(Reuters) – The train route to Machu Picchu in Peru has been reopened by the Peruvian authorities, according to the country’s railway operator on Wednesday. This comes after an agreement was reached to resolve the protests that had blocked access to the famous Incan site and left tourists stranded. PeruRail announced in a statement that a partial service had resumed on Wednesday and a regular service would resume on Thursday from Cusco to Aguas Calientes near the archaeological site.
The protests began last week due to a new centralized ticketing system, which led to hundreds of tourists being unable to reach the ancient ruins located high up in the Andes. Protesters were concerned that the new electronic ticket sales platform would negatively impact local businesses as it would shift the administration of ticket sales to a single private company authorized by the Ministry of Culture.
On Wednesday, both parties signed an agreement that will establish a transition period to the new platform. Leslie Urteaga, Peru’s Minister of Culture, emphasized the need to move forward to reactivate the country’s economy during an interview with a local radio station.
Agencies responsible for preserving the UNESCO World Heritage site have expressed concerns about overcrowding and oversold tickets, prompting authorities to explore new methods to manage visitor numbers as travel resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Reporting by Lucinda Elliott, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
