A tragic head-on collision between two tourist trains near Peru’s world-famous Machu Picchu on 30 December 2025 resulted in the death of a train driver and left at least 40 others injured.
The accident occurred during the busy lunch hour on a single-track line connecting the town of Ollantaytambo with the ancient Inca citadel.
Operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail, the locomotives collided near the archaeological site of Qoriwayrachina, leading to an immediate suspension of rail services.
Emergency responders, including approximately 20 ambulances, were deployed to the remote Andean location to transport the wounded, including several foreign tourists, to hospitals in Cusco.
Challenging Terrain
The rail route to Machu Picchu is notorious for its difficult geography, often hemmed in between dense forests and massive rock faces with no direct road access. This isolation complicated rescue efforts, as medical teams had to reach the site through the same limited rail corridor used by the two colliding trains.
This incident adds to a series of challenges for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which sees nearly 1.5 million visitors annually.
In recent months, the region has faced various disruptions, including protests over site management and occasional blockades of the railroad, though authorities have not yet linked these past events to the current investigation into the crash’s cause.
Peru Train Collision
According to the Cusco prosecutor’s office, the deceased was the conductor of one of the locomotives. Jhonathan Castillo Gonzalez, a captain with the Cuzco police department, confirmed the fatality and the subsequent halt of all rail transport to the site.
Cusco police chief General Julio Cesar Becerra stated that at least 20 of those injured are in relatively serious condition, with the US Embassy in Peru confirming that American citizens are among the victims.
Local rail agency Ferrocarril Transandino has launched an inquiry to determine how two trains were permitted onto the same section of the single-track line simultaneously.
Passengers reported scenes of chaos, with videos showing shattered glass and dented carriages as tourists were treated on the tracks by emergency personnel.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This heart-wrenching accident at one of the world’s most revered heritage sites underscores the critical need for advanced safety protocols and robust infrastructure in high-traffic tourist zones.
While tourism is the backbone of the local economy, the safety of workers and travellers must never be compromised for the sake of volume or profit.
We extend our deepest empathy to the family of the driver who lost his life and wish a swift recovery to those injured. This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for transport authorities to invest in better signalling and communication systems, especially on single-track routes in remote regions.
