People evacuate a train carriage after two trains collided head-on on the railway leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, in the Cusco Department, Peru.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
A train driver was killed and 40 more people were injured on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) after two trains collided head-on on the railway leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the Andean nation’s top tourist site that draws well over 1 million visitors each year.
Police are investigating the collision between trains operated by Inca Rail S.A. and PeruRail S.A., which mainly transport tourists to the iconic site. A health official said about 20 people were in relatively serious condition.
A police officer added that foreign tourists were among the injured.
Images posted on social media shortly after the crash showed the badly damaged locomotives facing each other on the track, broken glass strewn around and injured people being treated on the sides of the tracks.
Machu Picchu gets around 1.5 million visitors per year, mostly arriving by train to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes. Known for its perfectly fitting stone bricks, the site was built in the 15th century by the Incas and served as a sanctuary for the nation’s emperors.
The number of people visiting Machu Pichu has increased by about 25% over the past decade, but tourism in the area has also been affected by political turmoil and disputes over how the site is managed, with protesters sometimes blocking the railroad that leads to the ancient site.
Machu Picchu can also be reached on foot, with visitors trekking from the small town of Ollantaytambo. The trek takes about four days.
Published – December 31, 2025 05:35 am IST
