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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

  • The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cuba


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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.

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