Travellers and explorers venturing to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu will have a greater choice of train travel available to them from this week following the inaugural of a new service by Inca Rail, the 360° Machu Picchu Train, which began operations on 1st March 2018. The 360° Machu Picchu Train is Peru's most scenic train, offering dome-like high visibility panoramic windows with in-built UV protection.

A tourist service for the modern day explorer looking for an authentic journey to the Lost Citadel, the 360° Machu Picchu Train's windows have been custom-designed to give passengers the best possible views, allowing them to fully appreciate the soaring Andes mountain range above them as they journey to and from Machu Picchu. Another highlight of the new service will be that, unlike most existing services on the route, the carriages of the 360° Machu Picchu Train will be fully inter-connecting, freeing passengers to move between carriages to an open-air observation area at the centre of the train, from which they can step out and breathe in the crisp mountain air and take photos of the dramatic landscape.

The 360° Machu Picchu Train will also have all the connectivity that modern travellers demand, including USB ports at each seat for charging smartphones and other devices. By summer 2018, passengers will be able to download a GPS activated app at the start of their journey, which will give information on the culture, history and countryside passing by the windows. An on-board trolley service will be enhanced with local offerings, with a light snack or light lunch offered during the journey that will change with the seasons and reflect the regions through which the train passes. Organic juices pressed from fruit and vegetables grown in the Sacred Valley will enhance gastronomic experience.

Custom-designed by Inca Rail, the 360° Machu Picchu Train service will consist of two sets of three new carriages, carrying up to 248 passengers a day on two routes between Poroy and Machu Picchu, and between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. The 360° Machu Picchu Train is bookable on www.incarail.com and is priced from USD 78 (from GBP 56) per person one way during low season, rising according to seasons.

The launch of the 360° Machu Picchu Train follows the recent complete upgrade of Inca Rail's premium level First Class fleet. As part of this project, new carriages were introduced to a new custom design layout, increasing passenger comfort and doubling capacity. Operating four times a day, the First Class train seats up to 60 passengers in two dining carriages, between which is a luxurious bar car, offering live music, refreshments and an outdoor observation balcony. Passengers dine at tables with comfortable leather chairs and enjoy a gourmet menu prepared using Andean ingredients including trout, quinoa, potato and gold berry, accompanied by a selection of South American wines. Included in the cost of the First Class train is use of a new VIP waiting lounge at Ollantaytambo station, with refreshments, live music and luggage storage facilities.

The First Class service operates a once a day round trip between Poroy (the station for departures from Cusco), Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, and once a day round trip between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. Inca Rail also operates the Voyager service between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu departing five times a day from each location.

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About IncaRail

Inca Rail first began operations on the narrow gauge railway line between Cusco and Machu Picchu in 2009. In July 2016 it came under new management when The Carlyle Group made a significant equity investment in order to improve customer service and maintain current high standards of reliability and safety. Inca Rail is investing approximately USD 12 million in upgrading its train fleet and services, meaning it will soon have the most modern and up to date fleet operating in Peru. Inca Rail expects to carry 540,000 passengers between Cusco and Machu Picchu during 2017, having already increased its market share from 20% to 29% since the beginning of 2017, with a view to further increasing this to 35% by 2021. As part of Inca Rail's ethos of environmental respect, it practices and promotes responsible tourism at every available opportunity. This involves taking all actions conducive to minimizing the environmental impact of its operations, such as using fuel additives designed to minimize CO2 emissions. www.incarail.com