With the 2024 year well under way, I've got a jam-packed list of updates and changes. The new year started with no tickets and complete radio silence, then a week of train suspensions while website glitches created headaches galore as travelers around the world attempted to buy entry tickets on the new Machu Picchu ticketing platform, Although the new tickeing platform is fully operational, I suggest you at least take a glance below to get familiar with a few highlights before you dive in to buy tickets. 

NEW! Entry tickets to Machu Picchu (lower) Circuit #3 and (lower) Circuit #4 are now available on Joinnus website.

This appears to be a temporary offer. The calendar shows 25 tickets each for10 entry times per day starting at 6AM and concluding at 3PM, only through March 31. We're guessing this is due to Easter holiday and what is called "Holy Week" or "Spring Break." As is typical in the Land of the Inca, no one communicates or explains any of this. 

How long will the new Machu Picchu ticketing platform continue to sell entry tickets?

Eventually, we will all say "Adios" to the "new" platform, Joinnus/TuBoleto. But not yet. On February 23, it was reported that Joinnus/TuBoleto will continue to sell tickets for the next 9 months. For now you can keep buying entry tickets on the new virtual platform. In case you didn't hear, trains were suspended in late January due to demonstrations that blocked the train tracks in the village of Aguas Calientes. The handfull of unhappy campers pretty much shut down the country for a week. Eventually, negotiations resulted in the restoration of train service and a new "Declaration of Machu Picchu." The primary reason for the demonstrations? They did not want a private 3rd party company managing ticket sales to their national treasure, Machu Picchu. Meanwhile the government is building an entire new ticketing platform which will be managed and controlled by Peru national government. 

I posted the correct link for buying Machu Picchu entry tickets farther down. But if you go to the old link for buying Machu Picchu tickets, it will take you to the new link. The new Tu Boleto platform went live on January 20 and the Great Machu Picchu Ticket Crisis of 2024 ended. Kind of. Turns out Peruvians thought they should have been consulted about moving the virtual platform to a private company. So.

Are website errors causing Machu Picchu tickets to print the wrong entry times?

Recently on the new website we have seen a change in how the entry times are displayed on the Joinnus website calendar and how they get printed on your final ticket. The actual time you're scheduled to enter Machu Picchu may be the same as the starting time for your chosen hike. Time slots posted on the website for the hikes in Machu Picchu appear to be the same time slot for entry at the main gate. This only applies to the tickets with hikes. We have not seen any issues with the selection and confirmation of Machu Picchu entry times for Llaqta tickets.  There has been no written clarification from authorities regarding how to handle what appears to be a change in the process to choose entry times. Our manager believes it's possible this may be a strategy to reduce visitors. Because here's what happens if you buy an entry ticket to hike Wayna Picchu say from 9-10AM. We have seen tickets with the same entry time for the main gate and the hike. They won't let anyone enter the main gate (or the hike) even one minute earlier than what is printed on your ticket. This means you enter the Machu Picchu main gate at 9AM and you have less than 1 hour to explore circuit #4 before you're expected to checkin for the hike. After the hike, everyone follows the path to the exit. 

We have been told that regardless of the entry time you think you selected when you purchased your Machu Picchu entry tickets, you should enter Machu Picchu according to the time printed on your final tickets. You will find the correct entry time in the upper left corner right above the QR code. If you have a ticket with a hike, the entry time will be in small print in the upper right corner. 

What are your options if your entry time to Machu Picchu main gate is the same as the entry time to your hike?

This situation does not apply to the Llaqta tickets, or the Inca Trail hikes which come with 1 entry to the lower circuit at Machu Picchu. It may not be a problem for everyone. But what if you want to spend more time exploring the circuit before you hike? When you choose your entry time for your hike on the Joinnus website, the time displayed could also be the entry time at the Machu Picchu main gate. You literally have 1 hour to get in and make it across the park to the checkpoint for the hike. You could skip the hike and just spend your time on the circuit. Or you could not worry so much about the circuit and just focus on the hike. A 3rd option is to buy another entry ticket in the Llaqta category. You could tour long circuit #2 before the hike. For a 9AM Wayna Picchu hike, I would get a 7AM Llaqta entry ticket. Get both tickets scanned when you enter the main gate so you can do the tour of circuit #2 then segue right into the hike without exiting the park. 

