After the breakdown of the
Cuban railway system at the beginning of the 90Žies you can
see several improvements now. On the main routes there is a
regular scheduled traffic, much or less punctual. For tourists it is normally no problem to get a ticket with seat
reservation (of course billed in US-$, but still cheap).
Just step in to the ticket office together with your money
and passport - and ask. Normally you should be able to get a
ticket for the same day, but as I know Cuba every time I
needed a ticket I asked a few days in advance.
There are 3 main routes with daily traffic, the coaches are
not luxurious, but also not too worse. Remember to take a
jacket, because you can expect air-condition.
A diner is only available on the route Havana - Santiago de
Cuba (and back), but caution: often after one hour or so all
the meals are sold out. Also tourists pay the meals with Cuban
pesos (12 Cuban pesos, equal to 60 cent). You can also
get beer and other drinks (sold in US-$). It is important to
take your own spoon and fork and glasses.
At some stops en route Cubans come into the train selling
snacks and drinks as well.
Tickets you can get at the
station. Most travel guides say, tourist have to go to a
special place called "LADIS" (from larga distancia),
but I myself got the tickets all the time from the normal
ticket counter where also the Cubans got their tickets.
Smaller towns like Ciego de Avila (see picture above) don't have special counters for tourists.
The times and prices mentioned have been recorded in January
1998. Up to now nobody reported me about any changes, but I
do not guarantee anything.
Timetable:
1. Havana Central 18:05
- Santiago de Cuba 06:25 runs every other day
2. Santiago de Cuba 18:00 -
Havana Central 06:55 runs every other day
1 and 2 are new fast express
trains with limited stops at Santa Clara and Camaguey only.
The trains run with new Ex-French railways passenger cars
recently obtained by the Cuban railways, If these trains
reach more than half a hour late half the cost of the ticket
is given back to passengers. It began to run on October
1st,2001. It seems to be now the star service in Cuba, it is
highly promoted and operated as an European train, mostly on
time and never cancelled.
3. Havana Central 17:00 -
Moron 23:15 runs daily.
4. Moron 06:15 - Havana
Central 12:30 runs daily.
3 and 4 operate with new
Ex-Canadian Railways BUDD railcars recently obtained by Cuban
railways, it is also an express train and the second best
service in Cuba after the French train Havana-Santiago.
11/30. Havana Central 14:55 -
Guantanamo 06:05 runs every other day
31/12. Guantanamo 19:55 -
Havana Central 11:35 runs every other day
11. Havana Central 14:55 -
Santiago de Cuba 04:50 runs the day train to Guantanamo does
not run
12. Santiago de Cuba 21:10 -
Havana Central 11:35 runs the day train from Guantanamo does
not run.
13. Havana Central 20:20 -
Bayamo 10:10 runs every other day.
14. Bayamo 18:50 - Havana
Central 08:40 runs every other day.
13/32. Havana Central 20:20 -
Manzanillo 11:35 runs the day train to Bayamo does not run.
33/14. Manzanillo 16:35 -
Havana Central 08:40 runs the day train from Bayamo does not
run.
15. Havana Central 21:30 -
Holguin 11:30 runs every other day.
16. Holguin 19:30 - Havana
Central 09:40 runs every other day.
17. Havana Central 00:15 -
Sancti Spiritus 08:00 runs every other day.
18. Sancti Spiritus 21:30 -
Havana Central 05:20 runs every other day.
19. Havana Central 19:15 -
Cienfuegos 00:10 runs daily.
20. Cienfuegos 05:55 - Havana
Central 10:35 runs daily
19 and 20 run via Matanzas
with new BUDD railcars recently arrived from Canada.
21. Havana Central 07:30 -
Cienfuegos 17:55 runs every other day.
22. Cienfuegos 07:00 - Havana
Central 16:55 runs every other day.
21 and 22 run trough the south line via Aguada de Pasajeros.
23. Havana Central 22:35 -
Pinar del Rio 04:20 runs daily.
24. Pinar del Rio 10:15 -
Havana Central 16:00 runs daily.
64. Santiago de Cuba 05:25 -
Moron 16:00. Runs every other day.
64 runs from Santiago up to Ciego de Avila through the Main Line, at
Ciego it takes the branch north to Moron Train.
65. Moron 05:10 - Santiago de Cuba
16:05. Runs every other day.
65 runs from Moron to Ciego through
the Moron branch, at Ciego it takes the Main Line up to
Santiago.
70. Nuevitas 05:30 - Santa Clara 19:45. Runs every other
day.
71. Santa Clara 05:21 - Nuevitas 19:35.
Runs every other day.
70 and 71 run via Moron through the
North Line Santa Clara-Nuevitas.
Prices:
Havana - Santiago
de Cuba: 32 $
Havana - Holguin : 30 $
Havana - Ciego de Avila: 18 $
Havana - Matanzas: 4 $
Havana - Santa Clara: 12 $
Havana - Pinar del Rio: 7 $
Ciego de Avila - Holguin: 11 $
Ciego de Avila - Santiago de Cuba: 18
$
as a small
hint: 100 km (about 60 to 70 miles) have a value of 3
$
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