Getting Around, Santiago de Cuba Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Santiago de Cuba, Cuba)
Cuba's public transportation network could easily be described as primitive across the board. Although there are good roads linking major towns and cities around the island, long-distance bus travel to Santiago de Cuba can be slow and unreliable, and bus transport is not backed up by efficient or frequent train services.
Air travel is the easiest way to get around
Cuba and is comparatively cheap, with many towns having a small airport. Car rental is a popular option in Santiago de Cuba, but during the high season months of December to February and July / August, there are rarely enough rental cars to meet demand.
Antonio Maceo Airport (SCU) / Arriving by Air
Address: Carretera del Morro, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, CU
Tel: +53 022 69 1014
Santiago de Cuba's air travel link with the outside world is nearby Antonio Maceo Airport. Mostly used by turbo-prop aircraft, one of its two runways does allow jets to land, with around 20 flights per week from international destinations as a result. American Airlines run charters from
Miami, and there are flights from
Toronto and
Montreal, as well as flights across Cuba provided by Cuban domestic carriers. Flights to
Havana link with other international routes.
Car Rental
Due to the unsophisticated transport network on Cuba, the best ways to get around are either by air or by rental car. If booking online, confirming your reservation will take around a week, with cars in short supply during the high seasons. If booking on arrival, car hire offices can be found at the airport and downtown. When planning long-distance excursions, you should note that petrol stations are scarce, even on the express roads.
Buses and Coaches
The National Bus Station is located on the corner of Calle 9 and the Avenida de los Libertadores, and is approximately 3 km / 2 miles to the north-east of the Parque Cespedes. Daily bus transport to Baconao and El Cobre is also available at the Intermunicipal Bus Station, which stands on the corner of the Avenida de los Libertadores and Calle 4.
Access by bus takes 16 hours from Havana and is via four air-conditioned Viazul buses daily, which stop in Santa Clara (13 hours), Camaguey (seven hours and 30 minutes) and Sancti Spiritus (12 hours). Other popular bus destinations include Ciego de Avila (nine hours and 30 minutes), Holguin (four hours and 30 minutes) and Las Tunas (five hours and 30 minutes), while intermittent bus services also travel to and from
Baracoa,
Varadero and
Trinidad de Cuba. Local services are provided by open trucks, usually crowded with Cubans, or by horse and cart. Bus travel in Cuba is cheap, but it is worth noting that it can often be crowded, uncomfortable and somewhat unreliable.
Cheap passenger trucks offer a different travel experience and these depart from the Serrano Intermunicipal Bus Station, on the corner of the Avenida Jesus Menendez and Sanchez Hechavarria.
Trains
The modern railway station resides on the Avenida Jesus Menendez, on the north-westerly side of the city and close to the Rum Factory. From Havana, the best way to travel to Santiago de Cuba by train is onboard the Tren Frances (French train), which runs on alternate days and is by far the most comfortable, offering a journey time of roughly 16 hours. Trains run from Santiago to Santa Clara and Camaguey on Thursday and Sunday, with return journeys on Monday and Friday. There are also cross-island trains known as 'coche motors', which connect popular Cuban destinations such as Ciego de Avila, Guayos, Holguin and Matanzas.
Taxis
Metered taxis are available from the airport to the city, but it is best to agree a fee for the journey first. In Cuba, taxis and their drivers must be licensed, although there are unlicensed cabs plying for trade. If an unlicensed cab is stopped by the police, the driver is fined and the passenger is ejected, even late at night or in a remote or dangerous location. Three-wheeled 'coco-taxis' are found outside most major hotels and are both a cheap and convenient mode of city transport.
Boats and Ferries
Although the coastal city of Santiago de Cuba is known for its commercial seaport, there are no international ferries travelling to this port. It may be possible that short boat trips along the coast can be picked up, as a service to Cayo Granma in the bay starts here.
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