Once arrived in Lima, you can find two main ways to travel to Cusco, one is by plane and the other by bus I used both in the past, but I think I prefer to sacrifice a little more money and arrive in 1 hour or 1.5 hours instead of the 22 hours that takes the bus from Lima to Cusco.
Depending on the trip of each person and the point of entry to Peru, the price changes a lot depending if you enter through Puno (border with Bolivia) or from Tacna (border with Chile) compared to the price if you come straight from Lima.
The good thing is that nowadays, due to the high demand for flights, prices are more affordable, and you can find flights from 35 dollars (one way). Bus prices vary between companies and can range from s/.60.00 to s/.195.00 (between 17 – 50 dollars for a one-way ticket)
You should know that Cusco is located at 3,999 meters above sea level, which causes altitude sickness in many people. For these cases, “Sorochipill” is recommended, which is a pill that helps with altitude sickness, it’s usually taken before leaving for the airport and when arriving in Cusco.
Based on the time I’ve been working in Cusco, I can confirm that the difference between people who take this pill and those who don’t can be significant. Other alternatives to help with altitude sickness are drinking coca tea, muña tea (Andean mint) or chewing coca leaves. But I’ll talk a little more about this later.
After landing at the Cusco airport (Velasco Astete), you can take a taxi to the centre (most hotels are located near the centre). My recommendation is that you see if the hotel where you are staying offers you a free transfer from the airport to the hotel or otherwise avoid taking the unregistered taxis that are inside the airport since there are many stories in which they take advantage of tourists and they charge the rates in USD or the equivalent in Peruvian soles. I have met people who were charged 50 dollars or more from the airport to the centre (20min ride) or who say that the agreed rate was different.
That is why I recommend that you download apps that work in Peru without problems, among these are Uber, Didi, Cabify and InDrive. I found it very useful that if you have an Uber account in your country, you can continue to use it in Peru. The prices vary according to the demand and the application, you can request a pickup from inside the airport, but if you can’t find the option, and if you do not have much luggage, you can walk about 200 meters to the pedestrian exit at the airport. Is important to verify the license plate of the car, as there are people that might say that they are your taxi, but they aren’t.
Another alternative is to be able to use a taxi that is inside the airport and has a fixed rate, they are usually a little more expensive than an app taxi, but at least you will know what you have to pay. Either if it’s by application or by taxi inside the airport, make sure you are not paying too much.
Something that some people do but that I particularly DO NOT recommend is leaving the airport and taking a taxi from the street, they may be cheaper than the options that I gave you previously, but there may be a slight risk that the person is not a taxi and wants to try to steal or get money in exchange for a threat.
With this I don’t want to say that all the taxis on the street are bad, I’m only pointing out that, if you have just arrived in a city, not only in Cusco (this applies throughout the world), you are also an easy target for criminals or people with bad intentions. Remember that everything I mention are just suggestions and you have the right to choose the option that suits you best.
Also, I am not mentioning the option of taking a bus, because if you are travelling with a lot of luggage, this would be a problem as well as communication since many people do not speak Spanish when they arrive in the city.
Travel Options:
By plane:
Among the airlines we can find in Peru that operate from Lima to Cusco are: Latam, Sky and JetSmart. The flight takes an average of 1:25h and there are flights available from 5am to 8pm, I recommend (as many know) that you book your flights in advance to access better prices since you can get one-way flights as cheap as 35 dollars and they can go up to more than 100 dollars if it is close to the date or if the demand is very high (high season). It is also important to mention that earlier flights usually cost less.
By bus:
As I mentioned before, the bus trip is much longer than the plane, but if you have time and want to enjoy the scenery, this is a good alternative. The bus trip takes around 22 hours, although it can be more, depending on the company you travel with, if they make stops or if there are any problems along the way. That is why I recommend choosing a trusted company, among them Cruz del Sur, Exclusiva, Civa or Palomino, only to mention a few. Overall, I believe travelling by bus is a nice experience since they have different services. I particularly recommend the “Cruzero Suite” service from Cruz del Sur, which is a 180° sleeper bus, that has food on board and an entertainment centre in each seat.
Of course, the prices will vary depending on the service you take, but I consider that if you are going to take a bus for 22+ hours, the best thing you can do would be to travel comfortably, but that is my opinion. As I mentioned, there are various services, companies, and prices, so feel free to choose the one that suits you best based on your criteria or budget. With this in mind, buses can cost an average of 17 to 50 dollars based on which option you choose.