Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ)
Cusco Airport Transfer Guide
Pre-book a private transfer from CUZ: your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals with a name sign, at a fare fixed when you book.
- Driver tracks your flight
- Fare fixed when you book
- ✍ Name sign in arrivals
Pre-book your pickup
From
Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ)
Where are you going?
Prices are shown when you choose your car and time.
Photo: Julia Volk on Pexels.
Cusco Airport (CUZ / Alejandro Velasco Astete) is 6 km southeast of central Cusco Plaza de Armas — closest international airport to a UNESCO plaza in Latin America. But the "6 km" hides the real Cusco arrival challenge: altitude. CUZ sits at 3,400m (11,150 ft) — 1,100m higher than La Paz Airport in Bolivia — and altitude sickness (soroche) affects 20-30% of first-time visitors arriving from sea level. Pre-booked transfers with an altitude-experienced driver + hotel oxygen coordination are a specifically Peruvian value. Pre-booked transfer: to Plaza de Armas / San Blas / Sacsayhuamán (~10-15 min), to Sacred Valley (Pisac / Ollantaytambo / Yucay 1-1.5 hours), to Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu train station via Ollantaytambo. Multi-day driver + car packages are common for the full Cusco → Sacred Valley → Machu Picchu → return loop.
- Airport
- Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ)
- Country
- 🇵🇪 Peru
- Distance
- 6 km / 10-15 min from Plaza de Armas
Photo: Atlantic Ambience on Pexels.
Where can your driver take you from CUZ?
Transfers you can pre-book from Cusco airport. Tap one to see cars and prices.
Airport to the city centre
BookAirport to Aguas Calientes
BookAirport to Machu Picchu
BookAirport to Ollantaytambo
BookAirport to Urubamba
BookAirport to Poroy Train Station
BookAirport taxi
BookCusco airport transfer options compared
Journey times from the table below; traffic and time of day change them.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Pickups (pre-booked) | Fixed fare when you book | 10–15 min | Meet-and-greet, English driver, altitude-experienced, hotel coordination. |
| Kiwitaxi (pre-booked) | Fixed fare when you book | 10–15 min | Marketplace — instant quote. |
| InDrive / Cabify | S/25–50 | 10–15 min | App-based, cheaper. Data required. |
| Uber (limited in Cusco) | S/35–70 | 10–15 min | Smaller supply than InDrive. |
| Airport taxi (yellow) | S/50–80 flat | 10–15 min | Official rank, safe. |
| Public bus + walk | S/1 + 15 min walk | 30-45 min | Very cheap. Not practical with luggage at altitude. |
Skip the taxi queue in Cusco
Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in Cusco.
Top destinations from CUZ
Plaza de Armas (Cusco Old Town)
Central plaza + main hotels, 10-15 min.
San Blas artisan quarter
Bohemian hillside district, 10-15 min.
Sacsayhuamán / Cristo Blanco
Inca fortress ruins, 20-30 min up the mountain.
Pisac (Sacred Valley)
1 hour east. Sunday market + Inca ruins.
Ollantaytambo
1.5 hours west. Machu Picchu train station.
Yucay / Urubamba (Sacred Valley)
Sacred Valley luxury lodge area, 1.5 hours.
From landing to the door
How your Cusco pickup works
1
2
3Ride straight there
No taxi queue and no haggling: the fare was fixed when you booked.
Photo: Artem Yellow on Pexels.
One driver, door to door
From CUZ your driver takes you straight to Cusco's centre, the station or out to resorts and towns in the region, with no changes on the way.
- Your driver tracks your flight and waits if you land late
- Fare fixed when you book
- Met in arrivals with a name sign
Sketch, not to scale.
Booking tips for Cusco
- → Altitude first day: rest + coca tea + move slowly. Skip immediate Cusco tourism if you feel headachey
- → Hotel oxygen: many Cusco hotels have oxygen concentrators. Ask about availability at booking
- → Multi-day driver package: Cusco → Sacred Valley → Machu Picchu train + return costs S/1,500-2,500 for 3-4 days — dramatically better value than separate transfers
- → Sunday market Pisac + Sunday market Chinchero: combine into a Sacred Valley day trip with pre-arranged driver
Complete your trip
Photo: Engin Akyurt on Pexels.
Photo: Gustavo Fring on Pexels.
Data when you land
An eSIM gets you online to message your driver without roaming charges.
Airalo eSIMsCusco airport transfer FAQ
CUZ arrival — should I go straight to Sacred Valley instead?+
Yes, if altitude sickness worries you. Sacred Valley (Pisac / Ollantaytambo / Urubamba) is 500-800m lower than Cusco (2,600-2,900m vs 3,400m) + is often recommended as a first-night arrival stop specifically to acclimate more gently. Pre-book combined CUZ → Sacred Valley transfer for a 1.5 hour direct arrival, spend 2 nights at Sacred Valley altitude, then move up to Cusco once acclimated. Machu Picchu train also leaves from Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley), making this a common efficient routing.
How much altitude sickness should I expect at CUZ?+
20-30% of first-time visitors from sea level experience some altitude sickness (headache, nausea, insomnia) on days 1-2. Most cases are mild + resolve with rest + hydration + coca tea. Serious cases (severe headache, vomiting, breathing difficulty) require immediate descent. Precautions: no alcohol day 1, minimal exertion, sorojchi pills or Diamox if prescribed, oxygen if available at hotel. Sacred Valley acclimatization (2 nights at 2,900m before Cusco 3,400m) helps significantly.
Multi-day driver package Cusco/Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu?+
Common + excellent value. S/1,500-2,500 for 3-4 days with driver + car: CUZ pickup → Sacred Valley overnight → Ollantaytambo Machu Picchu train drop → Aguas Calientes → return train to Ollantaytambo → back to Cusco. Include the driver during Sacred Valley day trips (Pisac Sunday market, Salinas de Maras salt pans, Moray terraces). Pre-book with a Cusco tour operator or Welcome Pickups equivalent.
Late-night CUZ arrival + altitude — safe?+
CUZ closes at 22:00 (fog + mountain approach requires daytime visual approach). All flights land during daylight. Peak flight arrival window is 14:00-19:00. For arrivals in this window, standard pre-booked transfer service is fine. Prioritize hotel-first-night rest + hydration; skip immediate sightseeing.
Ready for Cusco?
Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in Cusco.
Airport transfers in other cities: