Your first ruin outside Cusco will ask for a ticket you can’t buy online. That ticket is the Boleto Turístico del Cusco, known in English as the Cusco Tourist Ticket. It opens the door to 16 places, from Saqsayhuaman to Pisac. But it comes in four versions, and each one lasts a different number of days. This guide explains them in plain words, using the official pages of COSITUC, the body that runs the ticket.
Want someone to plan the whole trip for you? See these Cusco and Machu Picchu tour packages or this 8-day Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu trip.
What the Cusco Tourist Ticket is
COSITUC says the ticket is the entry fee to the sites it covers. It gives you temporary entry to each place on the list. But that’s all it does.
Here is what it does not include:
- No guide and no transport. So you arrange those yourself.
- No Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is not on the list, so you need a separate ticket for it.
- No sharing. The ticket carries your name, so you can’t give it away or sell it. Also, you must show your ID with it.
The four versions of the Cusco Tourist Ticket
There is one full ticket and three partial tickets. Each partial ticket covers one circuit, while the full ticket covers all three. This table uses the official COSITUC rate sheet:
| Ticket | What it covers | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Full ticket (Integral) | All 16 sites in the three circuits | 10 days |
| Partial, Circuit I | Saqsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay | 1 day |
| Partial, Circuit II | City museums, Tipon and Pikillaqta | 2 days |
| Partial, Circuit III | Ollantaytambo, Pisaq, Chinchero and Moray | 2 days |
Circuit II is the “City and South Valley” circuit. It includes the Qorikancha Site Museum and the Regional History Museum. It also has the Contemporary Art Museum, the Popular Art Museum and the Pachacuteq Monument. Finally, it covers the Qosqo Native Art Center, plus the Tipon and Pikillaqta archaeological parks.
Which ticket should you buy?
It depends on your days and your plans. First, keep in mind that COSITUC says you need at least three days to see all 16 places.
- You have three or more days around Cusco: the full ticket makes sense. It lasts 10 days and covers all three circuits.
- You only want the four ruins of Circuit I: the Circuit I ticket is enough. But it lasts only one day.
- You plan a Sacred Valley day: Circuit III covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray. It lasts two days.
- You want the city museums and the south valley: Circuit II covers them over two days.
Also, you can’t pay for just one site. Instead, you buy the partial ticket for that site’s circuit. COSITUC lists two exceptions to this rule: the Qosqo Native Art Center and the Pachacuteq Monument.
Where and when to buy it
You can’t buy the ticket online. COSITUC says you buy it in person. These are the places it lists:
- The main counter, at Av. El Sol 103 (Galerías Turísticas). It opens Monday to Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- At the sites themselves, with four exceptions. You can’t buy it at the Regional History Museum, the Qosqo Native Art Center, the Popular Art Museum or the Contemporary Art Museum.
Don’t buy it too early. Instead, COSITUC says it’s best to buy it on the day you start your visits. That’s because the validity starts on the day you buy it.
Children, students and residents
COSITUC sets clear rules for who gets a lower rate:
| Who | What COSITUC says |
|---|---|
| Children up to 9 | They don’t pay |
| Ages 10 to 17 | Student ticket, with an ID such as a passport |
| Ages 18 to 25 | Student ticket, with a valid student card or ISIC card |
| Foreign residents in Peru | Promotional ticket, with a valid foreigner’s card or permanent residence |
There is one more detail. At the Qosqo Native Art Center, however, children pay from age 6, because they use a seat.
But some cards don’t help. For example, COSITUC gives no discount for teacher cards (ITIC) or youth cards (IYTC). It also gives no group discount and no special rate for Andean Community visitors.
Tips for using your ticket
- Carry your passport. You must show your ID when you use the ticket.
- Plan the Sacred Valley sites together. Circuit III lasts only two days, so group Pisac, Chinchero, Moray and Ollantaytambo.
- Check opening hours. They differ by site. For example, Cultura Cusco lists these hours: Pisac, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Chinchero, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; so check each site.
- Mind the altitude. Many sites are high up, so read our guide to altitude sickness in Peru before you go.
Still not sure where to sleep? Our guide to Cusco vs the Sacred Valley can help you choose a base.
Final word
The Cusco Tourist Ticket is simple once you know the four versions. Buy the full ticket if you have three or more days. Buy a partial ticket if you only want one circuit. And buy it in person, on the day you start.
Rules and rates can change, so check the official COSITUC site before you travel. This is an independent travel blog. We don’t sell the ticket and we are not the official site.
