Puno Tourism

Following the suspension of services to Are­quipa, Puno’s train station (36 9179, 35 1041; www.perurail.com; Av La Torre 224; 7am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, 7-11am Sat & Sun) only has trains to Cuzco via Juliaca.
Fares to Cuzco have skyrocketed in recent years – they are now US$119 for first-class ‘Andean Explorer’ tickets, which include a glass-walled observation car and complimentary lunch, or US$17 for non-reservable seats in the more basic ‘Backpacker’ carriage where drinks and snacks are sold.
The train is scheduled to leave at 8am daily, supposedly arriving at 5:30pm in Cuzco, though it’s often hours late. Departures are also subject to whether there are enough passengers, so the line suffers routine cancellations. Extra trains occasionally run for group bookings made by travel agents. It is therefore essential to check schedules in person at the station.
The journey to Cuzco has great views along the shores of Lake Titicaca and of the Andes, but note that even in the best class, seats are not very comfortable and the ride is known for being a bit of a bone-shaker. Most travelers now take the faster (and almost as scenic) bus services to Cuzco.

Boats from the Puno dock leave for various islands on the lake. Tickets bought directly from the boats at the dock are invariably cheaper than those bought from agencies in town.
There are no passenger ferries across the lake from Puno to Bolivia, but tour-bus services connect with expensive hydrofoil and catamaran services on the Bolivian side of the border. Transturin (35 2771; www.transturin.com; Ayacucho 148) offers catamaran trips to Bolivia (US$120 to US$180). Groups leave Puno by bus between 6am and 6:30am and go to Copacabana, Bolivia, from where a catamaran sails to the Isla del Sol for a quick but interesting visit before continuing to the Bolivian port of Chua and on to La Paz by bus, arriving around 5:30pm. This service includes hotel transfers, lunch and a guide. Transturin also offers longer trips including an overnight stay and buffet breakfast on board a catamaran with comfortable private cabins (US$185 to US$235). Last-minute discount tickets may be available (US$70/90 for day/overnight tours). These trips can also be done in reverse from La Paz, where there’s another Transturin office (591-2-242 2222; info@transturin.com; Alfredo Ascarrunz 2518, Sopocachi).

The nearest airport is in Juliaca, about 45km away. Several travel agents in Puno will sell tickets and provide a shuttle service direct to the airport for about US$3 per person, though these services can be painfully slow. LAN (36 7227; Tacna 299) is currently the only airline with an office in Puno.