Orientation: A Compact City on the Carretera Central
Las Tunas sits along the Carretera Central, the island's main highway, roughly between Camagüey, Holguín and Bayamo. That position matters for visitors: it makes the city a natural stopover on a cross-country trip, and it means most of your onward connections run along the same corridor. The city centre is the reparto known as Primero, and the local airport, Hermanos Ameijeiras, lies in the northern suburb — in the reparto fittingly named Aeropuerto.
Las Tunas is the capital of the province of the same name, and it is known in Cuba as the "City of Sculpture" for the artistic installations scattered through its centre. It is also in the least-visited province in the country, which has a practical upside: you are unlikely to be fighting crowds for seats, taxis or beds. The city has two international hotels, Hotel Las Tunas and Hotel Cadillac, plus a large stock of B&Bs.
Getting Around the City
Las Tunas is a modest provincial capital rather than a sprawling metropolis, and the practical reality is that visitors cover most of it on foot or in a taxi. There is no metro and no tram network here — those simply do not exist in Las Tunas, and any guide suggesting otherwise is wrong. Your realistic options are walking, taxis, and the intercity bus and rail services that happen to pass through town.
Rail
Las Tunas has a railway station on the principal Havana–Santiago de Cuba line, and it also sits on a secondary line to Manatí. This makes the train a genuine option for arriving in or leaving the city, and it is generally the cheapest way to cover long distances — a ticket from Havana, for example, is priced at a fraction of a bus fare.
Be aware that long-distance rail service in Cuba is infrequent. Trains on the main line do not run daily, so if you plan to use the railway, build flexibility into your schedule rather than assuming you can turn up and depart the same day. The station itself is on Camilo Cienfuegos Avenue, between Lucas Ortiz and Frank País, and can be reached by phone at (53) 31349654.
Buses and Other Public Transport
For intercity travel, the bus is the most practical no-car option. Viazul, the bus line aimed at travellers, runs direct services between Havana's Terminal de Ómnibus Nacionales and Las Tunas, and Ómnibus Nacionales also serves the route. Departures are spread through the day rather than clustered, so you can usually find a departure that suits you.
The useful detail for a visitor already in Las Tunas is that Viazul keeps an office at the Las Tunas bus station, open around the clock, where you can make reservations for any of its routes. That makes the bus station your first stop if you want to book onward travel rather than arranging it online in advance.
A second booking channel is Conectando Cuba, which is arranged through the Cubanacan Travel Agency. If you prefer to have someone else handle the logistics, that is the route to take.
Within the city itself, do not expect a metro-style network or a formal urban bus system aimed at visitors. Local movement is handled largely by taxis, shared vehicles and walking.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the straightforward way to move around Las Tunas when you do not want to walk, and they are also the sensible choice for reaching the airport or the bus and rail stations with luggage. Because the city is small and the province is lightly touristed, you are generally negotiating for a car rather than competing in a queue.
Car rental is available in Las Tunas through Transtur and Via. Renting gives you the most independence, particularly if you want to explore beyond the city, but it also means dealing with Cuban roads and the Carretera Central yourself. For most short stays, hiring a driver by the trip is the simpler calculation.
Walkability
The centre of Las Tunas is compact and walkable, and walking is the best way to see the sculptures and artistic installations that give the city its nickname. The reparto structure — Primero as the city centre, with Segundo, La Victoria, Aguilera and others around it — means the places a visitor wants to reach are generally close together.
The main exception is the airport, which sits in the northern suburb and is not a comfortable walk from the centre, especially with bags. Treat that as a taxi trip.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Las Tunas is served by Hermanos Ameijeiras Airport, located in the northern suburb of the city. Because it sits within the municipality rather than far outside it, the transfer into the centre is short — this is not a long airport-to-city haul.
For practical purposes, arrange a taxi or a pre-booked transfer. There is no metro or tram link to the airport, and the suburban location makes walking impractical with luggage.
If your plans involve international flights, note that the nearest international airports are Frank País Airport in Holguín and Ignacio Agramonte Airport in Camagüey, both of which are reached overland. Viazul runs a service between Holguín Airport and Las Tunas, which is a convenient way to connect the two if you are flying into Holguín and continuing to Las Tunas. For travellers coming from Havana, there is also a shuttle bus connection to Hotel Las Tunas.
Practical Summary
- On foot: the best way to cover the city centre and its sculptures.
- Taxi: your tool for the airport, the stations, and anything beyond walking distance.
- Car rental: available through Transtur and Via if you want independence.
- Bus: the main intercity option; book at the Viazul office in the Las Tunas bus station, open 24 hours, or through Conectando Cuba via the Cubanacan Travel Agency.
- Train: cheapest long-distance option, with a station on the Havana–Santiago de Cuba line and a branch to Manatí — but services are infrequent, so plan around them rather than assuming daily departures.
- Airport: Hermanos Ameijeiras is in the northern suburb; take a taxi. For international flights, look to Holguín or Camagüey.