If you are wondering how to get around Peru, the answer depends on the stage of your route.
Peru stretches from the Pacific coast to the Andes and Lake Titicaca. Some parts of the route are best covered by domestic flights. Others are more comfortable by overnight bus. Around Cusco and the Sacred Valley, trains, taxis, and local transfers all play different roles.
Choosing the right type of transportation for each stage saves time, reduces unnecessary stress, and keeps the journey flowing naturally.
Quick Answer
The best way to get around Peru on this route is to combine domestic flights, a rental car or private driver, a Sacred Valley transfer, the train to Machu Picchu, an overnight VIP bus from Cusco to Puno, and a final flight from Juliaca to Lima.
This guide is based on TravUp’s 12-day Peru itinerary. It explains when to fly, when to take the bus, when to use the train, and how each transportation choice fits into the overall route.
For the full route overview, including accommodation, advance reservations, and what to book before departure, start with our Peru itinerary planning guide.
How to Get Around Peru on This Route
The TravUp Peru itinerary is not designed around a single way of traveling. Some parts are best by car. Others by plane, train, or overnight bus.
The smoothest version of the route combines different types of transportation:
- Fly into Lima, arriving in the afternoon whenever possible.
- Rent a car or book a private driver for the Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, and Nazca portion of the trip before returning to Lima.
- Take a morning flight from Lima to Cusco.
- Use a private transfer through the Sacred Valley, finishing at Ollantaytambo before boarding the train to Machu Picchu.
- Take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, then return to Cusco using a bimodal Train + Bus ticket.
- Travel overnight from Cusco to Puno, preferably by VIP bus.
- Fly home from Juliaca via Lima.
The key is choosing the right mode of transportation for each stage of the journey.
Fly Into Lima and Return from Juliaca via Lima
Your Peru journey begins with a flight to Lima.
We recommend choosing a flight that arrives between 3:00 and 5:00 PM. This gives you enough time to reach your hotel in Miraflores, settle in, and get a good night’s rest before starting the itinerary the following morning.
For your flight home, we recommend booking an international departure from Lima no earlier than 8:00 PM. This gives you enough time to enjoy your final day in Barranco before heading to the airport.
If there are no evening flights from Lima to your home city, your domestic and international flights should be booked together. Choose a morning flight from Juliaca, ideally around 10:00 AM, and allow at least four hours between your arrival in Lima and your international departure. This provides a comfortable buffer to disembark and make your international check-in and procedures.
Useful flight booking platforms:
How to Get to Paracas, Huacachina, and Nazca from Lima
After exploring Lima, the route continues south along Peru’s Pacific coast to Paracas, Huacachina, and Nazca before returning to Lima.
For this part of the itinerary, you will need a car.
There are two main options:
- rent a car and drive yourself
- book a private driver with a full transport service, e.g. Great Nazca tours or Kantu Peru tours
For this route, we recommend choosing an SUV, as some sections include rougher roads where a higher-clearance vehicle provides a more comfortable drive.
If you decide to rent a car, book with one of the major international rental companies. We recommend picking up the vehicle in Miraflores and returning it at Lima Airport before your flight to Cusco.
Driving in Peru, especially around Lima, can be more challenging than many visitors expect. Basic rental insurance usually provides limited coverage, so consider purchasing full insurance if you are not comfortable driving in Peru. Before booking, read the rental agreement carefully, paying attention to mileage limits, road restrictions, insurance coverage, and any additional fees.
If you prefer to enjoy the journey without worrying about navigation or local driving conditions, a private driver is an excellent alternative. It costs only slightly more than renting a car while making the trip considerably more relaxed.
Useful booking platforms include:
After returning the car at Lima Airport, continue with your domestic flight to Cusco.
For hotel recommendations before this flight, see our guide on where to stay in Peru on a multi-stop itinerary.
How to Get to Cusco from Lima
From Lima, fly to Cusco.
We recommend taking a morning flight so you can arrive with enough time to enjoy the activities planned for your first day in the city.
The main airlines on this route are:
- LATAM Airlines
- Sky Airline
- JetSMART Peru
Try to book a flight departing no later than 11:00 AM.
Useful flight booking platforms:
How to Get to Machu Picchu
Reaching Machu Picchu involves more than simply boarding a train.
The smoothest route combines a transfer through the Sacred Valley with a train journey from Ollantaytambo, allowing you to experience some of Peru’s most important archaeological sites before arriving at Machu Picchu.
