cuba en tren

by cuba-individual.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> Introduction <

__Habana - Matanzas (Hershey)

____Matanzas - Santa Clara ("Guantanamero")

______Santa Clara - Caibarien (local)

________Santa Clara - Guantánamo ("Guantanamero")

__________Santiago de Cuba - Camaguey ("tren frances")

____________Camaguey - Moron (local)

>>>_________Moron - Santa Clara (local; linea norte)

________________Santa Clara - Habana ("el espirituano")


 

Journey:

Moron - Santa Clara

Date: 25.07.2006

Train: #80; 12:21

Price: 5.10 CUP

Trip Notes: Train #80 entered Moron at the scheduled time with a yellow-green loco and six coaches (Rumanian box cars and coaches as you can see from the photo I have taken from the Nuevitas-Moron-Santa Clara train near the Camajuani section of the trip.

The train was rather full and since there was no guaranteed seating, so people were anxious to get on-board as soon as possible. One of the coaches had to be replaced because of its poor condition. They did this task with same locomotive that was pulling the train. Because the train was so full they had to add two additional Rumanian coaches. They first brought the three coaches but the one at the back of the train they moved to a side track. People were unaware of what was going on and they were very surprised when there coache was moved to another part of the station.

(I was also seated in the rear coach, so when I had to change coaches again I was not able to get a window seat to take pictures because of the number of people already on-board – I also had to look after my baggage so pictures were out of the question – one of the little problems when traveling alone.)

After about an hour delay, train #80 left for Santa Clara. It is a very pleasant trip as the train meanders though the mountains. Most of the people were traveling from Nuevitas or Moron to Santa Clara. Not many people got on or off at the intermediary stations.

Before arriving at Camajuani, I saw a Caharata waiting on a side track – I think I read that it comes from Placetas. It trailed us all the way to Camajuani. At Camajuani, we could not enter the station as the train to Caibarien was still there. So once again we were delayed and arrived at Santa Clara around 20:30 . The trip was very nice and I would strongly recommend it.

Moron station Notes: At about 12:00 o'clock there was a train waiting to depart for Ciego de Avila. This caused a lot of confusion for passengers as the train from Nuevitas to Santa Clara was also waiting. They opened the doors to the platform to everybody and the passengers did not know which train was leaving to which place – total chaos.

Useful information: You have to buy your ticket one hour prior to the trains departure. The ticket can be purchased inside the station and is payable in CUP. There are two queues, one for the train to Ciego de Avila, the other one for Santa Clara . There are always enough tickets available but no reserved seating. The trip is very nice and it is a good time to travel because you leave about at 12:30 and arrive in Santa Clara at about 20:00 so the whole journey by daytime.

For example you could combine this journey like this: Habana (or Matanzas if you have a flight to Varadero) -> Ciego de Avila (national train) -> Moron (local train) -> Santa Clara (local train, north line) -> Habana/Matanzas (national train)

Picture: Ticket (above = front; below = back)

 

Picture: The railway station at Moron

 

Picture: One of the coaches used by the trains of the north Line. A coach of this type was that they had to uncouple in Moron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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