Getting Around, Cienfuegos Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Cienfuegos, Cuba)
Travel to Cienfuegos is straightforward enough as it has an international airport, albeit with limited flights, which is nice and close to the city. You can also get in by long distance bus transportation from Havana, as well as by train. However, bus transport is the preferred option for most travellers, since local buses are more frequent and faster.
Foreigners are permitted to drive cars in
Cuba and there are several rental outlets where you can pick up a small, late model European or Asian car. Public transport in Cienfuegos is by rickety bus, taxi and horse-drawn carts.
Jaime González Airport (CFG) / Arriving by Air
Address: Avenida 5 de Septiembre, Cienfuegos, Cuba, CU
Tel: +53 0432 551 328
Jaime González Airport is just 5 km / 3 miles to the east of Cienfuegos and receives regular flights from
Toronto,
Montreal, and
Havana, with scheduled carriers such as CanJet, Cubana de Aviación and Sunwing Airlines. Flights also arrive from
Miami by charters, including Allegiant, American Airlines and American Eagle. Taxis provide transport to the city centre from the airport (about 20 minutes), while the better hotels also offer shuttles.
Car Rental
Driving to nearby cities from Cienfuegos, along the coast, and in Cuba in general, can be lots of fun. You can rent from the airport, as well as from car hire agencies in town. Contrary to popular belief, it is not all ancient 'Yank tanks' from the 1950s in Cuba - there are also new, imported European and Asian models that rental agencies use. Reliable rental outlets are to be found along the Calle 37 and in Punta Gorda.
Buses and Coaches
Tel: +53 0432 515 720
The local bus station is located on the Calle 49, between Avenida 56 and Avenida 58. Frequent Viazul buses come in from Havana (up to five hours), stopping at the Playa Giron. Bus transport also connects Santa Clara and
Trinidad on a daily basis, being relatively efficient and air conditioned. Further routes include Pasacaballo and Rancho Luna. Of note, Viazul has a website, allowing you to plan your route carefully. Although you can travel about by bus, it is often easiest to use taxis where necessary and walk the downtown area, around Paseo del Prado and the park.
Trains
Trains run to the city from Havana morning and night every other day. Although services are slow, usually about ten hours, the night service that travel via Matanzas is faster. Cienfuegos Station is situated near the bus station at the junction of Avenue 58 and Calle 49, just east of the city centre. Trip time from Santa Clara is a modest two hours, while Sancti Spiritus is reachable in approximately five hours.
Taxis
Cubataxi is the main taxi company in Cienfuegos, running 24 hours a day. There are taxi ranks all over town, including down at Hotel Jagua in Punta Gorda, and directly outside of both the bus station and the Cubanacan Boutique La Union. The Lada taxis are the cheapest, although you should always agree on the price. Horse-drawn carts are also popular as public transport, and can seat families and groups of up to eight people. They ply the Paseo del Prado (Calle 37), linking the Punta Gorda area.
Boats and Ferries
There is a commuter ferry service to and from the Castillo de Jagua, to the south of Cienfuegos. Ferries seat around 120 passengers and depart at the terminal on Avenue 46 and Calle 25, morning and afternoon. The ferry is unreliable, however, as some days it won't run due to fuel shortages. An alternative and somewhat more reliable ferry travels to the castle from the Hotel Pasacaballo.
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