Dispute Over Tourist Buses Disrupts Access to Machu Picchu

Tue Nov 25 2025 18:33:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site and major tourist destination in Peru, faces ongoing transportation challenges amid disputes over bus services, stranding tourists and prompting community protests.

Machu Picchu, a renowned Inca site and Peru's top tourist attraction, is suffering from a dispute over the bus services that transport visitors from the town of Aguas Calientes to the site. The local bus company, Consettur, has clashed with a rival firm, leading to protests that have disrupted service and even stranded tourists. Community members express frustrations over the licensing process and financial disparities in tourism profits, raising concerns about the benefits reaching local populations.

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 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. It's a complex situation, involving people from different local communities wanting a slice of the bus income, but Mr. Caballero is adamant that Consettur is not a monopoly.

The owners of the business have been running the company for the past 30 years, and they are people who come from around here, he says. This is not a monopoly. Consettur is made up of 12 different companies with various partners. These partners include the local district council, which owns 38% of Consettur.

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 entry tickets, because 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 manage 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. The Ministry of Culture was approached for comment.

Dina Huillca is sitting on the pavement selling roses, tomatoes, and mint, emphasizing, more needs to be done for the local communities. Her sentiments reflect a broader concern in the region about inadequate basic services.

Meanwhile, Carlos González, president of the chamber of tourism for this region of Peru, advocates for more state oversight of public transport and improvements in the tourist experience. He highlights the need for a more unified approach to Peru as a destination to stand competitive in the long term.

Mr. Caballero claims that Consettur welcomes competition, stating, If they are given the final approval we don’t have a problem with working with them. We won’t stop them. As discussions continue, the future of transport to Machu Picchu remains uncertain, with local communities advocating for a fair share of the tourism pie.