Getting around Havana, Cuba

Transportation as with nearly all of the public service in Cuba, is tightly regulated by the government. Thus getting around Havana is both safe and the price for a taxi relatively predictable.

The majority of taxis in Havana do not use meters, but rather standard prices based on "zones" within the city. Travel within Old Havana, Vedada, Central Havana zones usually comes with a price tag of $8-10 CUC (US dollars not accepted unless traveling from the airport). Travel between these zones or longer distances will cost slightly more, usually $10 - 12 CUC.

There are several options for transportation in Havana including public buses, hop-on hop-off buses, classic cars, coconut cabs, pedal carriages and taxis. Regardless of the type of transportation, always be very clear about the price as many drivers will try to add on a few CUCs if you're not careful and specific about your planned drop off site.

The level of comfort is dependent not he type of taxi used. Older classic car taxi (typically used by most of the locals), there is not always air conditioning and the interior of the taxi usually is slightly worn compared to the more modern taxis. Remodeled, typically convertible classic car transportation is expensive ($40 -$60 CUC), but the cars are luxurious and certainly with the ride if you're willing to splurge.

My suggestion is to take different types of taxis and modes of transportation depending on the planned travel distance and budget. The open "coconut" taxis are perfect for short distances in less congested areas. This is also the case for pedal powered transportation. In high-traffic areas, say in central Havana, diesel fume exposure in coconut cabs make the trip very unpleasant.

Pedal-powered (bikes with carriage) transportation is best when getting around Old Havana, particularly after you've walked many miles exploring the wonderful shops and restaurants. The usual price is less than $5 CUCs thus providing a perfect route to affordable tour guides along with a highly unique and memorable experience.

Which form of transportation should you take in Havana? My suggestion is to try them all..........