What can visitors do if their Machu Picchu ticket entry time is not what you thought it would be?

Here's the situation. Those tickets can't be changed. So it might be best to print your ticket before you buy trains or hotels. For travelers doing a 2-day trip to Machu Picchu with an overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, it's not usually a huge impact if the entry time to the main gate is off by an hour. But for people coming from Cusco by train for 1 day, this could make your trip connections tight. 

New Machu Picchu Interpretation Center

Guess what I found out? The Belmond Sanctuary 5* luxury hotel, which is the only hotel literally at the entrance to Machu Picchu National Park, is being converted to an interpretation center!  That will take a while. Is this wishful thinking or a viable plan? Does Belmond even know about this? Check back because I have no details. Yet!

Where are the official Terms and Conditions for buying Machu Picchu entry tickets?

The harsh reality is that once you buy your Machu Picchu tickets there is literally no recourse for making changes or refunds for any reason. What. So. Ever. People have reported to me that they are missing the "Terms and Conditions" check box before they buy their tickets on the new TuBoleto/Joinnus platform. I did you a favor here and translated from Spanish to English, all 13 pages of "terms and conditions" for buying Machu Picchu tickets. Then. I reformatted the content to fit our blog. And yes, here's the link to see all 13 pages in English. I included the annex spelling out the rules and regs that visitors should be aware of, which is at the bottom of the page. CLICK HERE to see the entire post.

My trusty assistant Heather, reported that when she buys tickets for our groups, the checkbox for T&C, is often "pre-checked" by default. So she "drew" us a picture which is included in the post I linked. 

Can you get a refund for Machu Picchu entry tickets for January 25-31, 2024?

Some of you may remember that train services was suspended for 7 days in January. The office of Ministry of Culturs announced on Jan 31, that the dialogue between the government and the demonstrators in Aguas Calientes resolved the issues and train service was restored. And just like that, activities resumed in Machu Picchu.  Anyone with a ticket dated January 25-31 will remain valid for the entire year of 2024 without additional formalities. (only for the name of the person on the ticket) For returns send email to:  ingresos@culturacusco.gob. on  (this email address looks weird to me. It was displayed just like that. That doesn't look like a real email address. I think it was a typo, nothing intentional.  I went to the old Machu Picchu website and noticed that the address they use is written like this @culturacusco.gob.pe )

Who should you contact if you have problems booking Machu Picchu entry tickets on the new Joinnus/TuBoleto platform?

The process of buying Machu Picchu tickets this year requires paying close attention to details. If you lose the page while you're making your reservation, and then it's restored, make sure you go back and double check the accuracy of info you already provided.  If you want to contact the MP office to ask to change your tickets, here's the email: tuboleto@cultura.gob.pe  Some folks are not happy about the lack of communication regarding the status of the change to entry times. Feel free to mention that in your email when you ask to change your tickets. I'm sorry I can't help you with solving all your problems getting the right tickets. I listed the most common errors and fixes below. Even Vidal, our manager in Cusco can't fix everything.

Meanwhile, back at the hacienda, It seems a spotlight has been cast on how ticket sales have been handled and Diario el Tiempo de Cusco reports that the secretery of the Machu Picchu Management Union (UGM) has discovered "accounting anomalies" or what could be described as financial mismanagement and has referred the information to the authorities. This includes gaps in ticket sales that go back to 2021 and 2022. Apparently the financial records of Consettur, the bus company, differs from the income recorded by Cultura Cusco. So. Heads are falling. Figuritively folks! But. what about the people in 2024 who just want a ticket to go see the world wonder, and maybe enjoy a nice relaxing pisco sour on the way? Get packed! We're heading in the right direction. 

