Machu Picchu Bus Conflict Strands Tourists

Mon Nov 24 2025 08:11:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ongoing disputes over bus services to Machu Picchu have led to stranded tourists and escalating tensions among local transportation providers.

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Peru, faces a crisis as over 1,400 tourists were stranded due to disputes over transportation. The conflict centers around the local bus company Consettur, which has operated the service for 30 years. The company lost its license to a competitor, San Antonio de Torontoy, leading to protests and a blockade that halted the train service to Aguas Calientes. Tourists express their frustrations over high transport costs and local authorities seek to retain more revenue from ticket sales to benefit the community.

Machu Picchu, the remains of a 15th Century Inca city, is Peru's most popular tourist destination, and a Unesco world heritage site. Yet a continuing dispute over the buses that take visitors up to the mountain-top site recently saw some 1,400 stranded tourists needing to be evacuated.

Cristian Alberto Caballero Chacón is head of operations for bus company Consettur, which for the past 30 years has transported some 4,500 people every day to Machu Picchu from the local town of Aguas Calientes.

It is a 20-minute journey, and the only alternative is an arduous, steep, two-hour walk.

He admits that in the past few months there have been some conflicts between people from different communities here.

This conflict revolves around Consettur losing its licence to a rival bus firm in this remote part of Peru, where, unless you want to hike over Andes mountains, the only access is by public transport.

To get to Machu Picchu without walking, tourists must first take a train to Aguas Calientes, which takes from two to three and a half hours. And then transfer to a bus for the final leg.

Back in September, local protestors angry that Consettur was being replaced following what they saw as an insufficiently open bidding process, blocked the railway line to Aguas Calientes with rocks.

This resulted in Peruvian authorities having to clear the tracks and evacuate tourists on special train services.

A number of local people, who didn't want to go on the record, say the protestors were unhappy that Consettur had a monopoly on the lucrative bus service, and that its position as sole provider was simply due to be transferred to new company San Antonio de Torontoy. A round-trip bus ticket costs $24 (£18) for a foreigner and $15 for a Peruvian.

Although Consettur's licence ran out in September, it is continuing to run its buses. And due to legal challenges, San Antonio de Torontoy has yet to start.

As the row and legal dispute over the buses rumbles on, Australian tourist Annalise Jaksic complains about the cost of the trains to Aguas Calientes. The cheapest round-trip ticket is $140, rising to $2,000 for luxury first class.

Speaking in Aguas Calientes, she says: We thought it was one train [all the way to Machu Picchu]. And we thought if there was any more transport to get up there it would all be included, because you pay so much money for the train.

The mayor of Aguas Calientes, Elvis La Torre, is also unhappy about the tickets, because he says that most of the revenues do not stay locally.

Only 10% of the ticket sales stay in the region. The rest of the money goes to the Ministry of Culture to look after other archaeological sites around Peru and pay for wages.

He wants more money to go to his community and the surrounding region to help improve tourism and fund more projects to help the locals.

Outside on one of the side streets that are full of stalls offering tourism souvenirs, like fluffy alpacas and scarves, Dina Huillca is sitting on the pavement selling roses, tomatoes and mint. She travels from her village to get here, and says that more needs to be done for the local communities.

We don't have basic services like running water, or a hospital, and the schools need to be in better condition.