Trains in Cuba

The Railways of Cuba are the oldest in Latin America. The first line was opened in 1836 between Havana and Bejucal during colonial times. It was the first railway line in the Spanish empire. In the decades following the railway lines were extended quickly all over Cuba.

In the 1920 several major rail companies were consolidated. These were nationalized after the revolution triumphed in 1959 giving birth to the National Railways of Cuba (Ferrocuba). The rail system was deteriorating in the following decades because the U.S. embargo.

After the year 2000 through the economic the Cuban government began to improve several segments of the railway. Also secondhand locomotives and wagons in good condition were purchased in several European countries. In the last few years Ferrocuba with the help of Venezuela and Iran began to reform the entire rail system from new trains to total repair of the railway.

The national railway has a length of more than 4200 km. Between Casablanca and Matanzas operates the Electric Railway of Cuba. Before the revolution this was owned by the Hershey Chocolate Corporation of Pennsylvania. Even today it is popularly known as the "Tren Hershey". This line is the only electrified.

The Ministry of Sugar (MINAZ) has a railway network of more than 7700 km in length, which is used to transport the cane to the mills, but today in many places, this transport is done with trucks.

Check time tables at horariodebuses.com.