We departed Cusco by the 07:50 train to Puno. This PeruRail service operates three times a week and is a tribute to the days of Pullman luxury travel.
The route follows the valley of the ‘Sacred River’ and because of the inclines and single narrow gauge track is a 10 hour journey. The landscape is spectacular and particularly interesting when the line cuts straight through settlements, almost at someone’s front door.
We encountered a problem around an hour and a half after departure. Apparently the day before there was a collision between a vehicle and a train. The repair team were completing the job when we arrived so we had to wait. This meant our arrival in Puno was in darkness and two hours late.