Article by Henry Arnault

If you are tired of flying and driving, why not take a more alternative approach to traveling in Peru? For a slower and more relaxing travel experience, enjoy a trip in Peru by train. Long train rides allow you to recuperate from the stresses of daily life where you can sit back and enjoy the beautiful views out the window while snacking, chatting, reading, or whatever pastime you care to indulge in. Check out these top 2 Peru train rides on your next South America holiday.

Cusco to Aguas Calientes
Cusco was once the very center of the world according to old Inca myths. The ancient civilization even called the capital of their empire the “navel of the earth.” Around the city are a number of Inca ruins even before you reach Machu Picchu. In the nearby Sacred Valley, archeological sites such as Ollantaytambo, Chivay, and Pisac are great destinations for visitor to whet their appetites before reaching for the main course. Take the 3.5 hour train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes to most efficiently arrive at the town at the base of Machu Picchu. From there, visitors can restock their food supplies before taking a 20 minute bus ride or embarking on a 1 hour hike to the site’s entrance. Different classes of the train are available. The most economic is the Backpackers class; regular facilities can be found in the Vistadome; and the most discriminating traveler can treat themselves to a trip in the Hiram Bingham class named for the American explorer who discovered the Inca citadel in 1911. To book your tickets, reserve your spot on any Machu Picchu packages.

Lima to Huancayo
For every bit as popular as the train to Machu Picchu is, the 12 hour train trip from the capital of Lima to the central Andean town of Huancayo is just the opposite. Up until a few years ago when the Chinese built a new link, this was the highest train ride in the world. The trip runs twice per month between April and November, and is just as loved by native Peruvians as internationals. Embarking on this ride as part of your Peru travel plans will not leave you unimpressed. The stunning vistas of the Andes mountain range as the train weaves left and right through valley and past river bends and picturesque villages deep in the Peruvian heartland. The highlight of the trip is the stop at Galeria station more than 15,600 feet above sea level. If that doesn’t take your breath away–possibly literally!–then maybe the landscapes of the remainder of the 8 hours trip will.

A selection of brief clips showing my travels from Narita Airport to Akita along the eastern side of Honshu. All of this content is available as stand alone clips should you wish to look through my channel. You will see the incredible variety of train types and colour schemes in use on various lines and companies. I barely scratched the surface as I had planned 28 days of video production. My trip was cut short by the disaster of March 11. I was stranded for four days, information was sketchy and family pressure forced me to cancel the remainder of the trip. In hindsight I could have finished the last 13 days safely but as they say “hindsight is a wonderful thing”. Four days of aftershocks, a day of hunger, cold and no communication took their toll. I’m not whinging, I got out of it easily compared to some but it does leave a nasty taste in ones mouth and at the time going home seemed like the best choice.