TRANSPORTATION – How Visitors Can Get Around Cuba By Roberta Hilbruner, sv BOB

We were lucky to have two Cuban transportation coordinators at Marina Hemingway who spoke good English and who went the extra mile arranging cars or vans to transport us where needed, even on short notice: Adonis Perez (tel: 55-03-2754, adonis2p@nauta.cu ) and Johnny Perez (55-35-0708). They were dependable, trustworthy, friendly, and fun. They also suggested places to visit, bought tickets to

performances for us, and provided general advice on getting around. Bicycles: Sailors with bicycles had an advantage getting around the huge and sprawling Marina Hemingway complex. It took an hour to walk to the Customs office from our mooring on Canal 1 – the closest canal to Customs. Having a bike would have been nice. We all made several trips to and from Hotel Club Acuario to change money and purchase Wi-Fi cards. Be forewarned, Cubans will persist in trying to buy your bike! Vintage Autos: Based on guidebook photos, we expected to see a few vintage autos used as taxis, but classic cars from the 40’s and 50’s were everywhere! Some were gorgeous, and some were clearly preserved through ingenuity, improvised repairs, and paint jobs. One old Chevy Bell Air

wagon we rode in had an Asian steering column and a Romanian diesel engine. Most of the classic cars have been converted to diesel. American autos or parts could not be imported after the Revolution, and people could not afford to purchase new cars, so they preserved what they had. It was fun to see these classics so familiar from our childhood!

We saw Fords, Chevys, Oldsmobiles, Plymouths, Studebakers, Desotos, Edsels, roadsters, and even Model T’s. Vintage taxis were fun to ride for a short distance – the 30-minute trip to Old Havana from Marina Hemingway was a breeze and cost 50 CUC$ or less round-trip depending on your negotiating skill. For longer trips, classic taxis were often slower than the more modern taxis, and the lack of suspension, lumpy seats, and noise (no A/C so all windows were open) made them very uncomfortable. We heard about antique autos that are máquinas or shared taxis, but were never able to flag one down. These are used almost exclusively by locals.

Taxis: The yellow or white government taxis and more modern automobiles used as taxis were not as expensive – approximately 20 CUC$ or less one-way to Old Havana. Some private cars will offer cheaper rides, but these are illegal, not government authorized, and if caught, the taxi driver can be seriously penalized and lose his license and/or car. If these are involved in an accident, we heard “you are on your own.” It is possible to find privately owned taxi-vans with drivers. Our group found a church-owned, 12-passenger van by asking at the Marina chandlery. The newer Mercedes-Benz came with a driver, comfy seats, and air conditioning. We took this vehicle for a pleasant two and a half hour trip to Viñales National Park. The cost was 30 CUC$ per person round trip. Rental Cars/Vans: There are many rental agencies if you wish to rent a vehicle and drive yourself. We were quoted 60-70 CUC$ per day for a small car, 220 CUC$ for a small van (8 passengers), and 250 CUC$ for a large van (11 passengers). We were told it is very hard to find small cars because they are always rented. Indeed, none were available at two places we checked. Renting also can be risky and unpredictable. We rented vans for group travel, however; the government shut down all rentals for four days – ostensibly “for delegations coming in” or “in preparation for the Easter holidays” depending on with whom you spoke. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. This double-decker bus runs a loop route of 27 stops to and around Old Havana. You can catch this loop bus at Marina Hemingway from the Hotel Club Acuario bus stop at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. The cost is 1 CUC$ round trip to a transfer point at La Cecelia where you catch another Hop On Hop Off bus costing 10 CUC$. You can get on and off this bus at any stop as many times as you like during the day. This is a great way to see

neighborhoods off the route to Old Havana. The open-air top level offers a bird’s-eye view of fascinating scenery along the way. Be sure to ask for their stylized route map when you board.

We caught the 10:00 a.m. bus at the Marina and 10 minutes later arrived at La Cecelia, the transfer point. It took 50 minutes to get from La Cecelia to the National Hotel. On another occasion it took us an hour to get to Parque Central. If you get off the bus to walk around and want to get back on at a different stop, it is sometimes difficult to find the stop, as they are not always at the place for which they are named. It may be advisable to travel most of the route and go back to places you wish to explore. It is helpful to have a city map and follow the route, because, stops are not always named for the attraction they are near. For example, at Stop #18 (the Plaza de la Revolucion) you also will find

