Peru Rail

I just recieved my Peru Rail payment receipt. It stated that we had to go to the station to pick up the tickets at least one hour before travel. As the train departs at 6.57am that would mean a very early start.

Is there any way we can pick up the tickets the day before or arrange to have them picked up by someone else. We fly in to Cusco the day before arriving at 6.45am, would it be possible to have the taxi take us to the station in Poroy and then onto the hotel in cusco. Or would it be better to go later in the afternoon to pick up the tickets. I am not sure of the distances involved and whether this would cause any problems such as doing too much the first day.

I just recieved my Peru Rail payment receipt. It stated that we had to go to the station to pick up the tickets at least one hour before travel. As the train departs at 6.57am that would mean a very early start.

 

Is there any way we can pick up the tickets the day before or arrange to have them picked up by someone else. We fly in to Cusco the day before arriving at 6.45am, would it be possible to have the taxi take us to the station in Poroy and then onto the hotel in cusco. Or would it be better to go later in the afternoon to pick up the tickets. I am not sure of the distances involved and whether this would cause any problems such as doing too much the first day.

UNLESS Orient Express has changed the rules again, you do not need to go to the Poroy station to pick up tickets. There is a ticket office and a train station in Cusco proper. SHOULD be able to get tickets there. I always encourage a visit to the ticket office-VERY Peruvian. I have no idea what every one is doing in there (Not THAT many trains leaving Cusco), but the place is ALWAYS packed.

You can also have someone from your hotel pick them up and leave them at the front desk. Most hotels offer this as a free service.

I certainly hope you are NOT planning on just getting in any old taxi at the airport. NOT a safe thing to do. Quite a few coked up/drunk/gypsy cabs in the Cusco area. You may end up where you don't want to be. Your hotel SHOULD include pick up service. Most of the better ones do (in fact, all do that I know of except for a few of the backpacker hostels). Some charge for the service, with some it is free. But either way, have your hotel make the arrangements, meet and greet service with a sign, and explain that you want to pick up your train tickets. But check the time the ticket office opens. With trains leaving from Poroy (about 8 miles outside Cusco), the town ticket office may not open as early as it did before.

Don't forget to go to the back of the parking lot as you are leaving the airport for your first cups of coca tea and a bag of leaves. Two kiosks in the parking lot-the one on the right as you are walking to it has the bagged leaves. Enjoy!!!

Question on the train to MP - does it include the bus up to the ruins and back? Do we have to buy it separately? Where?

Thanks.

Question on the train to MP - does it include the bus up to the ruins and back? Do we have to buy it separately? Where?

Thanks.

Separate ticket for the bus. After you get off the train, you walk a short distance to the bus. You pay there, UNLESS of course Orient Express has tried to "improve" the logistics (again, loosing some of the charm and homogenizing the experience). But it has always been a separate ticket for the bus and when I booked Peru Rail and hotels for friends I am meeting in January, I didn't see any mention of the bus included. PLAN on paying separately.

Greatam,

I owe you a few pisco sours. Just got reservations for ten days in Peru including the Sanctuary Lodge, Casa Andina Private collection hotels, internal air, trains to MP and Puno for a little over $2000 pp. The four-day extension from the Galapagos cruise would have cost $3500 pp. Make that a couple of gallons of pisco sours!

THANKS!!!

M