Tragic Train Collision Near Machu Picchu: One Dead, Many Injured

Wed Dec 31 2025 08:48:37 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A horrific train crash close to Peru's Machu Picchu has left one driver dead and at least 40 others injured. Emergency services have mobilized to assist victims as authorities investigate the cause of the collision.

In a tragic incident near the iconic Machu Picchu, a head-on collision between two trains resulted in the death of a train driver and injuries to at least 40 passengers, with 20 reported in serious condition. Emergency responders have been working to assist victims and evacuate tourists stranded at the site. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

A train driver has died and at least 40 people have been injured in a head-on rail collision near Peru's most popular tourist attraction, Machu Picchu.

Two trains collided on the single track leading to the ancient Inca town on Tuesday, according to a statement from the local government.

It said that 20 ambulances had attended the scene, and injured individuals were transferred to medical facilities in the nearby city of Cusco.

The US embassy in Peru has confirmed that US citizens were among the injured, but police have yet to disclose the identities of those involved in the incident.

Local media outlet Peru21 reports that hundreds of tourists remain at the scene awaiting evacuation, which has been hampered by difficult terrain around the crash site.

At least 20 of the injured are in serious condition, a health official told the Reuters news agency.

The collision occurred on the track linking Ollantaytambo Station and Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu, where the trip usually takes around 90 minutes.

The two trains involved in the accident were operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail, respectively.

PeruRail expressed its condolences in a statement, noting that its staff had immediately provided first aid to the train driver, the conductor, and the affected passengers.

The cause of the accident has not yet been clarified.

The crash occurs amidst ongoing disputes between transport providers for the UNESCO world heritage site, with local communities expressing discontent over what they describe as an insufficiently open bidding process for transport services.

The trains and buses servicing tourists to the ancient town have steep ticket prices, which has drawn scrutiny regarding equitable access to the site. Machu Picchu, built in the Peruvian Andes in the 15th century, remains one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World.

Visitors often have the option to take a series of trains and buses to access the site, or to hike along the Inca trail with a registered tour operator. Officials started regulating daily visitor caps in 2011 to manage overtourism concerns.