Buses are the most efficient and practical way of getting around Cuba. The state-run Víazul network offers a regular daily schedule to most places of interest to overseas visitors.
The train service is extensive, but is often slow, unreliable and generally lacking in comfort. Modern train carriages are being introduced on the most popular routes.
Taxis are freely available in cities and towns, and are also an option over longer distances if you are traveling in a small group. Rates are approximately CUC$0.55 per kilometre.
Bicycle hire is also gaining a foothold in Cuba, with numerous operators offering a variety of bikes for hire in Havana.
Rental cars are expensive and driving can be a challenge for a number of reasons, not least being the lack of signposts. However, if you prefer the individual freedom that a hire car brings, hiring a car with driver may be the better option. Overall, the cost is roughly similar.
Air: Cubana de Aviación (www.cubana.cu) is the principal air carrier in Cuba. The state-owned company operates domestic flights between Havana and regional airports in Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, Nueva Gerona, Cayo Largo del sur, Guantánamo, Cienfuegos and Nueva Gerona.
Sea: A ferry operates daily between Surgidero de Batabanó (south of Havana) and Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud. There's also a ferry service that operates several times daily across Havana Harbour connecting Havana to Regla and Casablanca.
Land: Cuba is fairly easy to get around by car, but the lack of basic signage, road markings, poor lighting and the many unrepairable and deteriorating road surfaces make driving in Cuba a real challenge.
In the countryside, you'll share the road with horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, pedestrians, livestock and various types of farm equipment – all good fun so long as you exercise caution when driving.
Cuba has several multi-lane motorways, known as autopistas. The most important being the Autopista Nacional (A1, also known as Ocho Vías or Eight Lanes), which connects Havana to Santa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Taguasco in the east – a distance of around 354km (220mi) – with additional sections from Palma Soriano to Santiago de Cuba, and from La Maya to Guantánamo.
The Autopista Este-Oeste (A4, but considered part of the Autopista Nacional) runs from Havana to Pinar del Río in the west – a distance of 156km (97mi).
The Carretera Central (N1) connects almost all provincial capitals along its 1,435km (892mi) length. The single-carriage, west-east highway spans the length of the island from the municipality of Sandino, in Pinar del Río Province, to Baracoa, in Guantánamo Province.
There is a lack of road signage in Cuba, which can make navigating from place to place a challenge. Major junctions and turn-offs to resorts or cities are often not indicated. One-way streets are not clearly indicated and speed limits not highlighted, which may lead to problems with the police.
While many primary roads and the main sections of the Autopista Nacional and Carretera Central are generally in good condition, road surfaces often suddenly deteriorate into a smorgasbord of potholes and loose asphalt.
Traffic lights are often broken or hard to pick out and right-of-way rules are generally ignored. Level crossings are often unmarked and almost always lack safety gates.
Driving at night is not recommended due to un-signposted roads, drunk drivers, livestock and poor lighting.
Speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on autopistas and 50kph (31mph) in urban areas. Motorcycle traffic police and stationary check points are common, and the police are usually very strict.
If pulled over by the police, you're expected to get out of the car and walk over to them with your paperwork. An oncoming car flashing its lights means a hazard up ahead (and usually a police presence).
Car hire: All car hire companies in Cuba are state owned, including Rex, Havanautos, Via and Cubacar, so the pricing and cars available are generally the same whatever company you choose. Prices only vary with car size, the season and length of rental.
To hire a car in Cuba, you must be more than 21 years of age and appear on the rental contract. You'll need your passport, driver's licence and a refundable deposit of between CUC$150 and CUC$250 (cash or credit card).
Seat belts are required. Motorcycle riders and their passengers must wear helmets. Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road.
While you can book and pay for a car at any individual car-hire office, it's easier and often less-expensive to book a car online or through a specialist tour operator in your own country. Note: There are very few rental cars with automatic transmission.
Expect to pay an average of CUC$70 per day for a medium-sized car. It's actually cheaper to hire a taxi for distances of under 150km (at the time of writing, taxis are charging CUC$0.55 per kilometre for intercity routes).
Petty theft of mirrors and antennas is common. If you lose your rental contract or car keys you'll have to pay a CUC$50 penalty. Drivers under 25 years pay a CUC$5 fee, while additional drivers on the same contract pay a CUC$3 per day surcharge.
You also pay for mandatory car insurance and a full tank of gas in cash at the car rental office. Hire-car insurance ranges from CUC$15 to CUC$30 per day, which covers everything but theft of the radio (store in the trunk at night) and tires.
