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Take the bus, Gus.
Best way to keep your budget on a roll is to travel by Viazul which is, in our humble opinion the best-run tourist business in Cuba : modern, clean and safe equipment, reclining seats, reasonable speed — 40-50 mph average — always on time, no loud music (none at all, really), manned by two professionals (a driver and a ticket/bagage handler) in non-freezing, air-conditioned safety.
• Located in Nuevo Vedado on Avenida 26, corner of Zoologico, past the cemetery, in front of the Zoo.
• Fares are payable in Convertible Pesos or by credit card.
• Phone (7) 81-1413, 81-5652 or 81-1108 Fax : (7) 66-6092 If main lines are busy, dial fax, someone will answer.
• Viazul also carries unaccompanied packages large and small.
• Contact viazul @transnet.cu
• www.viazul.cu/home_eng.htm : schedules below were taken from that site. Check site for latest info.
• A bus is called a guagua (gwa-gwa).
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Daily Viazul routes, schedules & fares
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RETURN TRIP
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From
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To |
Duration
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Fare (cuc)
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Leaves |
Arrives |
Leaves |
Arrives |
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Havana
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Trinidad
via E. de Jaguey (2h10, 12cuc : for Playa Giron) & Cienfuegos (3h05, 20cuc)
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5h35
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25
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08h15
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14h00
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07h45
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13h20
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13h00
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18h45
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15h15
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20h50
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Varadero
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Trinidad
via Cienfuegos (4h35)
& Santa Clara (3h20, 11cuc) |
5h55
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20
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07h30
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13h55
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14h25
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20h40
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Duration
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Fare (cuc)
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Two daily
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Havana
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Viñales
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3h15
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12
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09h00
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12h15
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08h00
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10h55
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14h00
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16h25
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14h00
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16h55
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Havana
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Pinar del Rio
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2h20
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11
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09h00
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11h25
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08h50
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10h55
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14h00
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17h15
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14h50
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16h55
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Duration |
Fare (cuc)
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Three daily
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Havana
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Varadero
stops in
• Matanzas town
• Varadero airport
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3hrs
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10
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08h00
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10h45
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08h00
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10h50
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12h00
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14h40
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11h40
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14h05
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18h00
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20h45
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16h00
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18h55
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Cross-country & intra-city multi-stop
each stop is 10 minutes
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Two daily
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Read from bottom
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Havana
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to/from
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Duration |
Fare
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09h30
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15h00
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01h25
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07h05
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Santa Clara
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4h10
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18
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13h40
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19h25
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21h50
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23h25
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Sancti Spiritus
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5h30
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23
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15h00
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20h55
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20h30
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02h00
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Ciego de Avila
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6h35
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27
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16h05
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22h05
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18h10
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00h30
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Camaguey
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8h35
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33
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18h05
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00h05
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16h30
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22h40
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Las Tunas
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11h20
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39
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20h50
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02h05
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13h40
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19h55
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Holguin
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12h35
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44
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22h05
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03h20
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12h25
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14h40
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Bayamo
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13h55
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44
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23h25
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04h40
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11h05
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17h20
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Santiago
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15h05
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51
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01h35
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06h50
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09h00
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15h15
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Above route also stops in Florida, between Ciego de Avila and Camaguey. |
Read from top
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Leaves
Santiago
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Oriente daytime & intra-city multi-stop
each stop is 10 minutes
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One daily
each way
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Trinidad
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to/from
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Duration |
Fare
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08h15
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07h00
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Sancti Spiritus
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1h25
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6
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09h40
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05h30
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Ciego de Avila
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3h45
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8
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11h00
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04h00
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Camaguey
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5h30
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15
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13h45
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02h10
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Las Tunas
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7h30
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22
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15h45
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00h10
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Holguin
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8h45
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26
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17h00
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22h55
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Bayamo
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10h05
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26
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18h20
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21h35
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Santiago
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12h15
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33
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20h30
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19h30
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Above route also stops in Florida, between Ciego de Avila and Camaguey. |
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Duration
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Fare
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Leaves |
Arrives |
RETURN TRIP
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Santiago
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Baracoa
via El Cristo, La Maya, Guantánamo, San Antonio and Imías
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5h
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15
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07h45
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12h35
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14h15
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19h05
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In February 2006 Cuba purchased 8,000 new busses from China, 800 of which are already carrying Cubans and tourists on the island, the rest being added on a yearly basis over a few years. Chosen for their comfort, low fuel consumption and quality/price ratio, these Yutong-brand busses will eventually replace its high-pollutin', gas-guzzlin', amarikan dinosaurs.
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The national bus transportation service is called Astro, and its terminal (also called Astro) is in Vedado, near the Plaza de la Revolucion, part of a mall with shops, a bank and fast food.
Now air-conditioned, the Astro fleet has been recently changed (Dec 05) for brand-new Yutong, Chinese-made modern coaches with all the comforts required for inter-provincial travel and they're manned by two gentlemen.
Temporary problem (nov. 06) : toilets can't be used because the special liquid they require has not yet arrived from China.
This being the national service, it caters mostly to Cubans who pay in Cuban pesos (Moneda nacional), while foreigners are welcome with their Cuban Convertible pesos.
Sample fares : Cienfuegos 14 cuc, Pinar del Rio 7, Santa Clara 12, Santiago de Cuba 35, Trinidad 21, Varadero 10
Avenida de la Independencia y Calle 19 de Mayo Tel (7) 830-4000 · 830-3300 |
Astro Bus in Holguin © sogestour
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Highway Guide • Guide de Routes
• 40 pages on major cities,
• 12 double-page maps of the island,
• 10 double-page maps of La Habana,
• Index of 2.500 cities, towns and villages,
• 16 pages on exits and highway crossroads,
• Cupet-Cimex gas stations locations.
Trilingual (Español, English, Français), published by — and available from Havanautos (CIMEX) rental car offices and some hotels for about 10 cuc.
Edited by Percorsi Immaginari of Roma, Italia
Contact : azludovici @libero.it.
Published in 2004 (We assume, 'cause it's not shown).
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