For the drive from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, we recommend the private transfer. The price is often similar to renting a car, but it fits this itinerary much better. You only need transportation in one direction, and instead of driving directly to the train station, you’ll enjoy a full-day journey through the Sacred Valley, including Maras and Moray, before arriving in Ollantaytambo.
From Ollantaytambo, continue to Aguas Calientes by train. Peru’s two railway operators are:
For the outbound journey, we recommend booking one of these trains:
- PeruRail Vistadome 603 (3:37 PM)
- Inca Rail The Voyager (4:36 PM)
If available, choose the Vistadome service. Its panoramic windows make the journey through the Urubamba Valley part of the experience.
For your return trip, purchase a through ticket to Cusco, using the operator’s Bimodal Service, which combines the train back to Ollantaytambo with a connecting bus to Cusco.
The following return services work well with this itinerary:
- PeruRail Expedition 84 (6:20 PM)
- Inca Rail The Voyager (7:00 PM)
The return train type is less important, as most of the journey takes place after dark. The key is booking a ticket that takes you all the way back to Cusco without arranging separate transportation.
How to Get from Cusco to Puno
The journey from Cusco to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, can be made by bus, train, or plane.
For this itinerary, we recommend the overnight VIP bus as the best overall option.
The bus is the fastest overland choice, taking around 7 hours, and it also saves you valuable sightseeing time by traveling overnight. We recommend Cruz del Sur, whose VIP seats are comparable to business class on an airplane and include onboard restrooms.
The second option is the Peru Rail. It is more spacious and offers spectacular scenery along the route, but it takes around 10.5 hours, costs significantly more, and operates only on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.
If you choose the train, keep in mind that you’ll arrive in Puno later in the day. You’ll also need to keep your hotel reservation in Cusco for the previous night and shorten your sightseeing time in Puno. We also recommend booking your Lake Titicaca excursion in advance.
A third option is a flight, but there is no airport in Puno. Flights arrive at Juliaca, about one hour away by taxi. There are no direct flights from Cusco to Juliaca, so you will need to connect in Lima.
The total cost is similar to the train, making air travel a reasonable alternative only if the overland options do not fit your schedule.
How to Get from Juliaca to Lima
Your final domestic flight is from Juliaca to Lima.
We recommend choosing a flight departing at around 10:00 AM. This gives you enough time to travel from Puno to Juliaca Airport while keeping the rest of your day flexible.
We recommend booking your international flight from Lima no earlier than 8:00 PM. This gives you enough time to enjoy your final afternoon in Barranco before heading to the airport.
If there are no evening flights from Lima to your home city, your domestic and international flights should be planned together. We recommend choosing a flight from Juliaca at around 10:00 AM and allowing at least four hours between your arrival in Lima and your international departure.
The recommended airline on this route is:
- LATAM Airlines
Useful flight booking platforms:
The Simple Rule for Getting Around Peru
Do not choose transportation by habit. Choose the transportation that fits each stage of the route.
Sometimes that means renting a car for the journey along Peru’s southern coast. Sometimes it means flying to save an entire day of travel. Sometimes it means taking the train because the journey itself is part of the experience. And sometimes the overnight bus is the smartest choice because it saves both time and a hotel night.
That is the TravUp approach.
Use the transportation that keeps the itinerary flowing, not the one that looks simplest on a map.
Leave the rest open for Peru to surprise you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best way to travel around Peru?
The best way to travel around Peru is to combine domestic flights, trains, buses, cars, and organized transfers. Fly between distant regions, use trains for Machu Picchu, and take private or shared transportation for the Sacred Valley. No single transportation method works efficiently across the entire country.
Should you rent a car in Peru?
Most first-time visitors do not need to rent a car in Peru. Traffic, mountain roads, parking, and long distances can make driving stressful. Private drivers, buses, trains, tours, and domestic flights usually provide a safer and more efficient way to complete a multi-stop itinerary.
How do you travel from Cusco to Machu Picchu?
Most travelers go from Cusco through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, then take a train to Aguas Calientes. From there, buses climb to the Machu Picchu entrance. Visiting the Sacred Valley before boarding the train creates a more logical route and provides valuable historical context.
Travel Peru Without Transportation Guesswork
This Peru itinerary combines domestic flights, road trips, private transfers, scenic train journeys, and an overnight bus, with each one chosen for a specific reason.
TravUp brings that transportation strategy together, so you can travel independently without spending hours comparing routes, schedules, and connections.
Check out the full 12-day Peru itinerary or download TravUp (iOS / Android) to explore Peru with more confidence.
