Almendares

Getting around

Getting around Almendares means coming to terms with a transport system that is generally slow and complicated, with frequent cancellations and delays. The one reliable, good-value exception is the long-distance bus network, which is useful if you plan to travel between cities. A key thing to understand is the two-tier pricing system: convertible-peso services aimed at foreign visitors, and much cheaper national-peso services used mainly by Cubans. As a visitor you will usually be expected to pay in convertible pesos. There is no metro or tram network to rely on. Trains are slow, with long delays and cancellations common; if you want to travel by train, you must bring your passport to buy a ticket, and purchase it in person at the station between one hour and five days before departure. The main line runs from Havana through Santa Clara and Camagüey to Santiago de Cuba and is generally the most reliable and comfortable option, with the air-conditioned "Especial" or "Tren Francés" service stopping only at a few major points. Branch lines and other routes suffer frequent delays and cancellations and are slower. Bring your own toilet paper.

Buses — known locally as guaguas — are the most commonly used transport, both within cities and between provinces. For long-distance travel there are two national networks: Víazul, which carries foreign passport holders and Cubans paying in convertible pesos, and Empresa Omnibus Nacionales, which is exclusively for Cubans paying in national pesos. Víazul connects all mainland provincial capitals plus tourist cities such as Trinidad and Baracoa, and is the quickest, most reliable, hassle-free independent option alongside long-distance taxis. Long-distance buses have air conditioning (which can be very cold, so bring a sweater), occasionally usable toilets, and sometimes TVs. Booking procedures change often, so it is worth asking at Havanatur, Cubatur or Infotur; you can generally buy tickets at the station at least 24 hours before departure, or online up to a week ahead if you print your tickets. Conectando Cuba, run under the Transtur logo, links Havana, Trinidad and Cienfuegos with hotel-to-hotel pickup and drop-off, though journey times are longer because of the many hotel stops. Local city buses are a different experience: there is little information at stops, no timetables, and they are overcrowded. The only information at stops is the route numbers, and the front of the bus shows its final destination. To queue, ask aloud who is last — for example, "¿Ultima persona para la 232?" — and have exact change within one peso for the flat fee. Converted trucks, known as camiones, supplement the buses on relatively short routes between towns and within provinces, but they are aimed at Cubans and not all drivers allow non-Cubans aboard. There are numerous state-run and private taxis; private taxis are licensed either in national pesos or convertible pesos, with no visible distinction between them and no meters, so agree on a fare before you set off. Classic American cars — called almendrones or maquinas — are widely used as taxis. Colectivos are communal taxis that run fixed routes like bus services, usually private though some are state-run, with no official markings or route displays, so you flag them down; they are almost always classic American cars, fares are fixed on most routes, and they are hard to flag down if you have much luggage. Long-distance taxis and colectivos wait at Víazul bus stations, offering to take passengers for the same price as the Víazul ticket; they are usually reliable and sometimes negotiable, and are a good alternative to buses, especially for groups travelling in the same direction. Given that local buses are overcrowded and information at stops is minimal, walking is often a practical way to cover shorter distances, but plan your routes around the transport options described above.

Three days in Almendares

Day one: Begin in Almendares, the neighbourhood that gives this stretch of Havana its name, and let the river set your pace. The Cubans here treat the water and the surrounding greenery as a shared front room, so follow their lead and walk rather than rush. As you go, note that getting around Cuba more broadly is a matter of choosing between trains, buses and colectivos; the classic American cars you see in Havana are converted for shared rides, and the American influence lingers in their shapes.

Day two: Use Havana as your base and plan a longer run out of the city. Trains connect Havana with Santa Clara, Camagüey and Santiago, and the Tren Francés is the express option on that route. Buses are the other mainstay: Víazul and Empresa Omnibus Nacionales serve Trinidad, Baracoa and Cienfuegos, among other destinations. For booking, Havanatur, Cubatur, Infotur, Conectando Cuba and Transtur are the names to know, and it pays to sort your seat before you need it. Long waits and crowded TVs in waiting areas are part of the experience, so bring patience along with your ticket.

Day three: Keep it local and let the neighbourhood carry you. Colectivos, including the converted classic American cars, are the practical way to cover short hops, and the Ultima branch of the bus network fills in the rest. If you would rather stay put, Almendares itself rewards a slow day: the river, the green edges and the everyday rhythm of the place are the point. Given the heat, start early and treat the afternoon as a pause.