Deadly Train Crash Disrupts Travel to Peru's Machu Picchu

A head-on collision between two trains on the primary railway to Peru's famed Machu Picchu has killed one person and injured dozens of passengers, causing a major disruption to tourism at the ancient site. The crash occurred on the single-track route that serves as the main access for visitors traveling to the remote UNESCO World Heritage site.

The accident resulted in the death of a train driver [37639][37788]. At least 40 people were injured, with emergency services transporting the wounded to local medical facilities [38158]. Photographs from the scene showed severely damaged locomotives facing each other on the tracks [37641].

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision [37639]. In the aftermath, rail service on the critical line has been suspended, stranding tourists and halting all train travel to the iconic Inca citadel [37647][37939]. One passenger described scenes of "chaos" following the impact, with shattered windows and injured people lying in the aisles [38513].

Machu Picchu itself remains open, accessible by alternative routes, but the incident has highlighted ongoing safety concerns about the vital tourism infrastructure in the region [37939][38031].