Understanding how Diez de Octubre fits into Havana
Diez de Octubre is one of Havana's fifteen municipalities, and it is among the oldest parts of the capital, founded in the second half of the sixteenth century when Canary Islanders emigrated to Cuba. For a visitor, that matters practically: this is not a separate town out in the provinces but a built-up borough within the city, so the question is less "how do I get to Diez de Octubre" and more "how do I move around Havana, and how does this borough connect to the rest of it."
How visitors get around the city
Havana's transport is a patchwork of public buses, taxis, and walking, and Diez de Octubre sits within that patchwork rather than having a self-contained system of its own. The practical approach is to pick your mode by trip length and budget: buses for straightforward cross-city hops, taxis for speed and door-to-door convenience, and your feet for short local errands.
Rail, metro and tram
The available material on Diez de Octubre does not describe any rail, metro, or tram service serving the borough, and it does not set out a ticketing or pass scheme for such a network. Visitors should not plan on a metro or tram ride to reach or move within Diez de Octubre; the documented options are buses, taxis, and walking.
Buses and other public transport
Buses are the backbone of public transport here, and the best-documented service is route P9, which runs from Yumuri station to a stop at "Lacret y 10 de Octubre." It is a direct service and the quickest documented bus option for reaching the borough.
- Main operator: Empresa Provincial de Transporte de la Habana, the provincial bus company. Departures on the P9 are frequent, running daily, and the fare is very cheap (around $1).
- Second operator: Cuba Local Buses also serves the same route, but far less often — roughly hourly — and the journey takes longer.
- Practical tip: because the provincial bus is both cheaper and much more frequent, it is the sensible first choice; treat the Cuba Local Buses service as a backup if you happen to catch one.
- Contact: the provincial bus company can be reached on +53 7267 2500 or at atencionpoblacion@epth.transnet.cu if you need to check service.
There is also a longer-term plan to upgrade the Diez de Octubre transport corridor as part of Havana's first Bus Rapid Transit corridor, with goals including traffic calming, more attractive public transport, better pedestrian spaces, an improved urban landscape, and better environmental conditions. This is a modernisation project rather than something a visitor can use today, so plan around the ordinary bus services described above.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are the fastest documented way to reach Diez de Octubre from elsewhere in Havana, and they are a reasonable choice when you want to avoid waiting at bus stops or are carrying luggage. Expect to pay noticeably more than the bus fare — the taxi fare is many times the price of a bus ticket — so weigh cost against the time saved.
Walking
Walking is viable for short trips within Diez de Octubre and for the final stretch from a bus stop or taxi drop-off to your destination. It is not a practical substitute for motorised transport on longer cross-city journeys: a walk from central Havana to the borough is a long one, taking well over an hour, so most visitors will want a bus or taxi for that leg and save their walking for local exploration.
Getting from the airport into the city
The safest practical guidance is to treat the airport arrival as a taxi trip arranged on the spot or in advance with one of the established operators, and to confirm the arrangement and price before you set off. Once you are in the city, the bus and taxi options described above are how you reach Diez de Octubre.
Putting it together
- From elsewhere in Havana: take the P9 provincial bus for the cheapest, most frequent direct connection; take a taxi if speed matters more than cost.
- Within the borough: walk for short errands and use buses or taxis for anything longer.
- Budgeting: bus fares are trivial; taxi fares are the main transport expense, so use taxis selectively.
- Before you travel: call or email the provincial bus company to confirm current service, since routes and schedules can change.