Re: Perurail and Macchu Picchu Train?

Yes, MPT is an open-access operator, owned by investors in England, Peru and the U.S. (Iowa Pacific is an owner). PeruRail has exercised every monopolist trick in the book (and probably wrote a few new ones) to prevent or delay open access. But, assuming the car passes all the tests, it will operate between Urubamba, Ollyantamba and Aguasalientes begining sometime early next year.

The main force behind MPT is Nick Asheshov and his wife Maria del Carmen Leiva, who owned a hotel in Urubamba and pioneered the idea of providing direct motorcoach transportation from Cuzco to Urubamba, then by train, which cuts 2.5 hours off the all-rail trip.

About 1 million people per year visit Machu Picchu, and you pretty much have to get there by train. There have been many complaints about PeruRail. MPT is being welcomed by the hotels and travel industry in Peru.