Traffic in Cuba
The traffic in Cuba includes a system of road, rail, waterways and airports.
railroad
→ Main article Rail transport in Cuba
- Total network: 11,968 km (4226 km + 7742 km)
- Regular rail network ( standard gauge ): 4226 km; 140 km electrified
- Another 7,742 km of railroad tracks are used on sugar plantations. 65 percent of them are standard gauge, the remainder are narrow gauge (as of 2003). In 2010 the network of sugar railways was only around 5000 km and it is being further rationalized, with many routes being transferred to the UFC (Unión de Ferrocarriles de Cuba).
The Spanish Empire's first railroad was built in Cuba even before it began in the Iberian Peninsula in 1848 . Although the current rail infrastructure dates from colonial or early republican times, the main route between Havana and Santiago de Cuba is enjoying increasing reliability and popularity with tourists who have to purchase tickets in convertible pesos . As is usual in Cuba's public transport , the vehicles are second-hand. The flagship Tren francés ("French train"), which runs between Havana and Santiago, was originally used as a Trans-Europe-Express (TEE) between the capitals Paris and Amsterdam . The train now consists of only 8-10 wagons and a locomotive made in China.
The main routes Habana - Pinar del Rio - Guane, Habana - Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara - Morón - Nuevitas, Habana - Aguada de Pasajeros - Cienfuegos are currently (February 2010) under repair, some branch lines, such as Santa Clara - Sagua la Grande have already been redeveloped.
With the order and delivery of now 62 new locomotives from China, which were specially built for the Cuban rail network, availability has improved significantly. They are mainly used in front of passenger trains and freight trains in long-distance traffic. The Tren francés between Havana and Santiago is one of the passenger trains that are regularly hauled by these vehicles. Further orders for a total of 100 Chinese locomotives as well as 200 Iranian passenger coaches and also Iranian freight wagons have been placed.
Road traffic
The Cuban road network includes:
-
Total: 60,858 km
- Paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway )
- Unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 estimate)
Most of the highways are on Carretera Central as well as Via Blanca and Via Azul , all of which existed before the 1959 revolution .
Car traffic
With the victory of the revolution in 1959 and the subsequent embargo , imports of US cars, which had been flourishing up to that point, came to a complete standstill. Since then, it has no longer been possible for private individuals to buy new vehicles. In the period that followed, new cars were imported from Eastern Europe and, more recently, from China, but these vehicles mostly remained in the hands of the state and were assigned to members of the government, high-ranking military personnel and, occasionally, doctors, lawyers or teachers according to strict rules. They could not be sold or inherited. These rules did not apply to the vehicles that were in the country before the revolution. That's why the old Fords, Chevys, Buicks and others are carefully preserved and cared for. And so they still shape the sparse car traffic on Cuba's streets. Since October 2011, the private trade in used cars between the Cubans has been legal again. However, the state retains its monopoly on importing new cars. In December 2013, a further liberalization of the car market was decided, which is to be implemented gradually from 2014. For example, the state restrictions on new car purchases for private individuals are to be eliminated. A permit from the Ministry of Transport ( carta de autorización ) is no longer necessary. This regulation covers motorcycles, cars, light trucks and minibuses. However, the prices are exorbitantly high. A Peugeot 508 I costs 262,000 US dollars, around eight times more than in Europe. According to the government, the luxury surcharges should benefit the modernization of local public transport.
Long-distance buses
There are two different networks of long-distance buses in Cuba: On the one hand, Viazul buses, which run between the tourist cities and can only be paid for in convertible pesos , and the ASTRO buses, which are mainly intended for Cubans and have a much denser route network, and especially for the Cuban population and can be paid in Moneda nacional and are therefore much cheaper than the Viazul buses.
Both companies now operate modern, air-conditioned long-distance coaches from the Chinese manufacturer Yutong . With their introduction in the ASTRO network, fares for Cubans also increased significantly, which is a problem with the very low incomes that are common there.
