You're probably wondering what in thunder'n tarnation is going on with buses AND trains at Machu Picchu. Right? Before you flip out, let me confirm that an agreement was reached on September 19, 2025 and service for both buses and trains was restored. Unfortunately, the global news cycle is just now picking up this story because apparently not everyone follows the Adios blog. Just saying! Don't be surprised if you continue to see headlines about protests at Machu Picchu. 

But. Before you start your happy dance, we need to be prepared for bumps along the road to fix this problem. Two steps forward, one step back. Cha-cha-cha! You know how that goes.

I'm happy to report some good news! There was a big meeting in Lima on September 18. Everyone at the meeting thought it was a good idea to do everything possible to guarantee the safetly of travelers going to Machu Picchu. So. They established that the National Police will ensure the safety of buses and the clearance of roads to Machu Picchu. Furhermore, the Ministry is setting up measures to assist tourists at the iPeru offices at Cusco airport. And then they took it up a notch to coordinate rescheduling of flights with the airlines and even went so far as to make arrangements that hotel operators avoid "no-show" fees. All for you guys! It turns out they want the visitor experience to be positive after all! 

So far in October, Consettur has not had any issues providing bus service to Machu Picchu, and both Inca Rail and Peru Rail have been operating at full steam!

Here's the backstory if you want to follow along from the very beginning. 

It all started when Consettur bus service to Machu Picchu was suspended for a couple of hours on Sunday, September 7, 2025.  Or let's say that's when the interruptions in service started. Prior to that, the primary reason it started was due to an attack on one of the last buses coming down from Machu Picchu at 5:45pm on Saturuday Sept 6. Someone threw a rock at the windshield, then skedaddled. But there's more. Another underlying reason has been broiling away. I will explain that further. To protect the safety of travelers and staff after someone threw a rock at the windshield, the owners of the shuttle buses suspended service Sunday morning. Travelers had to wait in the village of Aguas Calientes and hope that service would be restored, or take their chances and hike 9km up the Hiram Bingham trail to the main gate of the citadel. 

After a couple of hours without bus service, the national police agreed to provide a uniformed police escort on every bus to prevent any further disruptions to service and get the thousands of daily visitors safety up to Machu Picchu. As you can imagine, trains were delayed and undoubtedly many people had to make changes to their entire trip to Peru.

Why was Shuttle Bus Service at Machu Picchu Suspended?

It's complicated. The reason for the attack on one of the buses is due to a "situation" that has been brewing for a few weeks now. In case you haven't been following, (and why would you!), Consettur bus company has been caught up in a messy dispute about the process to select a shuttle bus provider when their contract ended on September 5. Right up to the last day of the contract it was not determined who would be responsible to provide the lucrative multi-million dollar bus service from the village of Aguas Calientes to the doorstep of Machu Picchu National Park. "Gentlemen! Start your engines!"

Everyone, including little ole me, knew the contract for the bus concession at Machu Picchu was expiring on September 5. It was widely known that Consettur was reluctant to end their comfy monopoly, The company claims that for the last 4 years, they've been preparing to continue offering service after September 5 by investing in charging stations, electric buses, (which is another dicey issue!) and rest stops. I've seen stories for the last several weeks mentioning how citizens and local authorities have been calling for the bidding process to get going so the bus concession service could continue without interruption regardless of which company would be awarded the concession. But you know how politics and money are. For some reason, the municipality in charge of accepting proposals for service opened the bidding, then cancelled it right before midnight on Sept 4 when the Consettur contract officially expired. Meanwhile Consettur made it clear they wanted to be included in the contingency plans while the bidding process was conducted. On September 7, you could say that broken promises and hurtful accusations collided and broke the llama's back. And a flood of recriminations began! 

Is it Safe to Travel to Machu Picchu During "Shuttle Bus-Gate" of 2025?

On September 18, all the head haunchos on each side got together for a roundtable meeting in Lima. I"m assuming there was adult supervision because the details for a contingency plan was hammered out and announced on the same day. Both train and bus services were restored. I don't believe that travelers are at risk of being injured or physically harmed in this skirmish unless they choose to do something foolish like join the farmers on the tracks. In my opinion, as long as travelers mind their own business, they'll be fine, although the possiblity of interruptions in service could flare up. 

