cuba en tren
____Matanzas - Santa Clara ("Guantanamero")
>>>______Santa Clara - Caibarien (local train)
________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:
Santa Clara - Caibarien
Date: 25.06.2006
Train: #337; 17:30
Price: 1.90 CUP
Trip Notes: Train #337 leaves Santa Clara everyday – it is a train pulled by a yellow locomotive with five Rumanian coaches. The train was full after Carmita station, before leaving in Santa Clara station about half of the seats were occupied. There were a lot of people using the train for only a journey of one or two stations, so at every station there were a lot of people getting off and on the train.
At Camajuani, where the railway branches towards Caibarien, we had to wait on the branch line until the train from Nuevitas and Moron passed by, the train was packed with passengers on their way to Santa Clara. From Camajuani to the branch line to Caibarien the locomotive pushed the train backwards. Many passengers got off at Remedios and we reached Caibarien with only a 30-minute delay.
Santa Clara station Notes: The same day that they were selling tickets for train #332 to Cienfuegos, the train to Vega Alta was cancelled.
Caibarien station Notes: There´s a Carahata (see picture) at Caibarien which does journeys to Remedios. I did not get the information at which hour, because I wanted to go to Remedios by the Carahata, they told me that the Carahata will leave at 12:00 but finally we were transported by an Italian bus to Remedios. At the information desk, they told me: There´s only one train #338 leaving at 04:21 daily to Santa Clara (this was to early for me - because of this I tried to travel at least to Remedios by the Carahata). Train #340 leaving at 13:00 to Santa Clara leaves only on Sundays. Train #346 to seemed to be a motor coach, leaving every second day at 17:27.
Useful Information: You need to buy your tickets in Santa Clara across the park from the train station. There you will find a special counter for local trains located within the inner courtyard. I paid 1.90 CUP and you should buy your tickets two to three hours prior to departure.
Picture: Ticket (above = front; below = back)
Picture: One of the coaches of the Nuevitas-Moron-Santa Clara train we were waiting to cross the Camajuani station
Picture: Between Camajuani and Caibarien
Picture: Carahata at the Caibarien station (28.06.2006)
Picture: A railcar at the Caibarien station (28.06.2006). Used for the Caibarien-Sagua trip
Picture: Carahata at Caibarien station (29.06.2006), some guys playing baseball. Unfortunately it wasn't leaving as I was told at 12:00 to Remedios - so I had to catch a bus.