Getting Around Vedado: A Practical Guide
Vedado is the modern heart of Havana, a grid of leafy streets and tall apartment blocks laid out in the first half of the twentieth century. Its main artery, Calle 23 (known as "La Rampa"), runs east to west, and its northern edge is the Malecón seawall. Because the district was designed with wide streets and a regular block pattern, it is one of the more navigable parts of the city for a visitor — but the city's transport network itself is another matter, and it pays to understand your options before you arrive.
How Tourists Move Around the City
Havana's transport is a mix of state-run and private services, and in practice visitors rely on a combination of walking, taxis, and whatever buses happen to be running. Public buses are the main form of daily commuting for residents, but they are crowded and run without fixed schedules. In recent times, urban bus service across much of Havana has been drastically reduced, with routes suspended and stops left empty. The result is that mobility is often improvised, and private transport has become close to the only reliable option.
For a visitor based in Vedado, this means planning around taxis and shared cars more than you might expect, and treating buses as a bonus rather than a backbone.
Rail, Metro and Trams
There is no metro or tram network for getting around Vedado today. The district's wide main streets were originally laid out to accommodate trams — Línea street was intended for tram tracks, and the main streets were made wide enough for them — but that era is long past. As for rail, Cuba's trains run at widely spaced intervals, and the national network has been subject to drastic reductions in service. Trains are not a practical way to move around the city or the immediate area.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Several kinds of shared transport exist in Havana, though availability varies:
- Public buses (guaguas): The main public transport for daily commuting, with fixed routes and designated stops but no fixed schedules. Fares are very cheap, paid in Cuban pesos. They are very crowded, especially at peak hours.
- Camellos: Larger articulated buses on set routes, also cheap and also without fixed schedules.
- Taxi buses: A state-linked variant where drivers pay a percentage of earnings to the state. They run on major streets only, with fewer route variants than regular buses, and use small air-conditioned buses with seated passengers only. The fare is a few Cuban pesos.
- Boteros / "taxi 10 pesos": Generally vintage 1950s American cars running fixed shared routes with stops across the city. The fare is around ten Cuban pesos per person, roughly double for longer routes. Because the drivers are private, prices and routes can sometimes be negotiated for longer or private trips.
- Tourist bus: A hop-on/hop-off service running along major avenues with specific stops, aimed at visitors, with open-top roof seating. It is paid in convertible currency and priced per person per day.
Given the current strain on the bus network, do not count on any particular route running when you need it. If a bus does appear, it is cheap and useful; if not, fall back on the options below.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis come in several flavours in Vedado:
- Panataxis (metered taxis): Standard taxis with meters, available at hotels, the airport, and around the city. They can travel in and out of Havana and are chauffeured.
- Private collective taxis: Shared cars running set routes. Fares have risen sharply and are quoted in Cuban pesos; a cross-city trip can add up quickly, and prices are inflated by fuel shortages.
- Cocotaxis: Yellow, egg-shaped, three-wheeled motorcycle taxis seating a maximum of two passengers. They are government-owned, paid in convertible currency, and run short specific routes. They are commonly found in Vedado, near the National Hotel and the Cohiba Hotel.
- Bicitaxis: Private, pedal-driven versions of the cocotaxi for short runs, mainly in Old Havana, with the price set by the driver.
- Electric three-wheelers: Seating up to six passengers, only slightly cheaper than cars. Their wheel layout makes them poor at navigating potholes, so they tend to move slowly and take detours.
Fuel shortages have pushed fares up and made supply unpredictable. Rationed gasoline is sold only in dollars, and a ticketing app with a per-registration limit was introduced at dollar-selling stations. Expect to pay in cash and to negotiate, and be aware that private transport is now nearly the only dependable option for crossing the city.
Walkability
Vedado is one of the better districts in Havana for walking. It was laid out on a regular grid with wide streets, and its main artery, Calle 23, runs straight from the eastern edge of the district to the Malecón. The Malecón itself is a famous waterfront promenade and a popular place for social gatherings. Calle 23 is also the centre of the city's gay scene, with entertainment options clustered between the Cinema Yara and the Coppelia ice cream parlour, and down to the foot of 23rd at the Malecón.
Within Vedado you can comfortably walk between the University of Havana, the hotels along the waterfront, Coppelia, John Lennon Park, and the Colon Cemetery area, though the heat and the condition of some pavements are worth planning around. For anything beyond the district — Old Havana to the east, Miramar to the west — you will want wheels.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Havana's international airport is outside the city centre, and the practical options for reaching Vedado are taxis and pre-arranged transfers. Metered taxis are available at the airport and can take you into the city and to your accommodation. Private taxis and collective cars also operate, and given the strain on public transport, a taxi is the most straightforward arrival option. If you prefer to arrange something in advance, car rental agencies are usually associated with hotels and resorts, and many visitors arrange a driver through their casa particular or hotel.
Once you are in Vedado, the district's grid and its position between Central Havana to the east and Miramar to the west make it a convenient base — provided you budget for taxis and keep your plans flexible, since the city's buses cannot be relied upon.