The arrangement with Machu Picchu Consettur bus company is also coming under scrutiny. The Mayor of Urubamba, who has jurisdiction over the concessions at Machu Picchu, has stated he is required by law to open the bidding for the concession to other companies. It's not surprising given the lucrative nature of having a company that can lockin their services for guaranteed revenue from tourism. 

Is the old Machu Picchu ticketing website still operating?

The old original Machu Picchu website for buying tickets is retired and no longer selling entry tickets. But that website is still open if you want to get contact info. And their maps of the circuits are still up there. I use them all the time. For buying Machu Picchu entry tickets, the new website is now active. You can buy tickets for the entire year of 2024. Here is the link including full view of the URL address so you can verify https://www.joinnus.com/events/trip-adventure/cusco-llaqta-inca-de-machupicchu-59693

The old Machu Picchu website address will take you to the same URL above: tuboleto.cultura.pe

Before you buy your Machu Picchu tickets online read this story. This is the most absurd Machu Picchu ticketing story I've ever heard. Two lessons to be learned

I got an email from 2 women who booked tickets on the new platform but were suspicious about the info that printed on the tickets. Both women used valid United States passports, which is listed as EEUU on the drop down box. But for some reason one woman's ticket said her country was "old and bearded." My assistant Heather and I figured it had something to do with AI translation on her device. Here's what we think happened. In the list of countries in the drop down box, Antigua and Barbados could have been accidentally selected. (the woman states she had probelms with the page disappearing while she typed her info.) The Spanish translation is very close to what would translate into "old and bearded" in English. So mystery solved. But then the question remains, will they be able to get in to Machu Picchu? So Vidal, our manager in Cusco believes that if all the other information is correct and matches the passports they will get in. He does not work for the national park. So don't be calling me if you make a mistake on your ticket and decide to go for it, because Vidal said so. What would I do? I always enter with one of our tour guides and yes, I would take the chance to show up with that ticket. Hopefully the gate agent would see the humor in the situation and wave me in while laughing. 

Lesson #1. Be careful with translators on your computers and devices. After you print your tickets, always check all the details.  Lesson #2. Double check your details before you click to buy, especially if the page disappears then reappears during the process.

Back to our main program. The new website. The first thing I noticed on the new website is that Machu Picchu Llaqta tickets only include access to either upper circuit #1 or upper circuit #2. It used to let you choose 1 of any of the 4 circuits in the park. And the new website asks you to set up an account in order to buy tickets. The advertised cost of tickets is the same as the old website. The Ministry of Culture announced that the new platform is not charging any extra fees for 6 months. But we discovered there is a 4.57% credit card fee added to every transaction.

Avoid the Link to the FAKE Machu Picchu Ticketing Website  and Use this Link to Real Authentic Website.

Here's the link to a new website that is allegedly fake! If you compare the URL address you can see where they removed a dot, but otherwise used the same name..To validate what I'm telling you, go to the orignal Machu Picchu website and look for the message that opens when you land on the homepage. The URL for the new platfrom is included in the message. Tat's my source for the NEW website where Machu Picchu tickets are supposed to be available as of January 20. 

FAKE WEBSITE URL- https://www.tuboletocultura.pe/ 

REAL NEW WEBSITE URL https://www.joinnus.com/events/trip-adventure/cusco-llaqta-inca-de-machupicchu-59693 (Now active. On the old Machu Picchu website, this is the email they posted if you need assistance with tickets: tuboleto@cultura.gob.pe )

Old official Machu Picchu government website:  https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/  (No longer selling tickets after January 19. Tthis website will redirect you to the new correct platform)

Will Machu Picchu Increase the cost of entry tickets in 2024?

