**This information is up to date as of May 24, 2026 but is constantly changing. We’re not responsible for subsequent changes to daily capacities, ticket availability, circuit rules, or modifications to the official government booking policies.
We know that some travelers arrive in Cusco excited to visit Machu Picchu, only to find out that Machu Picchu entrance tickets are sold out online, either due to high demand or simply because they didn’t realize tickets need to be booked two to four months in advance. Thanks to a daily in-person ticket release by the Ministry of Culture (1,000 tickets per day), you still have a chance to get in, but only if you go directly to the ticket office in Aguas Calientes (a day trip away from Cusco) and purchase tickets there. To increase your chances of getting the Complete Circuit (as opposed to a Half-Circuit), you’ll need to arrive in Aguas Calientes a few days before.
The Plan for a Last-Minute Machu Picchu Tour
DAY 1: Get to Aguas Calientes & Purchase Machu Picchu Tickets
- Transport from your Cusco hotel to the Ollantaytambo train station
- Train to Aguas Calientes
- Line up at the Machu Picchu office to buy Machu Picchu tickets**
**We recommend you bring cash (local currency; S/152 per person) as Aguas Calientes is a small town and their credit card system doesn’t always work, and make sure you have your passport in hand to buy the Machu Picchu ticket(s).
DAY 2: Free Day in Aguas Calientes
DAY 3: Free Day in Aguas Calientes
DAY 4: Machu Picchu Tour
- Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- Tour of Machu Picchu (2-3 hours)
- Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes (not included in price)
- Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Transfer from Ollantaytambo to your Cusco hotel
Important Information on Buying Machu Picchu Tickets Last-Minute
- Ticket purchase:
- These last-minute Machu Picchu tickets are sold only in person to the buyer, not to travel agencies.
- Each traveler must bring their passport to purchase their own ticket.
- Availability:
- Availability ultimately depends on the Ministry of Culture and daily demand.
- In the unlikely event that tickets are sold out, you’d line up earlier the next morning and stay an extra night in Aguas Calientes to enter Machu Picchu one day later.
