Protests Block Trains to Machu Picchu, Stranding Hundreds as U.S. Issues Travel Warning
Clashes over a new bus concession have halted rail service to Aguas Calientes, leaving about 900 tourists stranded and prompting evacuation operations and a U.S. advisory.
At least 900 tourists remained stranded near Machu Picchu on Tuesday after demonstrators blocked the only rail route to the Inca citadel, and the U.S. Embassy in Peru issued a travel advisory warning visitors that rail and road access to the site may be disrupted without notice.
PeruRail, the country’s principal operator to the World Wonder, said service to and from Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes) was suspended after protesters covered tracks in the mountainous Cusco region with rocks and logs and dug up sections of rail, slowing evacuation operations.
Tourism Minister Desilú León told a local radio station that authorities evacuated about 1,400 tourists from a train station on Monday night after police temporarily cleared the line, but roughly 900 people remained in Aguas Calientes on Tuesday. During the Monday operation, 14 police officers were injured in clashes with demonstrators, the Associated Press reported.
The unrest began last week after the concession of Consettur, the bus company that ferries visitors from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu, ended. Authorities awarded the contract to a different operator, prompting protests by local groups and bus owners who say the new arrangement disadvantages local businesses that depend on tourism.
Demonstrators in Aguas Calientes have prevented the new company from operating and have placed obstacles on rail lines that connect Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu Pueblo, the U.S. Embassy said in its advisory. The embassy advised U.S. citizens to seek reimbursements or reschedule travel plans, to consult with guides, and to adjust itineraries accordingly.
Tourists remaining in Aguas Calientes described limited options to leave. Some said authorities advised them to trek several hours to catch trains or buses outside the Machu Picchu region. ‘‘In my case, I can’t do it because my wife is pregnant,’’ Miguel Salas, a Chilean tourist, told Agence France-Presse.
PeruRail said ‘‘third parties’’ had removed part of the rail, complicating efforts to move people out by train. Local authorities and union representatives planned a meeting to address grievances and seek a resolution, Tourism Minister León said.
Access to Machu Picchu typically requires a 68-mile train ride from Cusco, the Inca Empire’s former capital, to Aguas Calientes, followed by a short bus transfer to the sanctuary entrance. Disruptions to that route have significant economic implications for the region, which relies heavily on international and domestic tourism.
This is not the first time protests have disrupted access to the site. In January 2024, about 1,200 tourists had to be evacuated after demonstrations over changes to a ticket sales system. The archaeological site was also closed for nearly a month during nationwide unrest tied to the impeachment of then-president Pedro Castillo.
Peru’s authorities face the immediate task of restoring safe passage for visitors while addressing local demands over contracting and benefits derived from tourism. For now, travelers were being urged to monitor updates from tour operators, PeruRail and their embassies, and to avoid travel to the area until officials confirm services have resumed.