There are 6 ways to get from Cairns to Machu Picchu by plane, train, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Cairns to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Train + Bus
best- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)plane CNS - CUZ
- Take the train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblotrain
33h 5m$928–3,847Train to Townsville Airport, fly to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Train + Bus
cheapest- Take the train from Cairns Central Station to Townsvilletrain
- Fly from Townsville Airport (TSV) to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)plane TSV - CUZ
- Take the train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblotrain
40h 16m$859–4,498Bus to Cooktown Airport, fly to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Train + Bus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
- Fly from Cooktown Airport (CTN) to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)plane CTN - CUZ
- Take the train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblotrain
2d 3h$909–3,736Train to Whitsunday Coast Airport, fly to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Train + Bus
- Take the train from Cairns Central Station to Proserpinetrain
- Fly from Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)plane PPP - CUZ
- Take the train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblotrain
2d 8h$1,359–6,490Fly Cairns to Puerto Maldonado, bus, train
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Puerto Maldonado (PEM)plane CNS - PEM
- Take the bus from Puerto Maldonado to Cuscobus
- Take the bus from Terminal Terrestre del Cusco to Avenida Ferrocarrilbus
- Take the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblotrain
2d 8h$1,084–3,399Fly Cairns to Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport, drive
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport (AYP)plane CNS - AYP
- Drive from Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport (AYP) to Machu Picchucar
2d 1h$934–2,337
Cairns (CNS) to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cairns to Machu Picchu is to train and fly and Train + Bus which costs $850 - $4,500 and takes 40h 16m.
The fastest way to get from Cairns to Machu Picchu is to fly and Train + Bus which takes 33h 5m and costs $900 - $3,900.
The distance between Cairns and Machu Picchu is 14791 km.
It takes approximately 33h 5m to get from Cairns to Machu Picchu, including transfers.
Machu Picchu is 15h behind Cairns. It is currently 11:27 PM in Cairns and 8:27 AM in Machu Picchu.
There are 167+ hotels available in Machu Picchu.
What companies run services between Cairns, QLD, Australia and Machu Picchu, Peru?
There is no direct connection from Cairns to Machu Picchu. However, you can take the shuttle to Cairns Airport, walk to Cairns (CNS) airport, fly to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ), walk to Cusco Airport, take the bus to Avenida Pardo, walk to Cusco - Wanchaq, take the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo, walk to Aguas Calientes, then take the bus to Machu Picchu. Alternatively, you can take the bus to Cooktown, take the taxi to Cooktown Airport (CTN) airport, fly to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ), walk to Cusco Airport, take the bus to Avenida Pardo, walk to Cusco - Wanchaq, take the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo, walk to Aguas Calientes, then take the bus to Machu Picchu.
- Website
- skyairline.com
Flights from Cairns to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Melbourne, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 40m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $850–2,300
Flights from Cairns to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 50m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $850–2,300
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Cairns, Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 39h 25m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
Flights from Townsville Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Melbourne, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 10m
- When
- Monday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,100
Flights from Townsville Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,000
Flights from Townsville Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Brisbane, Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,000
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 41h 55m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,100–3,900
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Melbourne, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 45h 25m
- When
- Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,300
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Brisbane, Melbourne, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 55m
- When
- Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,400
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Brisbane, Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 30m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,900
Flights from Cairns to Puerto Maldonado via Melbourne, Santiago, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 41h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–2,800
Flights from Cairns to Puerto Maldonado via Sydney, Santiago, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 41h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–2,700
- Website
- latam.com
Flights from Cairns to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Melbourne, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 55m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $900–2,400
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Cairns, Sydney, Santiago
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 5h
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,000
Flights from Townsville Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Sydney, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 26h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,100
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport via Sydney, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 39h 5m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,400
Flights from Cairns to Puerto Maldonado via Melbourne, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 40h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–2,900
Flights from Cairns to Puerto Maldonado via Sydney, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 10m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–2,800
Flights from Cairns to Puerto Maldonado via Sydney, Santiago, Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 44h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,000–2,700
Flights from Cairns to Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport via Melbourne, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 38h 40m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,400–3,800
Flights from Cairns to Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport via Sydney, Santiago, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 38h 50m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $1,400–3,700
Flights from Cairns to Coronel Fap Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport via Auckland, Ezeiza, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 39h 40m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $850–2,300
- Phone
- +51 1625 4848
- [email protected]
- Website
- PeruRail
Train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 12m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $60–1,600
- Website
- PeruRail
Train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 12m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $60–1,600
- Website
- PeruRail
Train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 12m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $60–1,600
- Website
- PeruRail
Train from Cusco - Wanchaq to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 12m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $60–1,600
- Website
- PeruRail
Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $50–650
- Website
- PeruRail
- Observatory 603
- $76
- Expedition 75
- $79
- Expedition 51
- $63
- Observatory 303
- $99
- Expedition 603
- $99
- Visitandome 73
- $79
- Expedition 91
- $63
- Bingham 11
- $630
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
Train from Cairns Central Station to Townsville
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 1m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–881
- Book at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Schedules at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- BQuick
- $30–50
- AChoice
- $40–60
- Gold Class
- $704
- Heritage Class
- $881
Train from Cairns Central Station to Proserpine
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 26m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $45–1,530
- Book at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Schedules at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- BQuick
- $45–70
- AChoice
- $75–100
- Gold Class
- $1,222
- Heritage Class
- $1,530
- Phone
- +51 84 581860
- [email protected]
- Website
- Incarail
Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 24m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $30–140
- Website
- Incarail
- The premium & lounge
- $50–130
- Voyager Bimodal
- $30–65
- The 360°
- $55–70
- THE VOYAGER BIMODAL
- $55–70
- THE 360° BIMODAL
- $66–69
- The Prime
- $130–140
- Phone
- (07) 3036 2070
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $50–80
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Phone
- +51 993 888 999
- [email protected]
- Website
- turismopalomino.pe
Bus from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $14–40
- Schedules at
- turismopalomino.pe
- Book at
- turismopalomino.pe
- Phone
- +51904244509
- [email protected]
- Website
- aeroexpreso.com.pe
Bus from Terminal Terrestre del Cusco to Avenida Ferrocarril
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–16
- Schedules at
- aeroexpreso.com.pe
- Book at
- aeroexpreso.com.pe
Want to know more about travelling around Peru
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
10 amazing places to get away from it all in Australia
Read the travel guide
4 of the smartest ways to explore Australia
Read the travel guide
Best ways to travel around Australia
Read the travel guide

















