How to Get to Cienfuegos, Cuba: Complete Guide to Transportation and Travel Options for Tourists
Wondering how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba? This charming coastal city, known as La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), is a must-visit for its stunning colonial architecture, waterfront views, and relaxed atmosphere. Whether you're traveling from Havana, Trinidad, or elsewhere in Cuba, there are several ways to reach this hidden gem.
From buses and colectivos to rental cars and domestic flights, each option offers a unique experience depending on your budget and travel style. Some routes are more scenic, while others are quicker and more convenient.
In this guide, we’ll break down all the transportation options, including costs, travel times, and tips to make your journey smooth and hassle-free. Get ready to explore one of Cuba’s most beautiful cities with ease!
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How to Get to Cienfuegos: The Nearest Airport
There are a variety of ways of how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba. But first - let's check out where exactly you should be flying into to visit.
Does Cienfuegos, Cuba Have an Airport?
Cienfuegos, Cuba has its own airport, and although it's small, it actually has international flights (particularly flights from Miami).
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How Far is Cienfuegos, Cuba from the Airport?
Aeropuerto Internacional Jaime Gonzalez Crocier is located just 5 km outside the center of Cienfuegos, and is less than a 10-minute ride away.
The next closest airport to Cienfuegos is Santa Clara Airport (SNU/MUSC), which is 80 km (~50 miles) away, and takes about an hour and a half in a car. The airport is also really small, and the only direct flights to Santa Clara Airport are Miami, Ottawa, Panama City, Toronto, and Quebec.
The easiest airport to fly into is Havana, which is the number one airport serving the island, and is 3 hours away from Cienfuegos. Cities that directly fly to Havana include Balboa, Bogota, Cancun, Caracas, Frankfurt, Georgetown, Guantanamo, Houston, Istanbul, Key West, Kingston, Lima, Madrid, Managua, Merida, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, Nueva Gerona, Paris, Providenciales, Santa Cruz, Santiago de Cuba, Santo Domingo, Tampa, and Zurich.
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How to Get from Havana to Cienfuegos
If you're looking for how to get to Cienfuegos from Havana, there are a few options you can choose from:
- Take the Viazul tourist bus
- Rent a car and drive
- Get a colectivo or taxi
- Hire a classic car
How Long is the Bus from Havana to Cienfuegos?
In a car, the ride from Havana to Cienfuegos is 3 hours. However, the buses from Havana to Trinidad take about 5 hours and 20 minutes, as they have stops, and even will stop at a restaurant along the way.
Buses leave daily at 3:00 pm, and get into Trinidad at 8:20 pm. The bus company that runs this route is Viazul, and tickets are 20 euros. (This is also the same bus that goes to Trinidad).
Renting a Car in Havana
Havana is the most popular city to rent a car in Cuba, and rentals can easily be done from the airport once you arrive.
Renting a car costs a pretty penny in Cuba though, and although Havana is one of the "more affordable" options, it still will run you around $150/day + the cost of gas.
If you're in a group of 4 or 5 and want a flexible schedule though, this can be a more ideal option for your group. The drive to Cienfuegos from Havana takes 3 hours, and the roads are pretty well paved.
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How Much is a Taxi from Havana to Cienfuegos?
We didn't get a chance to get exact prices for taxis from Havana to Cienfuegos while we were there, but we did some research and found shared taxis for as little as $30/person and private taxis for $100-200.
How to Get to Cienfuegos, Cuba in a Classic Car
Looking how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba in the most unique way? Well, you can actually hire a classic car from the 50's to take you on a day trip from Havana to Cienfuegos.
Tours leave at 7 am, and come back at 7 pm, costing $92/person and including a driver/guide.
We'd personally do a one-way trip Cienfuegos and continue to Trinidad, but if you're limited on time and want to have a fun tour to Cienfuegos for the day, then this tour is a great option.
Havana has a lot of classic car rides to Cienfuegos.
How to Get to Cienfuegos, Cuba from Varadero
Varadero is another popular destination for tourists visiting Cuba, and is the city that we traveled from to reach this area of Cuba.
There are a few ways to get from Varadero to Cienfuegos:
- Take the Viazul tourist bus
- Rent a car and drive
- Get a colectivo or taxi
How to Get to Cienfuegos from Varadero with Viazul
The most common way to get from Varadero to Cienfuegos (and the most affordable) is to take the Viazul bus, which leaves daily at 2:25 pm. Tickets cost 16 euros, and the ride takes 5 hours and 30 minutes.
