Taxis in Cuba, summer of 2018

In Cuba you can choose between three main types of transport to get across the country: bus, taxi or car rental. Getting around by taxi is one of the most convenient ways of travel because its pricing is comparable to bus tickets for a group of 4, or a family.

We traveled around Cuba in taxis only. It is the most comfortable way to get from address A to address B, fast.

Taxi prices in Cuba

For a family of 4, the taxi prices are very much competitive with bus ticket prices. When you calculate a longer distance price, you should most probably decide for taking a cab instead of a bus. And also the time savings – for example, the bus from Trinidad to Varadero takes 6 hours, while the taxi will take you in less than 3 hours. Here is the pricing of our taxi rides in Cuba:

Transportation From – To	Oneway price
Havana – Playas d’Este	15 CUC
Havana Center – Havana Airport (HAV)	15 CUC
Havana Center – Havana ZOO	20 CUC
Havana Center – Havana Aquarium	15 CUC
Havana Vieja Bus stop – Casa de Sergio and Miriam, Habana Vieja	5 CUC
Havana – Cienfuegos	80 CUC
Cienfuegos – El Nicho – Trinidad (whole day trip)	80 CUC
Cienfuegos – Playa Rancho Luna	18 CUC
Trinidad – Playa Ancon	16 CUC
Trinidad – Varadero	80 CUC

The price shown is for the whole taxi transport, up to 4 people. The return ride has an equal price. You should always plan the return ride with the taxi driver and normally they will wait for you at the agreed time and place to take you back for the equal price.

Licensed taxis in Cuba

There are huge fees for tourists taking a non-licensed taxi. When offered on the street, you should always check if the taxi has a valid license. On most of the roads, there are police checks with automatic detection of license plates. An illegal taxi would get stopped very soon.

You can choose between state-owned and private taxis. Both are legal.

taxi cuba — State-owned taxis are yellow and mainly Chinese (Geely) or new Ladas with airconditioning. These are mostly overpriced.

peugeot taxi — Perfectly legal taxi with a license. Owned by a private company. These were almost always our choice since the price matched our budget. Some of them lack air conditioning.

Taxi drivers are extremely nice and helpful in Cuba. They will also serve as your tour guide by pointing out main sightseeing attractions while you seat on the backseat. They will even stop and let you see and take a photo. Many of them will engage in a conversation about life in Cuba and how they see the rest of the world.