In 2023, it was announced that rates would go up on January 1, 2024. However, the rates for Machu Picchu entry tickets in 2024 remain the same as the rates in 2023. On January 20, the sale of tickets moved to the new plafform and the advertised cost of the tickets is the same as the old website in 2023..On January 22, the Ministry of Culture announced that there will not be an increase in the cost of Machu Picchu tickets for the next 6 months. However, we noticed an additional credit card processing fee of 4.57% added to the final cost for each transaction.

Are you having issues with payment for your 2024 Machu Picchu entry tickets after you buy them?

We're getting calls and emails from people who bought tickets on the official Machu Picchu government website but are not getting through to the final step with links to print their tickets. Here's a handy list of suggestions to get you through your ordeal:

• Note your reservation code. When buying your tickets online, always make a note of the reservation code when you generate your reservation. Write it down! Last year you could copy and paste the reservation code on the SEARCH tab on the government website and "Bob's your uncle.!" Up popped your tickets and then you could print them. However this year they did not offer that very handy feature and I don't see it on the new platform..The new platform provides your tickets instantly for download from your account on the platform, as soon as your payment is completed.
• Set up an account. The person buying the tickets will set up an account using their passport as ID. But remember that the person buying the tickets must use the valid passport for each person they're buying tickets for. After the online payment is complete, you can download your tickets immediately. Then you'll get an email with a receipt for your payment. However you will not get an email with your tickets. You print them from the website where you make your payment. Your account stores your tickets. You should be able to go back and login and see the history of all the tickets you have purchased..Look at the upper right corner. mouse over the face icon and a list will drop down. Click MY TICKETS. The next page will say MIS ENTRADAS (my entries) the lower right will show a green box at the top: VER MIS ENTRADAS (view mis tickets) Click and the next page will show another green box: DESCARGAR (download) And Bob's your uncle! Do this on a computer connected to a printer.
• Pay with credit cards. Our first attempts to buy tickets for our groups resulted in rejection of all the US credit cards we had, This happened in the evening hours. However, on Friday, January 26, we were able to complete every transaction using our VISA card. This was done during daytime business hours. And we have not had any further issues with credit cards since.
• Change Browsers if you get jammed up. One of our helpful followers suggested changing browsers, which worked for him!
• Create a new login if you get stuck. Another helpful person created a new login with a different email and was able to successfully get tickets
• Here is a new contact email address from the last message posted on the landing page of the old original website. tuboleto@cultura.gob.pe 
• Always check your SPAM FOLDERS for email responses

Machu Picchu increases the number of entry tickets to over 10,000 per day in 2024.

I am not kidding! When the new tickets were released I was able to nail down the total number and the hourly distribution of various tickets. Since I did the initial counting, they have already added more tickets and adjusted the distribution of tickets. Here's what it looks like. To see the breakdown of numbers, CLICK HERE.

Can travelers buy Machu Picchu entry tickets in person in the village of Aguas Calientes?

1000 Machu Picchu entry tickets are still available in person in the village of Aguas Calientes. Last year anyone who went in person to the village of Aguas Calientes and was willing to stand in line, could buy Machu Picchu entry tickets in person. (1000 tickets were available on first come basis).And I'm told that those tickets are still available in 2024. But. Before you go, always check first to make sure. Ask your hotel or your tour guide. You show up one day and wait in line and you get entry tickets for the next day. 

If all the Machu Picchu tickets sell out in one category, can you buy them from another category?

Let's say you're a Colombian passport holder who is entitled to buy a discounted entry ticket under the category for Peruvians and Can citizens. If all the tickets are sold out or if you want a particular ticket that is sold out, can you buy from the Foreigner category? Yes you can. Can foreigners do the same thing in reverse? No. Why not? Because Peruvians and CAN (Citizens of Andean Nations) are entitled to discounted tickets at 64/s, while tickets for adult foreigners are 152/s. If CAN citzens don't mind paying more to get a better ticket under the foreigner category, that's their choice. 

