Catching a taxi in Cuba is easy, cheap and a great way to get around. A Cuba taxi can come in different forms, from private to shared (collectivo), booked ahead of time or spur of the moment.

No matter what type of colorful Cuba taxi you book, there’s some great advice to make things go smooth and easy.

If you’re looking to book a taxi in Cuba – here’s what you need to know.

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What you need to know about Collectivo Taxis in Cuba

Taxis in Cuba are common. They are everywhere in the tourist areas, and are often classic style vehicles from the 1950s.

Cuba taxis have a number of rules imposed on their passengers to help make the process clear and easy to follow.

While Cuban taxis are everywhere, tourists are only allowed to hire one that charge in CUC (not in CUP).

Just by walking around tourist hot spots, you’ll often get offered multiple taxis offering tours and transport to common traveler destinations around Cuba.

Chances are you’ll catch some Cuban taxis as part of your Cuba travel itinerary.

 

What is a collectivo taxi

A collectivo in Cuba is a shared taxi. Instead of a taxi just for you/your group, a Cuba colllectivo taxi will pick up other passengers along the way.

These common Cuban taxis take tourists from one destination to another, like a taxi from Havana to Trinidad, or a day trip to many places throughout the country.

Collectivo taxis in Cuba can be all different shapes and sizes. Most of these shared taxis in Cuba are regular classic cars that are iconic to Cuba. They fit 4-5 travelers (not including the driver) and usually have a heap of luggage space.

If you hear the word “almendrones”, this is the same style of car. It’s just the local name for a shared taxi in Cuba.

 

How much is a taxi in Cuba

Paying for a taxi in Cuba is pretty simple – as tourists, we are only able to take those that charge CUC for the fares. To be clear, 1 CUC = 1 U.S. Dollar, it is a direct swap, one for one.

Read more about accessing money in Cuba here.

Typically, you’ll be looking at a 1 CUC flat fee. This is added to the fare before you even get in the cab. For the actual drive, you’re looking at 1 CUC every kilometer.

So, for a 10km journey, you’re looking roughly 10 CUC for the trip, plus the 1 CUC flat fee – so 11 CUC all up.

However, this is a rough guide. You will have to sometimes negotiate a price, as some taxi drivers will increase their prices to make things more profitable.

For example, from Cienfuegos to Playa Giron (where some great scuba diving in Cuba can be found), my group of 3 were quoted 50 CUC for the 80km journey – shopping around found a much more reasonable 30 CUC in total.

As with most places, your negotiating skills will likely be needed to get a fair price for everyone involved.

At certain times, you’ll be forced to pay a little more for your taxi right. Another example is a taxi from Hose Marti International Airport into the city of Havana.

If you’re in need of a taxi late at night or early in the morning, you’re looking around 30 CUC, instead of 20-25 CUC for throughout the day.

It’s worth noting that this price tag can be for the entire trip, such as airport fee of 25-30 CUC. So it is cheaper if you’re sharing with someone. There can also be a flat rate per person style charge. It all depends on the route and demand.

Catching a taxi from the airport to Havana is the cheapest, easiest and the only way I can confirm to get into the city from Hose Marti Airport.

 

Where do collectivo taxis go in Cuba

Everywhere in Cuba. You can hire a private taxi all around Cuba, if you’re prepared to pay for it.

Mostly collectivo taxis operate between cities, or at least popular tourist destinations.

From Havana, you can visit most other locations in Cuba, Vinales, Varadero, Trinidad and further east.

Collectivo taxis also go to smaller places, such as Playa Giron. If your destination is small, a long-distance collectivo may be a bit expensive.

 

How do I book a collectivo taxi in Cuba

There are a couple of ways to book a collectivo taxi. It’s not as simple as downloading an app, for starters, wifi in Cuba isn’t all that easy to get working.

My suggestion is to book through your Casa Particular (or hotel). You let your host know where you’d like to go, and when. Your host will then make the calls needed to complete your booking.

Booking through your Casa Particular is super easy, and from what I could tell, it never increases the price for you. Your casa Particular host does receive a small cut in what you pay for the taxi, but it’s worth it for the convenience.

Usually, these shared taxis will depart in the morning, around 9am from what I encountered. You’ll be picked up from your accommodation front door and as long as you have a place to stay in your next destination,  arrive at the front door. It’s super easy.

You can also try to book a taxi on the streets, and sometimes this can work out for a better deal. While hiring a taxi directly from the bus station after taking a bus usually means a price mark up of the fare, this can work to your advantage

In Cienfuegos, my group booked a taxi to Playa Giron, while originally quoted 50 CUC, by going to the train station, we encountered 3 or 4 drivers who were waiting for a fare. They ended up battering amongst themselves until one offered 30 CUC for the hour drive.

Bartering isn’t about getting the absolute lowest price you can, it’s about being fair to both parties .

 

Collectivo taxi vs bus in Cuba

 

Buses vs collectivo taxis in Cuba is a difficult question. It really comes down to the traveler.

Buses are roughly the same price as taxis, maybe a little more for some routes. But it’s hard to gauge if that price increase is worth it.

The Transtur Bus is a common sight around Cuba. They go everywhere and they are all similar. Have air con and regular coach seats that recline.

With collectives, you can’t be totally sure what type of vehicle you will be in. For example, Vinales to Trinidad, started off in a small classic style car with 4 travelers with comfy seats and plenty of air flow from windows, until the outskirts of Havana, where we changed to a giant orange bus with little leg room and less window access – it made for a rough trip to Trinidad at times.

In saying that, collectivo taxis pick you up and drop you off to your front door. You have to get to the bus station to take the bus.

It all comes down to your style of travel. Personally, I’d pick the collectivo taxi hands down, but a bus every now and then for a little added comfort isn’t a bad thing.

 

Conclusion of taxis in Cuba

I love the set up of the shared taxi system in Cuba. It helps you interact easily with other travelers, it’s cheap and shared transport means less cars on the road making the trip a tiny bit more eco-friendly.

It is cheap to get around, it’s convenient and you’re riding in a beautiful classic style car, a true icon of Cuba.

So, what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on taxis in Cuba – leave a comment below!

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Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown