Cuba Transport

Air
Cuba is home to a number of international airports, but the main airport serving the country is Havana International Airport (otherwise known as José Martí International). Other smaller airports include: Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo, Santiago de Cuba and Varadero. The national airline is Cubana, which offers services both to domestic destinations and cities world wide.

José Martí International Airport is the main port of entry into Cuba. It serves several million passengers every year, which include 80 per cent of the country’s international visitors. The airport is an enormous facility with five terminals and many amenities. Terminal 1 serves domestic Cubana flights only; Terminal 2 serves charter flights mainly from Miami; Terminal 3 is the modern main terminal and serves most traffic; Terminal 5 serves Aerocaribbean and some charter flights, while the other terminal is for cargo.

Facilities include a bureau de change and a bank; a post office and Internet (facilities; a number of bars and restaurants; a wide choice of shops; a lost and found office and pharmacies.

The airport is wheelchair accessible throughout, while other facilities for passengers with disabilities include: accessible toilets, ramps, lifts and adapted phone boxes.

Bus and taxi services are available from the airport to take you into town, while cars can be hired at the airport for those who prefer to travel at their own pace.

Sea
Because of the US blockade, you will find no scheduled passenger ships calling at Cuba. Some cruise ships do stop, but these are limited. It is possible to arrive onboard a private yacht, although the authorities must be contacted before you arrive.

Air
Cubana airline manages services between most main cities, but flights are limited making advance booking essential. It is advised that you always book internal flights with internationally recognised tour operators.

Rail
There is one main train line covering the country, from Havana to Santiago de Cuba. Four trains leave from each destination daily. There are also routes from Havana to a selection of other towns, but these services are irregular and often cancelled at short notice. The rail network used to connect the majority of the country, but has been very badly affected by natural disasters, leaving just a small fraction of it working.

Bus
Most tours around the country will include travel by air-conditioned buses. Cuba's national bus service, Astro, connects all of the major towns and suburbs at least once a day. It is a very economical and reliable service, but buses can get crowded, especially during rush hour. On every bus, four seats are saved for, but more often than not, tourists travel on the air-conditioned Viazul, tourist buses, (website: www.viazul.cu). These connect most major cities and tourist destinations daily and are top-range coaches with toilets and refreshments.

Buses, minibuses and shared taxis operate in the major cities and charge low rates. Buses are usually very crowded and the drivers do not speak very good English.

Car
Roads are signposted although often poorly lit. Many tourists have suffered serious accidents while renting mopeds so all tourists are now advised to hire cars instead. There are several good and inexpensive car hire companies across the country, with many representatives being available in hotels and at many of the country’s airports. Due to Cuba's well-maintained road system, this is often regarded as one of the best forms of getting around the island. If you are going to hire a car, you must have a valid national driving licence and be aged 21 or over.

Taxi
Taxis can often work out to be as cheap as taking the bus or train and are incredibly more convenient. There has been a recent influx of comfortable and modern cars which has made travel by taxi a lot more appealing than it used to be. Most visitors order taxis through their hotel as it will be guaranteed that you will receive an official metered cab.