A partial train service has resumed to rescue stranded tourists from Machu Picchu amid anti-government protests in Peru.
The mayor of Cusco told the AFP news agency over the weekend that about 5,000 tourists were left in the city after the airport closed when protesters tried to storm the terminal.
The city is the gateway to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people a year.
About 800 tourists were stuck in the small town at the foot of the mountain where the citadel stands because the railway line which serves it had been suspended due to protests.
However, the latest in a series of Foreign Office alerts on Sunday reported that Cusco airport and part of the 70-mile rail link had reopened.
“A service from Machu Picchu has begun to resume a partial service, with travel possible some of the way before the service connects with vehicles for onward travel to Cusco,” the travel advice said.
Operator PeruRail said in a statement on Saturday that trains were resuming operations to and from Machu Picchu on an emergency basis.
“With this objective, we are co-ordinating with the Municipality of Machu Picchu to ensure the proper boarding of people on these trains, prioritising the care of the elderly, people with health conditions and families with children,” the statement reported by CNN said.
PeruRail said that it regrets the interruption of its services that were “caused by a situation beyond the control of our company.”
PeruRail also said evacuees would be taken by bus from the community of Piscacucho to the city of Cusco, where the Alejandro Velasco Astete international airport is located.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) had previously suggested on Saturday there would be evacuation flights for vulnerable tourists on Machu Picchu but no further details materialised.
However, the FCDO said: “Lima airport is restricting entry to passengers only with valid flight tickets. Travellers should recheck with their airline and tour operator and revisit travel plans ahead of any travel.”
A 30-day nationwide state of emergency is in place in Peru together with a five-day curfew imposed on Friday for certain parts of the country following the ousting of former president Pedro Castillo on December 7.
Violent clashes and street protests are reported to have led to more than 20 deaths.