You may be wondering why the hell it takes 5 1/2 hours when the drive is under 3 hours. Well, the bus goes super slow, and also makes a totally unecessary stop at a restaurant less than an hour into the ride.
Whatever you do, do not order the ham and cheese sandwich from the restaurant they stop at. Bring your own toilet paper, and bring cash to use the bathroom. The atmosphere is kind of nice, but the entire thing is an absolute tourist trap that we would have much rather just skipped.
Renting a Car in Varadero
Renting a car in Varadero is probably the worst option, but we're here to give you all of the options for how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba - right?
Driving is easy. The roads are totally fine, and the ride isn't even 3 hours (around 2 hours and 45 minutes). However, car rentals are extortionately expensive in Cuba, and the cars are total gas guzzlers.
We stopped in to the rental car offices in Varadero (there are only two by the way), and we were quoted $250 for one day! That's not including insurance or gas, so you'd be looking at paying a pretty penny to rent a car from there.
Taxis and Colectivos from Varadero to Cienfuegos
Right outside the bus station we had a bunch of random people offering to drive us to Cienfuegos for $20/person. Honestly, if we had known that the bus ride was going to be 5 1/3 hours instead of 3, we probably would have taken them up on the offer, being that it's not so much more expensive than the bus.
Don't be afraid to haggle though - these taxis (and buses too) are insanely overpriced for Cuban standards. Just so you to have an idea - teachers make $15 USD/month, so taking a couple for $40 in a taxi would essentially be a 3-month salary!
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How to Get to Cienfuegos, Cuba from Trinidad
Cienfuegos and Trinidad are two of the most popular cities to travel between one another, as they are relatively close, and typically both included in tourist itineraries.
If you're wondering how to get to Cienfuegos from Trinidad, then you're in for a treat, because there is a really amazing spot right in between the two called El Nicho Waterfall.
Here are the different options for how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba from Trinidad:
- Take the Viazul tourist bus
- Rent a scooter and drive
- Get a colectivo or taxi
The drive from Trinidad to Cienfuegos is super scenic, no matter which route you take.
The Bus from Trinidad to Cienfuegos
Buses from Trinidad to Cienfuegos go twice a day with Viazul, and are an hour and a half. You can choose taking the bus at 6:00 am or 6:30 am, and tickets cost 10 euros.
Tickets can be purchased online with a credit card (outside the US), or you can pay in cash at the bus station (in USD or euros).
Renting a Scooter in Trinidad
Renting a scooter is a super fun way to explore both Trinidad and Cienfuegos, and it's also a great way to enjoy the beaches along the coast in between the two cities.
Scooters aren't always the most reliable though, so if you do choose to do this, just anticipate that you may have your scooter break down. We rented a scooter while in Trinidad, and it broke down on us, leaving us stranded for a bit. The company did swap it out and they were super nice, but definitely give it a good look before doing a longer drive.
If all goes well though, driving in a scooter from Trinidad to Cienfuegos is definitely one of the most fun options! Keep in mind though, that the scooter won't make it along the route to El Nicho due to the roads going up and down hills, so this is purely for going to Cienfuegos from Trinidad via the coastal road.
Taking Private Transportation from Trinidad to Cienfuegos
The absolute best way for getting to Cienfuegos from Trinidad is by taking a colectivo or a private car. Colectivos are regular cars but shared with other people, so they end up being a bit cheaper (unless you are 3-4 people).
Many colectivos stop at El Nicho Waterfall, which can be the perfect addition to your trip. Not only is it an awesome option that is affordable, but it allows you to see one of the most beautiful places in Cuba, without having to make a day trip out of it.
The route that leads to El Nicho goes through the mountains instead of along the coast, and it takes closer to 3 hours driving.
Colectivos can be hard to find, so we suggest reaching out to your accommodation. We ended up having to hire a driver for just us, but luckily he was willing to take us for a bit cheaper than the "going rate". To go from Trinidad to El Nicho and then Cienfuegos costs around $60-70 for a private car, and is a rate you'll have to negotiate.
The colectivos charge about $20/person for the trip, but you'll have a bit more limited time at El Nicho. If you don't care to go to El Nicho you can also get a colectivo straight from Trinidad to Cienfuegos, which is a shorter route along the coast (about an hour and a half), and costs a bit less.
Tourists can only pay for transportation (both public and private) in USD or euros (cash).
Travel Planning Tools
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Now that you know how to get to Cienfuegos, Cuba, it's time to explore all of the top things to do in the city!
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