A number of airlines under the CASCA banner operate regional flights within Cuba. Cubana (website: www.cubana.cu) and AeroCaribbean (website: www.aero-caribbean.com) are the principal carriers, operating flights between Havana and Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo. Newcomer Aerogaviota (website: www.aerogaviota.com) has picked up some of the smaller routes and operates private charters. Aerotaxi operates ancient Russian bi-planes, and should be avoided if possible.

The national rail company is Ferrocarriles de Cuba, often shortened to Ferrocuba (tel: (7) 862 4888 or 861 4259 for train times in Havana or (22) 622 836 for train times in Santiago de Cuba). There is no official website, but further information is available from The Man in Seat Sixty-One (website: www.seat61.com/Cuba.htm). The principal rail route is from Havana to Santiago de Cuba. Some trains on this route have air conditioning and refreshments. There are also through trains from Havana to other towns. Previously, the rail network connected the vast majority of the country but has been badly affected by natural disasters and now only certain parts of the country are accessible by rail. The trains are slow and punctuality does not seem to be a priority, but journeys are scenic and relaxing.

What traffic there is here drives on the right. Cubans are not allowed to own cars, and outside of major cities almost the only vehicles on the road are agricultural deliveries, whose drivers know their routes by heart. As a result, signposting is a low priority. Buy the best map available at home as they are in short supply here. Large sections of the autopista (motorway) are in a diabolical condition, potholed and poorly lit; to join or exit the motorway, drivers must often cross oncoming lanes, assuming lane markers exist. With heavy goods traffic concentrated on the motorway, many provincial primary roads are in fairly good condition. Always stop at level crossings, which are often unmarked and almost always un-gated. The lack of traffic makes Cuba a popular choice for cycling tours.

Coach/bus: Avoid the overcrowded public bus service provided by Astro. Instead, choose Viazul (tel: (7) 881 1413; website: www.viazul.cu), with daily well-appointed coaches connecting most major cities.

Car hire: All car hire companies are state-owned and badly organised. Prices are negotiable up to a point, but expect to be delayed when picking up the vehicle.

Regulations: Speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on the motorway, 90kph (56mph) on primary roads (highways), 60kph (37mph) on rural roads, 50kph (31mph) on urban roads and 40kph (25mph) near schools. Motorcycle traffic police and stationary check points are common, and they are usually very strict. Drivers must be aged 21 or over.

Documentation: Valid national driving licence required.

Plentiful buses, minibuses and shared taxis criss-cross Havana, but are almost always overcrowded.

Taxis: Opt for a modern air-conditioned vehicle, or for special occasions a vintage American car (available at the best hotels). All official taxis have meters, but fares should be agreed before departure in ‘private taxis' that are hailed on the street. The latter are often old Ladas with blacked-out windows (private taxis are illegal but informally tolerated and in general safe). Watch out for taxis with ‘broken' meters, especially at airports, and in Old Havana. In view of serious accidents that have involved tourists, travellers should not use mopeds or the three-wheel coco-taxis that are seen around tourist areas.

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Havana to other major towns in Cuba.

	Air	Road
Varadero	0.15	2.00
Trinidad	0.20	5.00
Santiago de Cuba	1.15	17.00
Pinar del Rio	0.15	2.00