When picking up a hire car, be sure to check that there is a spare tyre, jack and wrench in the boot. Also check that the seatbelts and car doors lock properly. Consider taking a photo of any pre-existing damage to the car to avoid a potential dispute when it comes time to return the car.
One-way rentals are possible. There is usually no additional cost if the company has an office at your drop-off point. Rental cars have distinct red licence plates.
If you do have an accident, you must get a copy of the denuncia (police report) to be eligible for the insurance coverage, a process which may take all day.
In Cuba, you pay for the first tank of gas when you rent the car and return it empty. You will not be refunded for any gas left in the tank.
Reservations for online bookings are only accepted 15 days in advance and are still not guaranteed. While agents are usually accommodating, you might end up paying more than you planned or have to wait for hours until someone returns a car.
GPS units not available in Cuba. Buying a road map as a backup is essential – Maps.me has a free app for offline navigation, however, internet coverage is limited to non-existent in most of Cuba.
To avoid hassles, it may be a better idea to hire a car with a driver. Several companies, including Car Rental Cuba (www.carrental-cuba.com), offer this option.
Car Rental Cuba offers a countrywide service with modern cars and drivers who are knowledgeable, bilingual and friendly. The cost is only marginally higher than hiring a car once you've included the costs of petrol and insurance; and the car and driver is still at your disposal 24/7. Costs range from CUC$75 to CUC$210 depending of type of car and service.
Taxi: There are several types of taxi available in Cuba including both private and shared taxis. Taxis are easy to find and each town has a main taxi rank.
Colectivos, also known as almendrones, are shared taxis that operate along a fixed route. You'll find these mainly in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. They are usually colourful, old cars from the 1950s with a taxi sign visible on windscreen.
Colectivos can be flagged down on the street. The standard cost is CUP$10, unless you choose to flag one down while standing in front of a prominent hotel or tourist hotspot. If you look like a tourist the driver may ask you to pay a higher price. Confirm the price before getting in.
Drivers will only stop if they have space in their car. People hop in and out as needed along the route, so you may have to let several colectivos pass by before one stops.
If you ask the driver to drop you off at a hotel, they'll charge you normal taxi prices and treat you like a tourist.
Private taxis, such as Coco Taxi, are reasonably priced: yellow taxis are for tourists (with payment in CUC), while black and yellow are for locals (payment in pesos, CUP). You can negotiate the price before setting off. Expect to pay the equivalent of CUC$5 for most trips within the city.
Cuba Taxis are state-run taxis. You can ask them to use the meter, but if you negotiate the price ahead of time, it may be cheaper than the metered price.
Grancar Taxis are old Chevy's that have been painted yellow. They are the most expensive taxis. A trip in a Grancar will cost CUC$30-50 per hour.
Bus: Both intercity and local buses are a great way of getting around Cuba, as well as meeting the locals.
The main intercity buses are operated by two companies: Viazul and Astro. Locals tend to take intercity buses run by Astro, as they're cheaper than Viazul buses. However, it's often hard to find a seat on Astro; the buses aren't air-conditioned, break down often and can be unreliable.
Viazul (www.viazul.com) is the most popular for overseas visitors as they offer a safe, reliable and inexpensive (for overseas visitors) service with a fleet of air-conditioned buses.
Viazul operates buses to most towns of interest to visitors across Cuba, including Havana, Camagüey, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero and Viñales. A route from Trinidad goes daily to Santa Clara, Remedios, Caibarien and Cayo Santa Maria.
Other buses provide travel over shorter distances within each province. However, these buses are more geared towards local Cuban nationals and sell tickets in moneda nacional. These buses are a lot less comfortable and reliable than Víazul. Schedules and prices are usually chalked up on a board inside the bus terminal. Typically, seat preference is given to locals rather than visitors.
Route schedules and online booking is available at Viazul's website. It's best to book your ticket well in advance and then print your confirmed reservation ahead of time and bring it with you to collect your ticket.
Note: You should print any confirmation bookings before you leave your country of origin as internet access in Cuba is limited.
Towns and cities in Cuba typically have more than one bus station: you'll want the Viazul or Interprovincial bus station. The others are for regional or local buses.
Ideally, arrive at the bus station one hour before departure as you will still need to queue to get your ticket using the confirmation email.
To avoid missing your bus, ask around first to make sure you are in the right bus station, and standing in the correct queue!
Buses schedule regular stops for lunch and/or dinner and always carry two drivers. Bring a sweater: buses are usually pretty chilly from the air conditioning.