Here's how the new Machu Picchu bus service was selected

Recently, the contract to provide bus service ended at midnight on September 4, 2025, which doesn't mean that Consettur could not continue to provide bus service until new arrangements were made. But apparently no one took responsibility to actually set up a contingency plan to, first, accept bids for the bus service concession, and secondly, organize a contingency plan to either renew the contract with Consettur, or arrange for a new bus company to get their buses in a row. And that's what has been happening. Everyone including me knew the contract was ending at the stroke of midnight on Sept 4. The drivers showed up and drove on Sept 5. So on Saturday Sept 5, someone decided to shake things by throwing a rock at the windshield of one of the last buses returning to the village at the end of the day. That's when it gets dark. It would be easy to hide in the thick foliage along the dirt road. Then. In the middle of the night, sometime between midnight and "before the rooster crows," a deal to provide bus service was codified with San Antonio de Torontoy Company. To get around the rules and legal requirements needed to select the next provider for the "golden yellow brick path" to guaranteed prosperity, the deal makers allegedly just made up a plan that would allow them to circumvent the official rules and regulations for opening the bidding process. They claimed they had to choose a company quickly without going through the process. It was an "emergency." Uh-huh. So withouot legal authority and the binding authorization of the regulatory bodies, they awarded the concession to San Antonio de Torontoy Company. In the middle of the night. While I was sleeping.

Then, allegations of irregular and illegal public procurement started flying out of the shadows, spotlighting how the municipal mayors, councilmen and local politicians, not to mention the media, could be invested and benefit in the selection of either the old bus company or a newly appointed company. 

Why were farmers standing on the train tracks to Machu Picchu?

I told you it was complicated. After the selection of the so-called "winner of the Machu Picchu bus route lottery" the next step was to deliver the fleet of new buses. Right? Hahaha. Easier said than done. The only way to get buses delivered to the middle of the Andes Mts. is by train. But what if the train company is not cooperative? What if they won't deliver the buses because they're not happy about how the selection process for the bus concession played out? Well, Then you would be right. On September 11, a  group of maybe 30-40 farmers stood on the train tracks in Aguas Calientes. The reason was because they were all torn up that the train company wouldn't deliver the new buses. (even if there aren't enough new buses to actually provide the service needed. Another story for another day right?)  The farmers were trying to put the screws to Perurail, the company responsible for not delivering the new buses. They wanted the new bus service to take over. Really? Farmers care about the buses? Hmmm. I smell llama poop.

A little llama whispered in my ear suggesting that it's possible the farmers were being compensated for their efforts. Who would that benefit? It's up to us to put the dots together.

So. Where does that leave travelers going to Machu Picchu?

Daily Update on Buses and Trains Going to Machu Picchu:

Sept 12. Two new buses from Torontoy company were supposted be delivered to Aguas Calientes.by Perurail .Two more buses were supposed to be scheduled for arrival on Monday, Sept 15. The shift to a new provider for bus company is underway. But progress is hampered due to sabotage and arguments. Consettur had over 32 buses. According to regulations, the route requires minimum of 24 buses operating daily, with 2 reserve buses. Well, I read that Torontoy has 18 bushes. I can't believe they will just ignore this little detail and hope no one notices? 

Sept 12. At 8:30, (they did not specify AM or PM), Perurail reported that someone cut the brake lines on the cargo train that was transporting 2 new buses. So who knows how to do that? Perurail has announced it will suspend transportation of buses until safety of their staff, tracks and vehicles can be guaranteed.  

Sept 13 - Trains and buses were operating and our manager in Cusco sent a group of people by train 1 day early to make sure they could enter Machu Picchu on Sept 14 as scheduled.

Spet 14 - Trains going to Aguas Calientes from Ollantaytambo were loaded with passengers including one entire car full of national police officers. After sitting in the station for at least 3 hours passengers were unloaded. After waiting hours for rocks to be moved from the train tracks in Aguas Calientes, trains operated the rest of the day and well into the wee hours of the morning to transport visitors in and out of Aguas Calientes. Meanwhile, Machu Picchu was open and bus service was operating between the village and the main gate to the national park.

