Transport to Hidroeléctrica for Backpackers: The Economical and Safe Route to Machu Picchu
Forget about excessive train fares. Travel direct from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica in executive sprinters equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi, reclining seats, and ample room for your trekking backpack. The favorite option for backpackers and independent travelers seeking adventure and savings.
Why choose this route?
Everything you need for your backpacker trip in a single booking
Save over 70% on your transport budget to Machu Picchu. Our transport service to Hidroeléctrica is optimized for backpackers who prefer investing their budget in experiences, accommodations, or tours, without sacrificing comfort or punctuality along the way.
Travel in modern tourist vehicles (Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or Hyundai H350) with continuous preventive maintenance, professional drivers experienced in the Cusco cloud forest route, and row-by-row USB chargers so you never run out of battery on your camera or phone.
What you should know before hiking from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes
Once our transport drops you off at Hidroeléctrica station (approximately 12:30 p.m. - 01:00 p.m.), you will begin a very flat and scenic 10-kilometer hike following the train tracks and surrounded by tropical vegetation until reaching the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo). The route takes between 2.5 to 3 hours at a moderate
Essential backpacker recommendations: bring trekking shoes with good grip, eco-friendly mosquito repellent, a rain poncho (a must year-round), energy snacks, and reusable water. If carrying too much weight, you can store your heavy backpack at the stop point or send it via cargo train if preferred.
Did you know...? The road trip crosses the famous Abra Málaga Pass at over 4,300 meters above sea level before descending toward the Santa Teresa cloud forest. It is one of the most drastic and spectacular shifts in landscape and microclimates in southern Peru.