When it comes to trains, Spaniards and Cubans don't get to speak a common language. For the Spanish, a fast train is one that covers the 370 kilometers from Madrid to Barcelona in two and a half hours. Cubans are less demanding.
For example, from Havana a Casa Particular in Santiago de Cuba, which separates them 535 kilometers, the trip lasts… .. 18 hours! The truth is that for tourists this is a mixture of adventure and an opportunity to see the countryside, meet the people and go through many traditional villages or hamlets.
This train that covers the route between these two emblematic cities of the island is run by Ferrocarriles de Cuba, through Matanzas, Santa Clara, Ciego de Ávila, Camaguey and Las Tunas. It is an old diesel engine steam engine inside which the seats are made of red leather, very comfortable with levers that allow you to recline.
While Spain's high-speed trains have movies, headphones, and a stylish espresso bar, on this train there's beer, Cuban coffee, fruit juices, and sandwiches. The price of the ticket (round trip) is 83 euros.
Cuba today has more than 9300 km (5800 miles) of rail lines. The most popular is the route from Havana to Santiago with the train called ¨especial¨ or “French”. The truth is that it is a means of transport that is more economical and comfortable than the bus, especially in Havana-Santiago de Cuba trips where there is the best train in the country.
The foreign tourist can purchase the travel ticket in dollars and it is advisable to make the reservation one or two days in advance. And among the recommendations for the trip, you should take especially water to avoid discomfort as well as carrying a flashlight, not neglecting your luggage and having a light coat if there is air conditioning because the train is usually very cold.
it's very long and tiring but a lot of fun
It sure is an adventure
It is not true that it finds that distance between Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The real distance between the two cities is 987 kilometers….
The photo in question is not of the French train, it is of the regular Havana Santiago train, which has stops in Matanzas, Sta Clara, Cabaiguan Ciego de Avila, Las Tunas, Cacocún, San Luis and Santiago de Cuba if it does not do other more to solve official or private matters, the French train stops in Sta. Clara, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba, with the same options as the previous one and 535 kilometers is from Havana to Ciego de Avila, we know that many people passed the grade without knowing the subject That is why geography is so important, because those who write sometimes do not realize the failure they had in this matter, and they can say something outrageous.
Hello, your article is very nice but decidedly the distance between the capital of Cuba, Havana and Santiago is definitely wrong, it is 735 kms and currently with Chinese trains it takes 13 hours.
Hello, Anabell, where do you buy tickets to travel from Havana to Santiago? How many days before the trip should you buy them? Thanks!