Sept 15 - There are protestors standing on the tracks again today in Aguas Calientes. Trains are delayed again today. Perurail issued a public announcement that train service is suspended until further notice. And. I've never seen this before. The New 7 Wonders organization urged Peruvian authorities to grow up and act like adults. (actually not they didn't say that but they should have). They said Peruvian authorities should "urgently" address the management problems, along with various other issues. Meanwhile, travelers stuck in Aguas Calientes were sent out on trains returning to Ollantaytambo. However no trains with visitors going to Machu Picchu operated.

Sept 16 - Trains are not operating today. There are farmers standing on the tracks and sometimes they pile rocks on the tracks. It's complicated folks. 

Sept 17 - District of Machu Picchu communities released this announcement: Protests are suspended for 72 hours. Trains and buses are permitted to operate. 

Sept 18 - Big roundtable in Lima between the mayors, the tourism reps and even the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Tourism were all present to hash it out and come to an understanding. So they did. Everyone agreed to stop the madness and let bus and trains operate as scheduled. 

Sept 23 - I hesitate to put these words on this page. But, pull up your big girl pants and don't panic. It's better to be informed than uninformed. The Preisdent of the Cusco Chamber of Commerce actually stated that he thought that Machu Picchu should be closed for a couple of weeks so they could get organized. You know. Get their llamas in a row? This was pure speculation on his part and was not based on any actual plan. So. We'll just park that there for a while. Meanwhile, you can mark my words. I give it about 2-3 days at most before the headlines around the world will ring with "Machu Picchu is Closing!" But because you are here, you know the real story. And if any more credence to that lame comment becomes public, I'm be on it!

Sept 24. - Starting today, buses operated by the (new) San Antonio de Toronto company will be transported by PeruRail to Machu Picchu. A transfer schedule has been established for this purpose, which will include police escort. (It's happening people! The new buses are being delivered)

Sept 24 - A group of Machu Picchu residents are protesting in the main square of the village of Aguas Calientes. They question if the Council of Ministers has the authority to clarify either the old bus company or the new bus company are approved to operate. 

Oct - Nary a blip of news about interruptions at Machu Picchu in the news cycle. Everything's fine! What buses? What trains! Honeslty. After all that drama. Now they want to settle down and do their jobs, which is to provide a safe and reliable transportation service to travelers who come from around the world to get to the middle of nowhere.

How to plan around delays and suspension of transport services to Machu Picchu:

• allow extra time for your trip to Machu Picchu. One day trips are risky in these circumstances. However, when services by train or bus are interrupted, I have seen authorities make accommodations for travelers to change their entry dates. Can I guarnatee it?  No! This is where having a local person to advocate on your behalf can be worth the extra cost and effort to arrange. 
• have a source for reliable up to date information. I mean a local who is on speed dial! 
• schedule a buffer day or two after your scheduled trip to Machu Picchu. If you are delayed getting out of Aguas Calientes, you don't want to risk missing your flight.
• if you're fit enough, pack light to walk up the dirt road from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu

Is it Possible to Walk from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu?

I'm not saying you need to know this. But. Just in case you're curious about walking from the village up to Machu Picchu main gate. Here's what you need to know. Bring sturdy shoes and a backpack big enough to carry everything you need for the 9km hike to Machu Picchu. Estimated time on foot, is 2 hours up / 1 hour down. The road starts out flat from the village of Aguas Calientes for about 30-40 minutes to the ruinas bridge. Then the climb begins up the dirt path with stone steps that heads straight up the mountain to the blessed Inca city. Just remember. You'll be walking in the footsteps of the ancient ones. 

Who do we want to "win" the contract to provide bus service to Machu Picchu?

I fall into the camp of "let's put the travelers' needs first" regardless of how we ((that's the royal we) feel about monopolies and coverups. There are certain criteria that should be met for meeting the requirements of the job. Things like having enough buses and offering a website for tickets seem pretty important. Consettur has almost 40 buses and Torontoy has 18. So. There's that. The governing bodies have determined things like weight limits for buses that operate on steep dirt  roads, and maintenance checks. I tend to support the underdogs, as long as safety and the ability to meet the needs of the customer are met. I begrudgingly report that I believe that Consettur is most likely to meet the needs of the travelers and, at least temporaily, should be left in place to provide service. 

Check back because I plan to keep this story updated "as the world turns."