 5,000 Daily Visitors to Machu Picchu Peru - Machu Picchu once hidden set of ruins visited mainly by archeologists and hardcore backpackers. In 1992, only 9,000 tourists visited the ruins all year. In 2002, the figure rose to 150,000. In 2005 there will probably be close to 400,000 visitors. Machu Picchu is the most visited site in South America. It reportedly generates $40 million each year for Peru’s economy. Because of the power of this one attraction, tourism is the second largest industry nationwide, after mining, and the largest industry overall in the Cusco region.
UNESCO continually threatens to put Machu Picchu on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites, a designation meant to encourage swift corrective action. For years there has also been plenty of hand-wringing among archeologists and preservationists. In 2000, the World Monuments Fund (WMF), a conservation group based in New York, added Machu Picchu to its watch list of the 100 most-endangered sites. The group later removed it after the Peruvian government scrapped plans to increase the number of visitors and implemented regulations for the Inca Trail.
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 Take the Train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
During the peak months of May to September all of the train tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you are on a tight schedule it is absolutely essential that you make you train reservations as far in advance as possible. Do not wait until you arrive in Cusco to buy your train tickets.
At the moment the only company operating trains to Machu Picchu is Peru Rail. Since there's no competition the prices are quite high but the service is generally good. Details of the train services, departure times and prices can be found on their website www.perurail.com. Peru Rail is part owned by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd so you actually get re-directed to their website. Orient Express is an international company who also run the 5 star Hotel Monasterio in Cusco and the US$795 a night Sanctuary Lodge in Machu Picchu.
As from the beginning of March 2008 Peru Rail have improved their online reservation system and it is now fairly easy to make a booking and pay online using a VISA card. Their website allows you to check availability and search for the cheapest service available.
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