I labored over how much time to allow at MP and we finally booked our train reservations on Peru Rail - taking the 2nd Backpacker train around 6:35 am and leaving MP around 3:30 pm. Now I'm thinking we might want to stay a little later until after more tourists leave. Is it possible to take a later train, as long as you have a ticket. Or is it not flexible?

Thanks so much!

According to Peru Rail's website:

www.perurail.com

you have to reschedule at least 24 hours in advance and you pay a 10-percent penalty. It also says it has to be taken care of at the sales office in Cusco.

When you pick up your tickets in Cusco, ask about a later train. When my husband and I went to get our tickets, it seemed like there were many more times and seats available than advertised on the Peru Rail website! We were surprised because we thought we barely got a train at all...and yet the ticket agent offered us other choices. It never hurts to ask.
And, yes, the crowd definitely clears out after 4pm.

A few days before our trip to MP we went to the train station in Cusco and changed our online reservation to an earlier train back. . . without penalty. So it may be possilbe, esp if you're not going in high season.

ON the other hand - if you're not climbing Haynu Picchu etc. you may find that the time you've allowed is enough. . .

Not sure what month you are going, but we were at MP on a Sunday in April. What crowds there were pretty much gone by 1 pm.