Cuba by train · Cuba by train
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Cuba by train
Cuba by train
The main train line in the country runs between Havana and Santiago de Cuba, with major stops at Santa Clara and Camagüey. Trains also run to other cities such as Cienfuegos, Manzanillo, Morón, Sancti Spiritus, and Pinar del Rio.
There is one reliable train in Cuba: the overnight Tren Francés between Havana and Santiago de Cuba, which runs on alternate days. It uses equipment that was formerly operated on the Trans-Europe Express, and donated to Cuba by France a few years ago (hence the name). There are first class and special first class seats on this train (the special seats are better and more expensive), but no sleepers. If only one train in Cuba is running, this will be it.
All other trains in Cuba are unreliable. The equipment is often in poor condition, breakdowns are common, and when they occur, you can be stuck for the better part of the day (or night) waiting for a replacement engine. There are no services on the trains, so bring plenty of food and water with you. Trains are frequently cancelled. Some trains offer first class seats (don't expect too much); others have second class seats, which can be very uncomfortable. Schedules are at best optimistic and should always be checked in advance of travel. There are no sleepers on overnight routes.
If you are still thinking of taking a train, other than the Tren Francès, you should know that many Cubans prefer to hitchhike than take the train.
If you are still determined to take a train, approximate schedules are given under the different city descriptions. Foreigners must pay much higher fares (which is still very cheap) than the locals. Tickets are roughly two-thirds what Viazul charges. Theft is a problem so watch your luggage!
The following services can be expected to run (special first class: air-conditioned, reservation required, meals and drinks available; regular first class: more comfortable seats, otherwise like second class):
1/2, every third day, Habana Central - Santiago de Cuba, "Tren Frances", train, first class
3/4, every third day, Habana Central - Guantánamo, train, second class
5/6, every third day, Habana Central - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
7/8, every third day, Habana Central - Bayamo, train, second class, continues as 28/29
9/10, every second day, Habana Central - Sancti Spiritus, "El Espirituano", train, second class
11/12, two per week, Santa Clara - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
19/20, every second day, Habana La Coubre - Cienfuegos, second class
28/29, every third day, Bayamo - Manzanillo, train, second class, continues as 7/8
83/84, daily, Camagüey - Bayamo, train, second class
88/89, every second day, Guantánamo - Holguin, train, second class
90/91/92/93/800/801/802/803/804/805, daily, Matanzas - Habana Casa Blanca, Hershey railbus
119/120, daily, Habana La Coubre - Unión de Reyes, train, second class
133/134, daily, Matanzas - Agramonte, train, second class
139/140/141/142/143/144, Habana 19 de Noviembre - San Antonio de los Baños
159/160/161/162, daily, Cárdenas - Aguada de Pasajeros, railbus, second class
163/164, daily, Colón - Aguada de Pasajeros, railbus, second class
165/166, daily, Los Palacios - Guane, train, second class
168/169, daily, Guane - Pinar del Rio, train, second class
213/214/215/216, Artemisa - Habana 19 de Noviembre
224/225, every second day, Pinar del Rio - Habana Central, "El Lechero", second class
331/332, six per week, Cienfuegos - Santa Clara, train, second class
333/334, five per week, Cienfuegos - Sto Domingo Viejo, train, second class
337/338/339/340, daily, Santa Clara - Caibarién, railbus, second class
341/342/344, daily, Sagua - Santa Clara, railbus, second class
343, daily, Concha - Santa Clara, railbus, second class
345/346, daily, Sagua - Caibarién, railbus, second class
347/349/350/351/352, daily, Sagua - Concha, railbus, second class
353/354/355/356, daily, Santa Clara - Vega Alta, railbus, second class
357/358/359/360, daily, Zaza del Medio - Tunas de Zaza, train, second class
361/362/363/364, daily, Placetas Norte - Sopimpa, railbus, second class
365/366/367/368/369/370/371/372, daily, Trinidad - Meyer, railbus, second class
373/374, daily, Trinidad - Enlace Central FNTA Iznaga, "Expreso", railbus, second class
379/380, daily, Aguada de Pasajeros - Cienfuegos, second class
501/502/503/504, daily, Morón - Camagüey, railbus, first class
505/516, daily, Morón - Júcaro, railbus, second class
506/511/512/515, daily, Júcaro - Ciego de Avila, railbus, second class
507/508/509/510/513/514, daily, Morón - Ciego de Avila, train, second class
519/520/521/522/523/524, daily, Fallá - Morón, railbus, second class
525/526, daily, Morón - Ciego de Avila, railbus, second class
532/533/534/535, daily, Nuevitas - Camagüey, train, second class
536/537/538/539/540/541, daily, Nuevitas - Tarafa, railbus, second class
542/543/544/545, daily, Santa Cruz del Sur - Camagüey, railbus, second class
546/547/548/549/550/551/552/553/554/555, daily, Las Tunas - Balcón, railbus, second class
557/558/559/560/561/562/563/564/565/566/567/568, daily, Piedrecitas - Kilómetro 5.6, railbus, second class
608/609, daily, Santiago de Cuba - Manzanillo, train, second class
610/611, every second day, Santiago de Cuba - Holguin, train, second class
613/614, daily, Herrera - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
615/616, daily, Holguin - Herrera, train, second class
617, daily, Bayamo - Jiguani, train, second class
618/619/620, daily, Jiguani - Manzanillo, train, second class
621, daily, Manzanillo - Bayamo, train, second class
622/623/624/625, daily, Bayamo - Guamo, train, second class
626/630, daily, Contramaestre - Jiguani, railbus, second class
627/631, daily, Jiguani - Oriente, railbus, second class
628/632, daily, Oriente - Contramaestre, railbus, second class
633/634, daily, Contramaestre - Santiago de Cuba, railbus, second class
712/713/714/715, daily, Guantánamo - Martires de la Frontera, railbus, second class
716/717/718/719/720/721, every second day, Guantánamo - San Anselmo, railbus, second class
722/723, daily, Guantánamo - Yayal, railbus, second class
726/727/730/731/732/733, daily, Guantánamo - Caimanera, railbus, second class
807/809/853/870/872, daily, Talleres Calle 7 - Canasi, Hershey railbus
810/811/812/813/814/815/816/817/818/819/820/821/822/823/824/825/826/827/828/829/830/831, daily, Jaruco - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
832/833/836/837/842/843/846/847, daily, Caraballo - San Mateo, Hershey railbus
834/835, daily, Caraballo - Playas del Este, Hershey railbus
838/839/844/845/848/849/850/851, daily, Caraballo - Hershey, Hershey railbus
840/841, daily, Caraballo - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
852/854/855/865/866, daily, Canasi - Santa Cruz del Norte, Hershey railbus
856/857/868, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
858/859/860/861, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Jibacoa, Hershey railbus
862/863, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Hershey, Hershey railbus
864/867, daily, Canasi - Hershey, Hershey railbus
876/881/882/883, daily during summer, Playas del Este - Habana La Coubre, Hershey railbus
The following services may run (all daily, second class):
86/87, Holguin - Las Tunas, train
117/118, Matanzas - Los Arabos Nuevo, train
335/336, Los Arabos Nuevo - Santa Clara, train
569/570, Camagüey - Talleres, train
572/573, Las Tunas - Camagüey, railbus
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Cuba Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.