Useful country information

Travelling by train in Cuba

Cuba is a fantastic country. Cubans are very hospitable people and Havana has to be one of the most vibrant cities in the world.  It's a safe place to visit, too, unless of course you fall down one of the many potholes in the street...  Cuba's rail network runs the length of the island, linking the main cities and towns, and it's an interesting way to get around, especially if you want to travel with Cubans the way Cubans do, and not in a tourist bus.  Don't expect western standards on the trains, take your own toilet paper, and allow for the odd breakdown - think of it as all part of the Cuba experience!  In particular, the new 'Tren Francès' from Havana to Santiago is a safe, comfortable and (contrary to popular opinion) now reasonably reliable way to make the trip from one end of Cuba to the other, much better than taking a cramped long-distance Viazul bus or worse, a flight...

Train times, fares & tickets...

Train times for Cuba    Train fares    What are Cuban trains like?     How to buy train tickets

Havana's Estacion Central...		A train from Santiago, just arrived at Havana Estacion Central...

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Train times & fares

Here is the timetable for the main line linking Havana, Santa Clara, Camagüey & Santiago de Cuba, and the branch lines to Sancti Spiritus, Holguin, Cienfuegos, Moron, Bayamo & Guantanamo.  Information on Cuban train services is difficult to confirm, this information is cobbled together with help from a March 2013 Havana departure board, a March 2013 Camaguey departure poster plus previous known timetables.  So treat it as a guide and check exact times locally.  The shortage of fuel in Cuba can sometimes affect buses and local trains, but these mainline trains have priority.  Fares for foreigners are also shown below.

* = recommended train, see note A below.

? = Guesstimated time.  All trains, even overnight ones, only have seats.  There are no couchettes or sleeping-cars in Cuba.

Note A:  Tren Francés (the French Train).  Since 2009 it's been running every third day, but you'll have to check which days it runs locally, by asking at the information office or looking for posters at the station in Havana.  This is the recommended train to take, air-conditioned and contrary to what some guidebooks say, reasonably reliable.  It is a fast service using comfortable air-conditioned stainless steel coaches with reclining seats bought second-hand from France.  It offers two classes of seating, basic leatherette 'Primera' and quite luxurious (albeit grubby) 'Primera Especial'.  See the information & photos below.

Note B:  Runs every third day, on a day when the Tren Francés isn't running.  So together trains 1/2 & 3/4 provide a Havana-Santiago service on 2 out of every 3 days.  However, train 3 & 4 has much more basic passenger cars than the Tren Francés.  Primera class seats only.

Note C:  Runs every third day.  Primera class seats only.  Ask at the station to find which days it runs.

Note D:  Runs every second day.  Primera class seats only.  Ask at the station to find which days it runs.

Note E:  Not sure when this runs - probably every 2-3 days.  Primera class seats only.

For Moron, travel to Ciego de Avila and change for the branch line to Moron.  There are several daily trains Ciego to Moron & back.

Note G: Runs every second day, ask at station to find which days it runs.

Fares...

Foreigners pay higher fares than Cubans.  Foreigners used to have to pay in US dollars, but since November 2004 US dollars are no longer accepted in Cuba and foreigners pay train fares in 'convertible pesos'.  1 convertible peso = around US$1.20

Havana (Casablanca station) - Hershey - Matanzas (the famous Hershey Railway)

An electric railcar runs on a railway originally built by the Hershey Corporation (the chocolate company) from Havana (Casablanca station, across the harbour from Havana itself) to Hershey and Matanzas.  To reach Havana Casablanca station, take the ferry across the harbour from the foot of Santa Clara Street in Havana old town.  Once on the other side, Casablanca station is immediately west of the ferry dock,  looking more like a tram stop than a conventional station, so just follow the overhead electric wires along the street.  In Matanzas, the Hershey railway station is about 2km from Matanzas mainline station.  Foreigners pay in convertible pesos, Havana to Hershey is 1.40 pesos, Havana to Matanzas is 2.80 pesos (1 convertible peso = $1.20). Tickets go on sale 1 hour before departure. The timetable changes every so often, so always double-check train times locally, although these are the January 2013 times.  See the Hershey Railways photos below...

What are Cuban trains like?

The Tren Francés Havana-Santiago (trains 1 & 2)

Fast trains 1 & 2 between Havana and Santiago now use comfortable stainless-steel air-conditioned coaches bought second-hand from French Railways and now known as the 'Tren Francés'.  These coaches were originally used on the glamorous Trans-Europe Express (TEE) service between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam before being replaced with high-speed Thalys trains.  They were shipped to Cuba in 2001.

There are no sleeping-cars or couchettes, just seats in two classes - primera (first class) and primera especial (special first class).  Primera is the old European 2nd class, with vinyl padded seats 2-abreast on each side of the aisle.  Primera especial is the old European first class, with much more space and fabric seats arranged 2-abreast on one side of the aisle, one-abreast on the other side, as shown in the photo below.

