Transport in La Havana
La Havana has several means of ground transport some of them really very peculiar. The mains are buses and taxis and there are different kinds of one each, like “El Camello” (The camel). This is a very special bus which is a mixture between train (it is very long), subway (it can transport much people) and bus (it has rubber wheels as a bus). This type of vehicle is unique and it only can find in Cuba. It is called camel by its two humps. Nevertheless traveling by camel is not a pleasant experience since inside it is smelly, dirty, crowded, and noisy such as the hell; besides it contains also sex, violence and rude language that could be a few intimidating .
Another type of bus is “the Gua Gua”, that is the name that Cubans have granted to the regular buses. Because of its bizarre appearance some times they are called also aspirins.
Both regular bus service and the camels are very cheap, a trip costs 40 and 20 cents of peso respectively; which you muss toss into a box near the driver or pay to the conductor directly. It is absolutely necessary that you move to the back exit door as soon as you get on; since it is not allowed to exit for the door where you boarded. The main advantage of the bus service in La Havana is that you can cross all the city just one hour with 40 or 20 cents.
But if you want to travel more comfortably, there are many taxis in the city; the most of them are American classic cars (very old). You can find a great number of Chevrolets and Fords made in 1950s. The reason is the revolution which since 1959 has not allowed to the Cuban citizens the imports of vehicles. A trip by taxi in La Havana costs $1 per mile more or less. Nevertheless the tariff can increase, if you take a taxi from hotel mainly if it is a famous hotel. Besides, there are also some modern taxi-cars which are cheaper than the classic cars.
Rent a car is another possibility; here it costs between $45 and $60 per day in companies like Havanaautos or Cubacar.
One of the most peculiar means of transport in La Havana is the “Coco Taxi”. The coco taxis are motorcycle-taxis, which have the appearance of a yellow coconut match by half. These vehicles which can bring one or two persons are very comfortable, speed and costs the same as regular taxis
At city center you can take a bike-taxi which for one o two dollars take you a stroll through downtown. Another great experience is a stroll inside a coach pulled by horse outside the cruise ship terminal.
The most important axis of communication of La Havana City is the Central Highway, which connects the Havana center with the main urban centers and others important roads like National freeway, the monumental Highway and La Farola. Nevertheless if you want to got to the eastern province of Cuba from La Havana you must go by the National Highway. In this road there are many taxis “Colectivos” (shared taxis) which departs only when they are full with passengers. Another option is the regular bus service but it is so uncomfortable.
If you want to arrive to Regla or Casa Blanca ; you can take one of the ferries which leaves from “Muelle de la Luz” every 15 minutes.
The main airport of La Havana is the “José Martí International Airport” which is located to 11Km of south of the city. The airport receives flights of 25 international airlines and 3 national airlines which fly to 16 destinations in Cuba. The other airport is “Playa Baracoa” that is very small and it handles only domestic flights mainly of Aerogaviota airlines.
La Havana also has a big network of rail lines which connect the entire city and La Havana with others cities in Cuba like Santiago de Cuba or Bejucal. Usually the trains in Cuba offer two classes of seating: basic leatherette and luxurious.
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