AliceL

I just heard from the hotel that I booked in the Sacred Valley that I am only allowed to take 5 kg of luggage on the train to M.P. I was told I can take an extra 10 kg but it will travel on a different train. I am not staying in Ollantaytambo so I can't leave my luggage in a hotel there and I will need my luggage with me because I will be staying two nights in Aguas Calientes. and will be heading to Cusco after I return from M.P. and not going back to the town where I stayed the night before the train ride to M.P. Do they really enforce this luggage rule? We carry only large backpacks. The backpacks will probably weigh about 18 kg but we could hold them (uncomfortably) on our laps if we had to. The bags can fit in an airline overhead luggage bin. I don't like the idea of them going on a separate train because we plan to leave for Cusco right away when we return to Ollantaytambo. How long would we have to wait for the luggage train to arrive? I never read anything about this rule on the Perurail website. It only says that luggage space is limited.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Alice

ahc

I saw plenty of backpackers w/ backpacks on the Backpacker train, from what I've heard it's not possible to do this on the Vistadome train.

AliceL

We are taking the backpacker train there but we have to take the Vistadome back because the backpacker train was full. Has anybody experienced having to put their luggage on a separate train? We are wondering how long we will have to wait in Ollanta to get our luggage.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

The Peru Rail website talks about limits of 5 kg (11 lb.) but also maximum dimensions of 62 inches (height, width and length combined). That's the size of a suitcase, which is going to weigh more than 11 pounds. There's a luggage rack in the center of each Vistadome car and the luggage attendant for each car piles everything in. I've always seen people bringing regular-size suitcases on board and the luggage seems to go with them. Unless your hotel has new information, this is what I've seen on many trips to and from MP.

takingthekids

Hi Alice,

In early June we took the Vistadome from Ollanta to MP. I packed one large suitcase with all of our stuff for the 4 of us thinking I was so efficient. (our driver in Sacred Valley was able to hold most of my luggage for me as he was also picking us up in Ollanta on our way back from MP)

They wanted me to put the one large bag on the next train because they said it was too big to fit on the train we were scheduled to take. I was travelling with my children who are 8 and 10 so I played the mommy card and with a panicked look and tone begged that I needed my stuff with me cuz of the kids, blah blah blah. Well they let me but I had to pay a small fee. However, in hindsight, it would have been fine if each of us had a small carry on size bag instead of the one big one.

They told me that it wouldnt be a problem on the way back from MP because we were on the backpacker train which has loads of overhead space and room in between seats - and that was true, there was a lot more room on that train.

So yes it is true that they enforce the luggage rule, but in my experience it was only on the Vistadome. A funny thing that I noticed about my train from Ollanta to MP is that is was only one car long. While I was on the track waiting, there was another train boarding right before mine and it was several cars long, so that may have also been the main factor in why they said it wouldnt fit because they knew the train I was scheduled to take was only one car long. In any event, because you will be in MP two nights (we were only there for one) and since the trains run to MP like every 1/2 hour in the morning, if you do have to put some of your luggage on the next train you should be able to get it pretty quickly. Plus the train doesnt go anywhere else except Aguas Calientes....it just turns around and goes back, so hopefully your luggage wont get too far away from you. Just make sure it is properly labeled with your hotel name etc.

Good Luck!

AliceL

Thanks for all the advice. It sounds like we will eventually get our luggage. It is too bad that we are taking the Backpacker train there and the Vistadome back because we will have to wait in Ollanta if they won't let us take it. I am sure it will all work out in the end.

Alice