Machu Picchu Forum: Train to Machu Picchu - backpacker or vistadome?

Either train is fine. Actually backpacker has more room as the seating is facing each other. My best advice would be to go on the train from Sacred Vally. It is a shorter ride and you won't have to worry about leg room. I do both and it doesn't really matter.

Not related directly to choice of train, but relevant to planning this trip, for all: From my local (Bergen Record) paper's press service column, Sunday, February 24, 2008:

"LIMA, Peru - Rail service to the famed Inca ruins of Machu Picchu reopened on Saturday after Peruvians ended two days of protests against new laws allowing more development near historical sites.

Authorities also restored service at the regional airport of Cuzco, which also had been shuttered since Thursday, when protesters stormed the facility ...

...two-day demonstrations cost the region an estimated $2.4 million in lost economic activity ..."

We've been on both the vistadome and backpaker trains. The difference was the backpacker train made many more stops at the small villages along the way to load/unload people and goods. Consequently, it took us nearly twice as long on the backpaker train to get from SV to AC.

Well, the longer time is a significant factor given I'd like to spend as much time as possible at MP! The other posts are all helpful also!

We took the backpacker train from Ollanta to MP and the Vistadome return (because of the timing). We actually preferred the backpacker - more leg room, although less comfortable seats. The Vistadome had a snack, a folk dancer and a slightly bizarre fashion show, where the train conductors changed into different wool fashions in the restroom, and catwalked down the aisle to pop music - for a good half hour, at least. They then changed back into their uniforms and sold the wool clothing from a cart, while a line of people headed for the now-empty restroom. It was odd and hard to ignore, especially if you were trying to capture the beauty of MP in your journal, while it was semi-fresh in your mind...

I also had a question regarding the Vistadome train. We are starting by hiking the Inca trail and on the way back we were going to see the Sacred Valley. So we were thinking of getting off the Vistadome at Ollantaytambo and making our way back to Cusco. I just wanted to make sure that we were not going to miss the spectacular views by getting off early rather than riding the train all the way to Cusco.

Also, does anyone have any opinion of whether seeing the salineras de maras is worth the stop? Thanks so much!

The train going back to Cusco is normally at night time and you do not see any spectacular views.

Yes, its worth seeing the Salinas of Maras. The train ride to Ollanta is much shorter and cheaper and gives you the extra time to stop at the Salineras.

I just took the Vistadome two weeks ago and do not think it was worth it. I spend three days in the sacred valley so the views after awhile become less of a big deal. You get used to it, so if you are land in Cusco, then go directly to AG i would take the vistadome. But once you get off in AG the views are everywhere. It all depends on if it is worth the money to you, for me i would have rather donated the extra money to charities in Peru.

THE views are AMAZING, but the whole Sacred valley is Amazing.

we took the backpacker to AG- it was late. There was nothing much to see, there is no food provided on the train and we had seats much like on a bus(chartered). We returned onthe Vistadome. It was more expensive, but you could see out the moonroof windows even if you had an aisle seat. The snack was not too good- definately not the price difference. We were "treated" to an advertisement for some festival later inthe year and a fashion show. The latter was done bythe train crew and involved themcommandeering the banos for changing rooms. Loud music etc. I think the Backpacker was way more peaceful.