BlaakLane.com provides chauffeur service in Cusco for CUZ airport transfers, hotels in the historic centre, the Sacred Valley at Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, and transfers to the PeruRail and Inca Rail stations for Machu Picchu. Each Cusco leg gets a fixed fare in the engine before you confirm. A vetted local affiliate drives, and your confirmation names the operator and chauffeur.
Booking a Cusco chauffeur around your train and flight times
Cusco trips are rarely a single transfer. A typical stay links a flight from Lima, two nights in the Sacred Valley, a train to Aguas Calientes and a return to the city. Book each leg in the booking engine with the flight number or train time, or book an hourly day when you want the car to wait at Pisac or Moray. Each leg shows one fixed price covering chauffeur, fuel and waiting. Our Toronto desk dispatches 24/7 to a vetted Cusco affiliate working to the BlaakLane.com written standard. Tour groups and multi-vehicle itineraries are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing.
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)
Cusco's airport sits in the Wanchaq district, about 5 km southeast of the Plaza de Armas. Almost every flight is domestic, with Lima the main link at roughly 1 hour 15 minutes, plus services from Arequipa, Juliaca and Puerto Maldonado. International travellers normally clear immigration and customs in Lima before connecting. The new Chinchero airport in the Sacred Valley is still under construction and not expected before late 2027, so all flights in 2026 use the existing airport.
The terminal is compact. Your chauffeur meets you at the designated area for pre-arranged transfers just outside the arrivals exit and sends the plate and position once you land. A name-board greeting at the arrivals door is an add-on; add-ons are only available in selected locations. Flights are tracked, and domestic arrivals include 30 minutes of waiting from the actual landing, other pickups 15 minutes, then 15-minute blocks. The drive to the centre takes 15 to 25 minutes.
Altitude: how it shapes the trip
Cusco sits at about 3,400 m above sea level, and the airport only slightly lower. Many visitors feel the altitude on arrival: headaches, shortness of breath and poor sleep are common in the first day or two. That changes how a chauffeured trip is best arranged:
- Go down first. The Sacred Valley floor at Urubamba is around 2,870 m. Many travellers drive straight from the airport to a valley hotel, about 1 to 1.5 hours, and see Cusco at the end of the trip.
- Keep the first afternoon light. A drop at the hotel door avoids walking uphill with bags, since many streets in San Blas and the centre are steep and cobbled.
- Use the car for climbs. Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo and Tambomachay sit above the city; a short hourly booking saves the walk.
- Mention health needs. If anyone in the group is unwell, tell the desk; the chauffeur can stop and adjust the route. Medical advice should come from a doctor before travel.
Historic centre access
The centre is a UNESCO-listed Inca and colonial city, and many streets around the Plaza de Armas, San Blas and Hatun Rumiyoc are narrow, one-way or closed to vehicles. The car drops at the nearest point a vehicle can reach, often a short walk from boutique hotels such as those around Plaza Nazarenas. Landmark properties in the centre include the Belmond Monasterio, the Palacio Nazarenas, the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco and Inkaterra La Casona. The chauffeur helps with luggage to the door where the lane allows.
Sacred Valley hotels and sites
| Route | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Cusco centre to Pisac | 33 km | 45-60 min |
| Cusco to Urubamba via Chinchero | 57 km | 1-1.25 h |
| CUZ airport to Urubamba hotels | 60 km | 1-1.5 h |
| Cusco to Ollantaytambo | 72 km | 1.5-2 h |
| Cusco to Moray and Maras salt pans | 50 km | 1-1.25 h |
| Cusco to Poroy station | 13 km | 20-30 min |
The valley road network is simple and the drives are scenic, but mountain bends and slow trucks mean times vary. Hotels along the valley include Belmond Rio Sagrado, Tambo del Inka and Sol y Luna near Urubamba, and several lodges around Ollantaytambo. A full day with a chauffeur, stopping at Chinchero, Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo, is one of the most requested city tours and day trips in Peru.
PeruRail and Inca Rail to Machu Picchu
No road reaches Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), so the train is the practical way in. Rail departure points depend on season and service:
- Ollantaytambo station: the year-round hub, with the most frequent departures and a journey of about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Poroy station, near Cusco: used by PeruRail Vistadome, Expedition and the Belmond Hiram Bingham, usually from May to December; the trip takes about 3 to 3.75 hours.
- Wanchaq, in Cusco: the start of PeruRail's bimodal service, a bus to Ollantaytambo or Pachar followed by the train, used particularly in the rainy months when Poroy closes.
- Urubamba: a handful of departures convenient for valley hotels.
Your chauffeur is timed to the departure printed on the ticket, arriving with enough margin for check-in, and is timed to your return train on the way back. From Aguas Calientes, shuttle buses climb to the site in about 25 minutes. Machu Picchu entry tickets are timed and capped each day; buy them only from the official Machu Picchu ticket site, and check schedules on PeruRail.
Festivals and seasons
- January to March: the rainy season; the Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
- May or June: Corpus Christi processions in the Plaza de Armas.
- June 24: Inti Raymi, staged at the Coricancha, the Plaza de Armas and Sacsayhuaman; the city's busiest week, with road closures on the day.
- May to September: the dry season and the main travel season, with cold nights and clear days.
Peru's official tourism site lists current events.
Vehicles in Cusco
Executive SUVs are the default here: better ground clearance on valley roads and room for bags on a multi-day trip. Standard Sedans suit airport transfers to the centre for one or two travellers. Standard Black SUVs and Sprinter Vans carry families and small groups to the valley together, and minicoaches cover tour programmes planned with a coordinator; travel agencies can also book through the travel desk. Andean trip vehicles are listed on the fleet, with fare inclusions on rates.
Longer road trips
Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain, is about 3 hours each way and reaches over 5,000 m, so it suits travellers already acclimatised. Puno and Lake Titicaca are about 390 km away, a long day of 6 to 7 hours on the road over the La Raya pass. Most visitors connect Cusco with Lima by air; the Lima airport page covers the international arrival.
Entry to Peru
Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union do not need a visa for tourism in Peru; immigration grants the length of stay on arrival, up to 183 days per year. Keep your passport available, since hotels and train staff ask for it. Background on the airport: Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.
Changes and cancellation
Train times change with the season, so update the booking if your ticket moves. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours, and 100% within 24 hours or for a no-show.
