There are several routes to get to Machu Picchu, which is the best option? It depends on what you want to do, your comfort and budget. Here are the most used ones.
1. By train
From Cusco Train Station, the PeruRail departs to Aguas Calientes, passing through the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo station. The train is the most comfortable and also the most expensive way. The price depends on the schedule, anticipation and class, but the cheapest you can get is 130 dollars round trip.
2. By Excursion / Trekking.
Also here there are several options. If you want to hire the official Inca Trail, you must do it well in advance and be willing to pay a sum of money close to u$s 500. The trail passes through a number of ruins and historical and archaeological landmarks to lead directly to Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate.
For those who want to trek and do not have that budget, there are several tour options such as the Inca Jungle that take you through the jungle and reach Aguas Calientes. Generally all expenses are included (food and lodging) and prices vary according to the number of days but range between u$s 200.
3. The Hydroelectric Road: The backpacker route.
This is the most economical and independent way to get to Machu Picchu. It is a small combination of means of transportation that I present below. If you follow the magic formula, you will visit the backpacker landmark par excellence at a very low cost.
From Cusco, you should go very early (at 6 am) to the Santiago Bus Terminal, which is a few blocks walk from the Plaza de Armas. There you should take a bus to the town of Santa Maria (they cost between 15 to 20 Soles depending on how easy it is to bargain). You have to be patient. It is a 6 hour trip stopping for a while in Urubamba and Ollantaytambo.
Once you arrive in Santa Maria, a horde of minivan drivers will be waiting to take you to another town: Santa Teresa. It is approximately 10 Soles.
From there you can start walking or get a cab to take you to the famous Hidroelectrica for 5 Soles. The cab is a regular car, which will pick up people along the way until it fills up (there is always someone else getting in).
Finally they arrive at the Hydroelectric Station! There you must register at a checkpoint and walk for two hours through a breathtaking jungle landscape along the train tracks until you reach Aguas Calientes.
