these figures, so always treat the exchange-rate conversion as a guide rather than an exact charge.
Complete Machu Picchu journey costs
The number most travelers actually care about is the cost of the whole journey, not just the entrance. Here is how the entry-only ticket compares with booking every part yourself and with a complete package.
| Booking option | Entry | Return train | Return bus | Timings coordinated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official entry ticket only | Included | Not included | Not included | You arrange |
| Book each part separately | Separate booking | Separate booking | Separate booking | You arrange |
| Get to Machu Picchu | Included | Included | Included | We arrange it |
Entry permit, return train, return bus and Personalised Journey Plan included.
You are not paying $299 for an entrance ticket. You are booking the complete journey: official entry permit, return train, return bus and timings coordinated around your Machu Picchu visit.
Which Machu Picchu circuit should you choose?
The official system currently groups ten named routes under three circuits: Circuit 1 Panoramic, Circuit 2 Classic and Circuit 3 Royalty. Here is a quick comparison to help you narrow down the best Machu Picchu circuit for your visit.
| Circuit | Best for | Main experience | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit 1 Panoramic | Views and mountain routes | Upper panoramic viewpoints | Does not include the full urban circuit |
| Circuit 2 Classic | Most first-time visitors | Classic viewpoint and citadel | Popular and can sell out |
| Circuit 3 Royalty | Lower ruins and Huayna Picchu | Royal and lower-sector areas | Different classic-photo experience |
Need the full route comparison? See our complete Machu Picchu circuits guide for a route-by-route breakdown of all ten options.
Which ticket should I choose?
Still unsure? Choose the experience you want first. Your train and bus should then be organized around that entry, not selected before you know your entry time.
Machu Picchu ticket entry times
Every ticket has a specified entrance time. That time shapes the rest of your day: it decides which outbound train is suitable, and, allowing for how long your route takes plus the bus descent, it decides which return train you can realistically catch. Longer routes such as the mountain climbs need more time inside than the Classic route.
Do not choose a return train until you know which Machu Picchu route and entry time you are booking. The visit, bus descent and walk to the station all have to fit before your train leaves.
How to check Machu Picchu ticket availability
“Available” means there are still permits left for a specific route, on a specific date, at a specific entry time. Each route has its own separate inventory and its own daily cap.
This matters when checking Machu Picchu ticket availability: one circuit being sold out does not mean every route is gone. Circuit 2 may be full while Circuit 1 or Circuit 3 still have space, and a date that looks closed in the morning can differ from a nearby date. Rather than trust a static table, check the live calendar for your dates.
Choose your preferred circuit and date. We show current availability before you pay, then personally confirm the complete entry, train and bus journey after booking.
The correct order for booking Machu Picchu
The single most common mistake is buying a train ticket first and then discovering the entry time does not fit. This is how to buy Machu Picchu tickets in the right order.
- Check available entry routes.
- Choose your circuit, date and entry time.
- Find a train that arrives with enough time for the bus.
- Choose a return train after allowing for the visit and return bus.
- Buy the return bus ticket.
- Choose your circuit, date and entry time.
- We coordinate the return train and bus.
- Manage one booking and receive all three official tickets by email.
What happens when Machu Picchu tickets are sold out?
If your first choice shows as unavailable, do not assume the trip is off. When Machu Picchu tickets are sold out on one route, there are usually options worth checking before you give up:
- Check alternative entry times on the same route.
- Compare Circuit 2-A against Circuit 2-B.
- Consider Circuit 1 or Circuit 3 instead.
- Look at nearby dates either side of your first choice.
- Do not book non-refundable transport before confirming entry availability.
We only confirm bookings when we can secure the complete entry, train and bus journey. If we cannot secure all three, you receive a full refund.
We cannot magically obtain government permits that no longer exist. Nobody can. What we can do is check every route and nearby date for you, and make sure you never end up holding a train ticket for a visit you cannot enter.
Machu Picchu tickets 2026: FAQs
For peak season (June to October) book two to three months ahead. Circuit 2 and the mountain routes (Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain) are the first to sell out, sometimes further ahead. In quieter months you have more flexibility, but earlier always means more choice of entry times.
For most first-time visitors, Circuit 2 (the Classic Circuit; Route 2-A is the Designed Route) is the right choice. It combines the postcard viewpoint with the main citadel walk, which is what most people picture when they imagine Machu Picchu.
No. The official entry permit covers admission to the citadel only. Your train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo is a separate ticket.
No. The bus between Machu Picchu Pueblo and the citadel entrance is a separate ticket from the entry permit and the train.
Entry permits are issued for a fixed date, time and route, and cannot be switched once booked. That is why it is worth choosing your circuit carefully before you confirm anything else.
A guide is not required to enter on most routes, and independent visitors walk the circuits on their own every day. You keep the freedom to explore at your own pace, and you do not have to join a tour group to visit.
There are usually alternatives: a different entry time on the same route, the other Circuit 2 variant, or another circuit entirely. We only confirm a booking when we can secure the complete entry, train and bus journey, and if we cannot, you receive a full refund.
Choose your visit, we plan the journey
Pick your circuit, date and entry time. We coordinate the return train and bus around your visit, and send all three tickets with your Personalised Journey Plan.
Check availability and bookFull refund guarantee · Train, bus and official ticket included
Last updated: 21 July 2026. Sources: Peruvian Ministry of Culture and official Machu Picchu visitor information. Reviewed by: the Get to Machu Picchu booking team. Prices are set by the Ministry of Culture in Peruvian soles and can change; US dollar figures are approximate. We coordinate Machu Picchu entry permits, return train tickets from Ollantaytambo and return bus tickets for independent travelers.