Santiago de Cuba Travel Guide

By Plane

Direct international scheduled and charter flights arrive at the Aeropuerto Internacional Antonio Maceo (tel. 22/69-1053; airport code SCU). Airlines regularly servicing Santiago include Air Jamaica, Air Transat, Condor Airways, Copa, and Cubana. Charter flights run between Miami and Santiago several times each week.

Daily flights connect Santiago with Havana and other Cuban cities via AeroCaribbean (tel. 22/68-7255 in Santiago, or 7/33-4543 in Havana) and Cubana (tel. 22/65-1578 in Santiago, or 7/33-4446 in Havana; www.cubana.cu). A one-way fare between Havana and Santiago runs between CUC$100 and CUC$120. Flight duration is roughly 2 hours.

The airport is 8km (5 miles) south of the city. There are several car-rental agencies at the airport. The quickest and safest way to the city is by registered taxi; the trip into town is CUC$7 to CUC$10.

By Bus

Víazul's (tel. 22/62-8484 in Santiago, or 7/881-1413 in Havana; www.viazul.com) Havana-Santiago de Cuba line, with stops in Santa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey, Bayamo, and Holguín, is the best way to get to Santiago by bus, especially if you're planning to see any points of interest between Cuba's two main cities. For the 16-hour trip from Havana, buses depart at 9:30am, 3pm, and 10pm, arriving at 1:35am, 6:50am, and 11:30am, respectively (CUC$55 one-way). From Trinidad (tel. 419/2404), a bus leaves daily at 8am and arrives at 8:15pm (CUC$36 one-way). From Camagüey (tel. 32/27-0194), the trip is about 7 hours; buses leave at 12:10am and 6:30am, and 1:30pm and 4:20pm (CUC$20 one-way). Buses depart Santiago for Havana at 9am, 3:15pm, and 10pm.

Víazul also has once daily service between Santiago and Baracoa, leaving Santiago at 7:45am and returning from Baracoa at 2:15pm. Duration is 4 hours and 50 minutes; fare is CUC$17 one-way.

The Terminal de Omnibuses (tel. 22/62-8484) for Víazul and less-comfortable Astro buses (the offices are next door to each other) is located on Avenida de los Libertadores at the corner of Avenida Yarayó, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) from Parque Céspedes. A taxi to downtown costs about CUC$3.

By Train

The Cuban ferrocarril (railway) is relatively dependable, but delays, mid-run breakdowns, and other problems are still quite common. Taking the train is a potentially adventurous experience for those who wish to see the "real Cuba," but can be frustrating for those who need to adhere to a schedule.

A special fast train, also known as the "French Train" or "Tren Francés," travels from Havana to Santiago (12 hr. with stops in Santa Clara and Camagüey). It offers primera especial (CUC$62) and primera clase (CUC$50) service, featuring reclining seats, air-conditioning, and cafeteria services. Prices are discounted by 50% for children under 7 years old, and Ferrotur claims it will refund the fare if arrival is more than 1 hour late. Daily departure from Havana in the high season is at 6:05pm, arriving at 6:30am in Santiago.

Other services include the following regular trains (also with air-conditioning and food services on board): no. 11, departing Central Station in Havana at 3:15pm and arriving at 5:15am, and no. 43, leaving La Coubre Station in Havana at 6:20am and arriving at 11pm (both CUC$32). Train schedules change frequently, and depending on the season, many trains don't operate on a daily basis; verify the current schedule by calling tel. 7/862-1920 or 7/861-4259, though it's often better to go in person to the train station and purchase tickets at least a day in advance.

In Santiago, the large, modern Terminal Central de Ferrocarriles is located on Avenida Jesús Menéndez at Paseo de Martí (tel. 22/62-2836), across from the Caney rum factory.

By Car

Driving to Santiago is a good way to see the breadth of the country. The six-lane, toll-free Autopista Nacional (A1) and the Carretera Central run the length of Cuba, straight down the spine of the country from Pinar del Río to Santiago. However, east from Sancti Spíritus it is just two lanes just about the entire way to Santiago, and the going can be slow at times, since there are equal numbers of cars, trucks, horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and pedestrians making use of the Carretera Central. Santiago is 860km (533 miles) east of Havana, 127km (79 miles) east of Bayamo, and 134km (83 miles) southeast of Holguín.