City buses
In Havana , urban public transport is operated with the help of a colored selection of imported buses from the Soviet Union or Canada . Most of these vehicles are second hand, such as the 1500 decommissioned Dutch buses donated to Cuba in the mid-1990s. Copies of the yellow school buses , common throughout North America and imported from Canada, can also be seen in Cuban cities. The famous Sattelzug- or camel buses that can carry up to 200 passengers, were taken out of service in Havana in April 2008 and now operate in the provinces of the country. They have been replaced by Chinese Yutong buses.
After the Spanish city of Seville switched its fleet to natural gas- powered buses, the IVECO buses that had been decommissioned were donated to the city of Havana. These buses, painted in light orange, still bear the original inscription Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla, SAM , as well as Seville's city arms.
The then Vice President of the State Council , Carlos Lage , announced in 2007 that Cuba would import a further 1,142 Chinese-style buses by the end of the year to improve urban public transport.
license plate
As of May 2013, the old, colored license plates will be converted to uniform white with a blue or white bar, similar to the EU standard. This promises a reduction in administrative and production costs.
| New license plates from 2013 | |
|---|---|
| Letter | Explanation |
| A. | administration |
| C. | Diplomatic Corps |
| D. | Diplomatic Corps |
| E. | Diplomatic Corps |
| F. | Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (Army) |
| K | Foreigners |
| M. | Home Office |
| T | Rental cars for tourists |
The old license plates, which are still valid for a transitional period until around the beginning of 2015, are:
| Old license plates until 2013 | |
|---|---|
| colour | Explanation |
| black | Diplomats |
| White | minister |
| yellow | Private vehicle |
| blue | state vehicle |
| green | army |
| orange | foreign entrepreneurs |
Shipping
The navigable river network is a total of 240 km.
Ports
Important seaports :
Merchant fleet
Total fleet : 13 ships of 1000 GRT or more, a total of 54,818 GRT
Ship types:
- Bulk carrier : 3
- Cargo ships : 4
- Gas tankers : 1
- Oil tanker : 3
- Freezer : 2
Ships registered in other countries: 35 (estimate: 2003)
Air traffic
Airlines
In addition to the state-owned airline ( Cubana de Aviación ), there are two other larger airlines: Aerocaribbean and Aerogaviota . Both fly on modern European or Russian aircraft.
Airports
In 2003 there were an estimated 170 airports in Cuba.
Airports with paved runways
- Total: 79
-
Runway length :
- over 3047 m: 7
- 2438 to 3047 m: 9
- 1524 to 2437 m: 20
- 914 to 1523 m: 6
- below 914 m: 37
Airports with unpaved runways
- Total: 91
-
Runway length :
- 914 to 1523 m: 29
- below 914 m: 62
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cuba - Rail Page Australia ™ Forum (Central and South America)
- ^ Richard Schweid: Che's Chevrolet, Fidel's Oldsmobile. On the road in Cuba. UNC Press 2004, ISBN 978-0-8078-5887-5 .
- ↑ Sandra Weiß: Havanna allows trade in used cars , Der Standard , October 30, 2011
- ↑ Desde este sábado se podrán vender o donar los autos, confirma Ministra de Justicia , Cubadebate of September 30, 2011
- ↑ Entrarán en vigor nuevas regulaciones para la venta minorista de vehículos , Granma of December 19, 2013
- ↑ El exorbitante precio de los autos en Cuba: hasta US $ 262,000 per un Peugeot , BBC Mundo of January 3, 2013
- ↑ Cuba to assemble chinese buses | Cuba News Headlines. Cuban Daily News
- ↑ Entrega de 16 autobuses de TUSSAM a la Habana como gesto solidario ( Memento of the original of September 26, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Press release from the City of Seville
- ↑ Cuba praises high quality of Chinese-made buses
- ↑ Cuba cambiará Matriculas de identificación de vehículos. April 29, 2013, Retrieved July 25, 2013 (Spanish).