the National Omnibus Terminal and Teatro Nacional; Stop #20 (the MINCEX) is by the National Hotel. To visit the Museo de la Revolucion get off at Stop #22 - Gran Teatro de la Habana and walk back four blocks. To get to the Prado, get off at Stop #1 (Parque Central) and walk north one block. NOTE: Allow an hour and a half to return to La Cecelia from the furthest stop, Feria San Jose. The Marina Hemingway bus departs La Cecelia to return to the marina at 11:00 a.m., and 1:00, 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. We caught the loop bus at 3:15 and were told we would make the 4:00 p.m. transfer, but actually got there about 4:45. Another friend had the same experience. Not wanting to wait until 6:00 p.m., we walked out to the main road, hailed a cab, and paid 8 CUC$ to return to Marina Hemingway. We saw a printed schedule showing departure times for buses at all stops, but were never able to obtain one – even though we asked on several buses. The signs at each stop had times posted for that location, but it would be most helpful to see the entire schedule. Public Buses. For 2 ₱ (2 Cuban Pesos or roughly 8 cents CUC$) friends who wanted to go to Playa Baracoa got on a yellow public bus (local bus) and rode to a transfer point in Santa Fe, where they yelled “Baracoa” until someone directed them to catch a máquina to Playa Baracoa for 10 ₱. For their return they took a taxi all the way back to Marina Hemingway for 10 ₱. Tour Buses. Big 40-passenger government run tour buses are expensive but air conditioned and comfortable. We were quoted a rate of 238 CUC$ each to go on a Hemingway tour. We declined and rode in vintage taxis for 75 CUC$ per car (which five of us split) to see Hemingway’s house and the community of Cojimar where he kept his boat, the Pilar and where he visited the La Terraza bar to drink with his Captain Gregorio Fuentes, and local fishermen (inspiration for The Old Man and the Sea). Horse-Drawn Carriages can be found at almost any plaza in Old Havana. They drive a route in a circle around Old Havana. Some guides spoke English, and some did not. In rural communities we saw horse-drawn local taxis or buses with bench seats that accommodate several people.

CocoCabs and Bike Cabs can be found throughout Old Havana. CocoCabs are little, round, yellow, three-wheeled vehicles with a 2-stroke motor. We rode in one from Castille de la Real Fuerte to the National Hotel for 10 CUC$. Bike cabs are little carriages driven by a bicycle.

Trains: The beautiful old train station in Havana is being renovated. Currently, you can purchase a ticket and board a train to most major towns at Estacion de Cuba behind the old station and train yard. An example of a fare to Santiago de Cuba was 30 CUC$. This train leaves at 6:45 p.m. and arrives in Santiago de Cuba the next morning. The Hershey Train to Matanzas is described as a three and a half hour ride on a rickety, old, run down train for under 30 CUC$ per person. When friends went to book a trip, they were told it was

a FIVE-hour trip. On inspection, it was one car missing most of its seats, and those remaining looked like metal buckets, so they opted not to travel by this means. The train departs the station at Casa Blanca at 4:45 a.m., and 12:21 and 4:35 p.m., and arrives in Hershey in about 90 minutes, then proceeds to Matanzas. To get to this station from Old Havana, you take a cab through the tunnel or catch a ferry that runs every 30 minutes from the dock near the intersection of Avenida del Puerto and Santa Clara. Máquinas are shared taxes with very low fares running on fixed routes, for example 30 CUP$ to the end of the line near the Capitol in Havana. We did not take one, but we saw many Cubanos flagging them down by hand. Camiónes are trucks used as buses often equipped with a door at the back, seats down the sides and center, windows, and a covered top. There is a bus station for camiónes at Caya Central near the Military Airport. We often saw Cubanos, sometimes many, at freeway entrances and underpasses in the country waiting for camiónes. An informal queuing system is used to access a seat. When you arrive you inquire, “El ultimo?” to learn who is last in line, and you are next after them. José Martí Airport: Several of us had crew flying in or out of José Martí International Airport. Here is one experience:

“On April 6, 2017, I had to suddenly and unexpectedly return to the U.S. I researched and booked a flight with Spirit Airlines from Cuba’s José Martí International Airport to Ft. Lauderdale with a connecting flight to Boston. International flights from many countries fly into José Martí in Havana, as well as the local airlines that connect with Cuba's smaller regional airports. “We arranged a taxi to the José Martí from Marina Hemingway. The ride took about an hour, and the

driver asked for 25 CUC$ (I gave him a 5 CUC$ tip). Traveling east on the road towards Havana, we turned south, onto a series of roads (no airport signs were seen) and continued south taking a multi-lane expressway through mostly rural land that included various agricultural plantations and operations. Directory signs for the airport eventually appeared along the expressway. “Approaching the airport one sees a tall air traffic control tower and the José Martí 1960's era 'V wing' roof. I saw only taxis dropping off passengers, no buses. The vehicle drop-off is much like U.S. airports of similar size. From the drop-off lane one enters the main terminal, the interior of which features a predominantly red decor. The terminal has two main wings. Airline ticket counters line the south side, and car rental and small retail kiosks line the west side. There is a central security area through which passengers move to access terminal gates. There are clean and adequate bathrooms (with toilet paper) before the entrance to security and just after, in the gate area.

“We arrived at the terminal 90 minutes before our scheduled departure. There were long lines at the ticket counters for several of the flights. The Spirit line at that time happened to be short; the next line over, for a Cuban Air flight to a regional airport, was quite long. There was a large video screen showing the status of arrivals and departures. Although we were able to book the flight online, we were not able to print boarding passes. We obtained these quickly at the Spirit ticket counter. “Moving through security is similar to a U.S. airport. All luggage and carry on items are screened, and you pass through a metal detector. In our case no bags were opened. There were no fees charged at the airport. An airport departure fee was included in the online purchase of our ticket. They take a digital photo of you to compare to your passport, and perhaps reconcile with the photo taken at Customs/Immigration when entering the country. “Inside the terminal, there are about a dozen gates with seats and a central snack bar. These gates had jetway corridor boarding, and we observed all the usual aircraft service vehicles one would expect to see in the U.S. We had about a half hour wait before boarding, and our flight left on schedule.”

(Input to this article was provided by Mike Hilbruner sv BOB, Fred and Dorothy Mammen of sv Aviva, and, Bill Mitman and Cathy Wilson from Rita T.)