A routine tourist journey to one of the world’s greatest wonders turned into horror when two trains collided head-on near Machu Picchu, leaving one conductor dead and dozens injured.
The crash happened on December 30 along the rail line connecting the tourist towns of Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes — the gateway to the ancient Incan citadel. The line is one of Peru’s busiest, carrying thousands of visitors every day.
Local media said the trains were operated by rival companies, PeruRail and Inca Rail, which share the same narrow mountain track that snakes through the Andes. One of the conductors was killed instantly. Around 20 passengers suffered serious injuries.
Dutch tourist Niels Honkoop, 33, told the BBC he had moved to the back of the train just before the impact.
“I saw staff running around, people crying, people on the floor. Chaos erupted,” Honkoop said. “We got off the train and I saw people bleeding with very severe injuries.”
He said he handed out painkillers he still had from a dental surgery. “There was nothing else to do but try to help,” he recalled.
Dramatic cellphone footage shared online showed injured passengers sprawled across the tracks as first responders rushed in. Some victims were carried away on stretchers; others were treated on the ground as the twisted wreckage loomed behind them.
Officials have not confirmed what caused the deadly collision. Both the Peruvian National Police and local prosecutors in Cusco have launched investigations.
In a brief statement, PeruRail said it “deeply regrets what has happened” and pledged full cooperation. Inca Rail released a similar message expressing condolences to the victim’s family.
The U.S. Embassy in Lima has not yet commented on whether any American tourists were among the injured.
The tracks between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu are among the most scenic — and perilous — in South America. Built in the early 20th century, the narrow route hugs cliff sides and crosses fast-moving rivers. Locals say the line has seen smaller derailments before, but nothing this deadly in years.
Machu Picchu, perched nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, draws about 1.5 million visitors annually, most arriving by train. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is often described as the crown jewel of the Inca Empire and a top bucket-list destination for travelers around the globe.
As investigators sift through wreckage near the remote town of Pampacahua, survivors and locals are demanding better safety standards.
“This route is the lifeline of our community and the pride of Peru,” said Cusco resident María Quispe, who lives near the crash site. “But every year the traffic increases and the risks grow. We need answers — and we need them fast.”
The tragedy has cast a long shadow over Peru’s tourism industry, already struggling to recover from years of political unrest and pandemic losses.
For now, the rails to Machu Picchu remain silent — a haunting reminder of how quickly paradise can turn into disaster.
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