The train is getting a little worn and grubby, but the seats are comfortable, there is powerful air-conditioning, a café, and even piped music.  A hostess looks after each coach.  Bring your own toilet paper!  This train is normally fairly reliable, with up to three locomotives hauling it - in fact, if the Tren Francés runs more than an hour late, Ferrocarriles de Cuba will refund your fare.

To quote one traveller, "The journey from Havana to Santa Clara was very comfortable and there were only 7 foreigners on a train full of friendly Cubans - a marked contrast to the rather grumpy 'tourist only' bus network."

The Tren Francés from Havana to Santiago.  These classy stainless-steel cars once ran between Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam!  Photo courtesy of Peter Jackson...		Above:  Primera especial on the French train Above right:  The hostess checks tickets, boarding the primera especial of the Tren Frances from Santiago to Havana.  Courtesy of Peter Jackson...

Air-conditioned railcars 

Some services (if, as & where shown in the timetable above) are provided by railcars, either ex-Spanish Railways or stainless steel Budd railcars bought second-hand from VIA Rail Canada (shown below).  The latter are comfortable, carpeted, air-conditioned single-coach railcars with reclining seats, hostess service and refreshments.

Other trains

Other trains, such as trains 3 & 4 between Havana and Santiago overnight, consist of older cars, in many cases bought second-hand from Germany, Mexico or Japan.  In spite of travelling overnight, there are no sleeping-cars or sleeping accommodation of any kind - the trains just have reclining leatherette seats.  These trains are an experience - don't expect them to be the cleanest or best maintained trains you will see!

The Hershey Railway: Havana - Hershey - Matanzas

Above:  Hershey electric train at Havana's Casablanca station.  Photo courtesy of Kees Lafeber		Above:  The Hershey train at Hershey station...  Photo courtesy of Kees Lafeber

Buying train tickets in Havana...

Foreign visitors cannot buy train tickets at the Estacion Central, but should walk on round the corner to the Le Coubre station on the Avenida del Peurto.  From the Estacion Central, continue down Egido Street along the Old Wall towards the harbour and then turn right, and it's about 100m away.

At other stations, you can book at the normal ticket office.  It's best to book a day or two in advance if you can.

Children aged 0 to 4 travel free, children aged 5 to 11 travel at half fare, children aged 12 and over pay full fare.

Traveller Murray reports from 2011:  "At Le Coubre station, The waiting room is open with 4 smaller rooms along the left hand wall.  A man seated at the desk just inside the door will ask you which train you would like to catch.  I was asked to go into the room at the end of the row in the far left hand corner.  The ticketing person asked for my passport and then I took a seat for about 5 mins before I was called back into the room to pay and retrieve my passport.  The ticket is a flimsy piece of paper so take care of it because this is what you hand over to the person at the window when you check in, the person at the gate entrance to the platform and to the staff member at the door of your carriage."

Traveller Emil reports:  "You cannot buy a ticket from the Estacion Central, you have to go to a building around the corner, closer to the port [The LADIS office].  There are seats and you have to wait to be called.  I think we were called quite quickly though, being foreigners.  There are undesirables at the station that will offer to help confused tourists, so don't believe everything you're told. Foreigners have to pay in convertible pesos, abbreviated CUC. The locals pay the same amount, but in national pesos so actually they pay a lot less. We did this the day before - I am not sure if you can do this on the same day as you travel.  When you go to the station to catch your train, you first need to go to a window in the middle of the station where you confirm your ticket. You need to hand them your tickets together with your passports and they will fill in some paperwork. You must do this before getting on the train!  There are no signs or anything saying that you have to do this."

Picture above right:  The driver of a Havana to Santiago train smoking a Havana cigar...

Pictured above far right:  The new passenger rail station at Santiago de Cuba.  The old one is now derelict.

Take a good guidebook to get the most from a trip to Cuba.  For independent travellers I'd recommend either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide, both guidebooks provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  Lonely Planet Cuba - Rough Guide to Cuba

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Find hotels in Cuba

Personal hotel recommendations in Havana...

There's no shortage of historic hotels in Havana, many with movie star or Hemingway connections.  The oldest hotel in Havana is the venerable Hotel Inglaterra, very central near the Capitolio and walking distance from Old Havana.  The most luxurious hotel, even today, is the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, once the haunt of Sinatra and Ava Gardner, although it's quite a hike from the Capitolio in central Havana, and further still from Old Havana. The Hotel Sevilla is also a good choice, not far from the Inglaterra and once Al Capone's favourite.  Finally, there's the comfortable Hotel Ambos Mundos, located right within Old Havana, where Hemingway's room can still be seen, complete with typewriter, an excellent choice.

The Inglaterra Hotel, Havana		Vintage Cuban car taken near the Havana seafront...

Flights

Overland travel by train & bus around Cuba is an essential part of the experience, so once there, don't cheat and fly, stay on the ground!  But a long-haul flight might be unavoidable to reach Cuba in the first place.  For flights to Havana, compare airlines at Skyscanner.com.

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.