Machu Picchu is not closing any historical sites in the park. 

This is a story that got twisted in the media and can't seem to get straightened out. So I'll keep hammering away until the nail gets pounded into everyone's heads. No historical sites were closed temporarily or otherwise. The actual story is that access to 3 historical landmarks in Machu Picchu national park were limited to being open at certain times of the day. So far in 2024, things are the same. The change to opening times is not a new story. This happened several years ago. Did anyone even notice? Maybe it's not important? Here's a link to read the original and correct information.

The 2 biggest changes to Machu Picchu entry regulations in 2024.

The most noteworthy change is that there will be a 30 minute tolerance for entering Machu Picchu based on your scheduled entry times. All I can say is you can blame your fellow travelers who organized their own logistics to travel to Machu Picchu in 2023. Those travelers tested the nerves of Machu Picchu gate agents and park authorities so deeply, that the Peru tourism ministry is implementing a "tardiness" policy starting in 2024. It's important to understand what you're buying and where you're supposed to be, and what time you need to be there. Each Llaqta ticket (called GENERAL RATE on the new platform) is printed with one entry time, and the tickets for the hikes will have two entry times. All tickets have a 1 hour entry window for the Machu Picchu Llaqta (main gate.) Tickets for hikes will have a second entry window at the top of the ticket. The 30 minute tolerance applies to the main gate only. Don't get the two entry times confused. There is still zero tolerance for being late for the hikes. However, Vidal, our manager in Cusco, calls it "selective zero-tolerance" for tardiness for entering the hikes. This means you can maybe "talk your way in," if all the planets are lined up in your favor. Tickets for the hikes have a 1 hour earlier entry window at Machu Picchu main gate. This is 1 hour before the entry time for the scheduled hike. The fact that Machu Picchu park officials are establishing regulations for tardiness tells me there have been issues with people arriving on time. 

What is the other new shattering change at Machu Picchu in 2024? There is now a 2 hour, 30 minute time limit for your visit to Machu Picchu! Yikes. We don't know how they plan to enforce that. Vidal, our manager, was in Machu Picchu on a Saturday in January for 5 hours, because it was misty and people wanted to hang out and wait for the mist to clear so they could get "the one good photo" of the classic shot of Machu Picchu. We don't know how this works with the hikes that take 2 hours to 3 hours not including the time to walk around the circuit inside the city. There's lots more to know about this little firecracker of a change. I'll be posting more.

Why are visitors showing up late to Machu Picchu?

I discussed this with Vidal, our manager in Cusco. Here's what we think has been happening.  

1. Visitors may not understand their exact entry time. And in March we noticed that the entry times on our tickets were occasionally incorrect. For instance, we buy ticket for Huayna Picchu at  9-10am and when the ticket prints, it shows Machu Picchu entry time 9-10AM.  The entry times displayed on the booking platform could br printed on your tickets as the entry time at the Machu Picchu main gate. Your hike start time is one hour later. And you don't see that until you print your ticket.  Anyone can buy Machu PIcchu entry tickets online now. It used to be that the entry to the Machu Picchu main gate is one hour earlier than the scheduled time to begin the hikes. It's in the fine print. We wrote an entire blog about it. CLICK HERE to read more. Tickets for hikes have 2 entry times which are both printed on your official ticket  Just be aware that the entry time at the main gate and the start time of your hike could be different than the times you thought you were selecting. This ticket is the document you must show along with the exact same passport you used to buy the ticket. There was no announcement or clarification of this shift in how the entry times are displayed. We found out when we started printing tickets!