Conectando, run by tour agency, Cubanacán (www.viajescubanacan.cu), also offers a service that runs between city centre hotels. Seats can be booked head of time at Infotur and Cubanacán offices. Schedules aren't as reliable or extensive as Víazul.
Note: Transgaviota buses are affiliated with the Cuban military and US citizens are not allowed to spend money at businesses affiliated with the military.
Intracity metro buses, known locally as gua guas (pronounced 'wawa'), provide inexpensive and frequent service within most Cuban towns and cities.
In Havana, there are 17 main routes that operate within Old and Centro Habana, Vedado and Miramar. The buses run every 10 minutes in peak hours and are easily recognisable by the letter P preceding a number from 1 to 16. They cost 1CUP (about US$0.05), but are very crowded, lack air conditioning and pickpockets are common.
Hop-on-hop-off buses link many of the tourists sights and charge CUC$5 for an all-day ticket. Services are run by the government transport agency Transtur. Havana and Varadero both have open-topped double-decker buses. Smaller minibuses are used in Viñales, Trinidad, Cayo Coco, Guardalavaca, Cayo Santa María and Baracoa (seasonal).
Note: During high season, demand often outstrips availability. If you can't get a seat on the bus you want, look for other stranded travelers to join for a shared taxi to your destination.
Train: Ferrocarriles de Cuba, often shortened to Ferrocuba, is the national rail company and offers a rail service to all the provincial capitals. Generally, you can expect a scenic and relaxing journey, if somewhat slow – punctuality does not seem to be a priority for Ferrocuba.
Rail stock is being improved as visitor numbers to Cuba increase and some trains (but not all) now have new, air-conditioned carriages, plus meal and drink service. Tip: Bring your own toilet paper.
The principal rail route is from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, with branches to Holguin, Bayamo, Guantanamo. Other routes are from Havana to Cienfuegos and Pinar del Rio. There are also smaller trains linking Las Tunas and Holguín, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara and Nuevitas, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus, and Santa Clara and Caibarién.
Trains are either especial (air-conditioned, faster trains with fewer departures), regular (slowish trains with daily departures) or lecheros (milk trains that stop at every town on the line). On major routes such as Havana–Santiago de Cuba you can expect either especial or regular trains.
Especial trains cost around CUC$5.50 per 100km while regular trains cost under CUC$3 per 100km. The Hershey Train, between Havana and Matanzas, is priced like regular trains.
Cuban train stations are often dingy, chaotic places. Be prepared to show your passport when purchasing tickets. It's always wise to check beforehand at the station for current departures because schedules often change.
Departure times are displayed on black chalkboards or handwritten notices. Tickets are sold at the ticket window. There's a separate waiting room and ticket window for passengers paying in convertibles at La Coubre train station in Havana.
The electric-powered Hershey Railway – built by the Hershey Chocolate Company in the early 20th century – is a fun and scenic trip between Havana and Matanzas. The train runs three times a day from Casablanca station, located across the harbour from Havana.
Note: Ferrocarriles de Cuba does not have an official website, but a good source of information on train schedules and services is available from website, The Man in Seat Sixty-One (www.seat61.com/Cuba.htm).
Bicycle: The lack of traffic makes Cuba a popular choice for cycle tours, with bike lanes and drivers accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists. There are many popular cycling routes in Havana, including through Old Havana, the modern area of Vedado and along the Malecón promenade.
There's a choice of mountain, racing, urban and electric bikes on offer, with prices ranging from CUC$12 to CUC$25 per day as well as hourly rates. Some companies also offer cycle tours.
Reputable companies in Havana, include Vélo Cuba (veloencuba.com/), Profil Cuba Reisen (www.profil-cuba-reisen.de/en/bike-rental-in-cuba) and CicloCuba (www.ciclocuba.com).
For a good comparison of bike-hire companies in Havana, check out the website: Why Not Cuba (whynotcuba.com/top-bike-rental-and-cycling-tours-companies-in-havana).
Parqueos are bicycle parking lots located in districts such as markets, bus terminals and downtown; they cost one peso. Note: Bike theft is rampant in Cuba, so a lock is imperative.
A 1m-wide strip of road on the extreme right is reserved for bicycles, even on highways. Be aware that it's illegal to ride on sidewalks and against traffic on one-way streets – you'll be fined if caught.
Trains with coches de equipaje or bagones (baggage carriages) will take bikes for around CUC$10 per trip. Víazul buses also take bikes.
Latest update: Getting around Cuba: 7 May, 2022
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