How Often is Train Service to Machu Picchu Disrupted?

The recent fire and rockslide that caused the suspension of train service to Machu Picchu on August 4, 2026 not only affected the people on the day of the disruption, but it raised questions for travelers still in the planning stages of their future trips to Peru. Should you be concerned about making it to Machu Picchu? What's the risk of delays for trains going to Machu Picchu? And returning?

I did a dive into the stats for the last 5 years to find out just how many times trains to Machu Picchu were suspended or significantly delayed. It's not as bad as you think it is. I believe when disruptions to Machu Picchu train service do occur, they are often featured in worldwide media, which highlights the severity of a situation that is actually not that common. Here's a link to read more about strategies to reduce your risk of being affected when train service is interrupted.

There have been at least 8–10 notable suspensions (or distinct multi-day disruption periods) of train services to Machu Picchu on primarily the main Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu Pueblo route operated by PeruRail/Inca Rail. There is a secondary Hydroelectric route which operates on the backside of Machu Picchu. But this service affects very few travelers. Data is based on news reports from roughly August 2021 to August 2026. No single official tally exists, so this is compiled from major reported events involving natural causes (landslides/fires) or protests/strikes/blockades. And one head-on collision in December 2025. Minor or unreported short delays are not included.

List of major reported Machu Picchu train service incidents in the last 5 years (approximate chronology)

• November 2022: Suspension for ~2 days (23–24 Nov) due to a regional strike/paro in Cusco.
• December 2022: Suspension (at least on 13 Dec) due to political protests/manifestations.
• January–early February 2023: Prolonged suspension (starting ~19 Jan) due to nationwide political protests against the government; tracks blocked/damaged, tourists evacuated, Inca site itself closed for a period. Partial/limited services resumed in early February.
• Late January 2024 (~25–31 Jan): Suspension of several days due to local protests/strikes over a new electronic ticketing system for the site; tracks blocked. Service partially restarted 31 Jan and fully shortly after.
• 2024 (Feb/April and possibly others): Suspensions of the secondary Machu Picchu–Hydroelectric route due to landslides (main tourist route often continued).
• Mid-September 2025 (~14–18 Sep): Multi-day suspension due to protests/blockades (rocks on tracks, some excavation) over a bus concession dispute at Aguas Calientes; hundreds of tourists stranded/evacuated.
• Late November 2025: Another suspension/blockades tied to the same ongoing bus concession protests.
• 30 December 2025: Temporary suspension after a train collision (one fatality, dozens injured) for investigation and track clearance.
• January 2026: Suspension of the Hydroelectric route due to a landslide.
• March 2026: Another suspension of the Hydroelectric/Mandor section due to landslide (main Ollantaytambo route reported as operating normally).
• 4–5 August 2026: Suspension of the main Ollantaytambo–Machu Picchu route due to a forest fire (with rock/branch falls onto tracks at ~km 107); resumed the next morning after inspection/clearance, with evacuations of ~2,000 tourists.

If you break down the list into the various causes of train disruptions, you can see that bus service and hidroelectric route disruptions were notable. Let's look at the shuttle bus situation that flared up in September 2025, and which continues to quietly smolder. As of August 2026, it has still not been officially resolved. There are 2 companies operating but neither has a contract for the concession. We're watching this story because it could flare up again.

I wouldn't worry about the disruptions to the secondary Hidroelectric route unless you're planning to do that trip. In the last year from August 2025 to August 2026, 3 of the train service disruptions on the list were on the secondary route. This affects very few people.

From Jan 2024 to September 2025, there were no significant interruptions in train service on the main route.

All in all, if you're running a transportation company that is moving around 1.6 million people every year to the middle of nowhere, train service seems pretty reliable. Still, no one wants to be the lucky winner of the one day in the year when train service to Machu Picchu is suspended. So you can only do what you can do and then you just have to let it go. I included a link above to a few steps you can take to minimize your risk of getting stranded on your way to Machu Picchu, but after that, you just have to go and take your chances. Do what you can and let Pachamama handle the rest.