2. People may be booking their trains too close to their entry times. Make sure you schedule your train arrival based on the entry time to Machu Picchu Llaqta main gate. Trains do not arrive at Machu Picchu. The closest you can get by train is to the village of Aguas Calientes. From the station it's a short 5-10 minute walk to the bus stop. There may or may not be a line of people waiting for the bus. The bus ride is 30 minutes each way. Here's the most important detail about entering Machu Picchu. There is literally one restroom located at the main gate. Here's a link to read more about the toilet situation at Machu Picchu.  When you combine all these factors, we suggest visitors allow at least a 1 hour buffer between their arrival time in Aguas Calientes and their entry time to Machu Picchu. 

3. Traveling from Cusco to Machu Picchu in 1 day is an ambitious endeavor for even the most experienced globetrotters. Everything must be arranged with the precision of a high school marching band with just enough cushion between buses, trains and waiting in the occassional line. Travel time each way is estimated at 5 hours. This doesn't include the time you allow to actually explore the ancient city. Not to mention stops for refreshments and necessary things like toilets.

Can tour agencies, operators and hotels buy "blank" Machu Picchu tickets in advance and resell them to you?

No, no, no. Not now. Not ever. No one, not even Mother Mary, can get Machu Picchu entry tickets unless they're available on the official Machu Picchu website. We all have access to the same website that shows availability. Up to now that website was the one and only place to get tickets. When 3rd parties like operatores and agencies buy tickets for their groups, they must show your passport and make the payment at the time they buy your ticket.. It's impossible to acquire an entry ticket without providing the valid passport of the person holding the ticket. Finding a "blank" entry ticket to Machu Picchu from a ticket reseller is like finding a unicorn guys. All tour agencies, operators and hotels use the same official website. I did an entire post explaining how to tell if you're on the official website. which is now kind of obsolete. But the new website link is at the top of this page.  CLICK HERE to read more. If anyone tells you they can buy you a ticket when none are available, that's a big red flag. However companies may take your payment and your passport details and hold them until tickets become available for instance if you're setting up a trip for the following year. It's a practice that all tour operators do when planning trips in advance. As long as the company you are using is legitimate, and you agree with the terms, there's nothing wrong with it. You're paying a little extra for the convenience. 

Can you buy two Machu Picchu entry tickets for different times on the same day?

Yes, in 2023 you could do this, as long as they were different types of tickets. But you couldn't buy two of the same kind of ticket on the same day, even if they were for different entry times. And we have confirmed that this option is still available in 2024. If you have more than 1 entry ticket for the same day and you plan to use the additional entry ticket without exiting, make sure you get both tickets scanned at the main gate. But if you are using double entry tickets on the same day so you can exit and take a break between visits, here's something to be aware of. This year the Machu Picchu park rangers have informed tour guides that they prefer that people with double entry tickets should use them back to back. They are discouraging exiting and re-entering on the same day, because the entrance gate can be crowded with people getting on and off buses. Not to mention everyone lining up to use the only restrooms at the park! And furthermore, there is only one small lunch counter selling limited overpriced sandwiches and bottled drinks. But aside from that there is no infrastructure for lounging around and "soaking up the vibe," unless you happen to be one of the lucky people to book a room at the Belmond Sanctuary hotel. Just to be clear, we're not aware of any official rules on this. So if you decide to buy double entry tickets for the purpose of taking a break between your tours in Machu Picchu, it's on you. I have a hunch that if this becomes a problem they may come up with a "solution" that will further restrict how often people can enter Machu Picchu in one day. 

This is one reason we set up 2 day trips to Machu Picchu for people who want to visit more than one circuit or hike. The one-day Inca Trail hike is a great solution for active travelers and nature-lovers who want to experience Machu Picchu for more than a couple of hours. 

Check back because as more information becomes known, I'll keep our blog updated. 

If all of this is more than you can bear, and you're baffled, or nervous, we're here to help. We can arrange anything you need in Peru. Except flights. 

Disclaimer. It's my intention provide the most up-to-date and accurate information available for planning trips to Machu Picchu. However, keep in mind that the target is in constant motion and we don't know everything. I am not responsible for changes that occur or the choices you make when setting up your trips.