Scooters in Cuba: Everything You Need to Know Before Renting

Exploring on two wheels is one of the best ways to experience some of the top destinations in Cuba, and renting scooters in Cuba makes it easy to get around at your own pace.

Whether you’re cruising along the colorful streets of Trinidad or heading to a quiet beach, having your own ride gives you the freedom to explore beyond the typical tourist spots, and is so much cheaper than renting a car. But before you hop on, there are a few things you should know about renting and riding here.

If you're ready to hit the road, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know. From finding a rental to knowing prices and rules, we’ve got all the tips to make your scooter adventure smooth and stress-free!

Renting Scooters in Cuba: a Brief Intro

So are you ready to rent a scooter to explore Cuba? Before going into all of the details of how to rent and what to expect, we're going to go over some of the basics.

Why Rent a Scooter in Cuba?

Getting around Cuba can be really expensive as a tourist, and if you plan on exploring extensively within one area, a scooter can be a great option as a mode of transportation!

Cars are extortionately expensive in Cuba, but scooters are much more budget friendly, and also give you flexibility with your schedule.

While they aren't a mode of transportation for long distances, they can be a fun and affordable option for exploring within cities and covering shorter lengths.

 Scooter Rental Companies in Cuba

Renting a scooter is easy, because there is a massive monopoly on them! The upside to this is you don't need to haggle or search extensively.

The company that rents all vehicles to foreigners in Cuba is Cubacar, and can be found in the many of the most popular cities around the island.

Where Can You Get Scooters in Cuba?

Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Havana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero, and Villa Clara.

If you're looking for another easy way to get around but that's a bit more affordable, then renting a scooter is a great option!

Booking Scooter Rentals in Cuba

So now that you know where you can rent a scooter in Cuba and what company to look out for, we're going to share a bit about the booking process and pricing.

 How to Book a Scooter in Cuba

In order to book your scooter rental you can either make a reservation online, or you can get one in one of the local offices.

When we tried booking our scooter online it would only allow us to book a minimum of 4 days, and we were only renting in each city for 1-2 days. We went straight to the office to make our reservations, and the process was pretty seamless, so we'd recommend doing the same if you want a shorter reservation.

Scooter rentals for some odd reason are charged only in USD, and will need to be paid in cash.

Prices for Scooters in Cuba

Scooter rentals in Cuba can be for just a few hours, or you can get them for up to 30 days. Rentals start at $25/day, and get cheaper each day the longer you rent them.

Hourly Prices for Scooters in Cuba

• 4 hours - $15
• 6 hours - $18
• From 5:00 PM - 8:00 AM the next day - $19
• From 9:00 AM - $23

*Apart from your rental it is $10/hour if you go over

Daily Prices for Scooters in Cuba

• 1 day - $25
• 2-4 days - $20/day
• 5-12 days - $18/day
• 13-20 days - $16/day
• 21-29 days - $14/day
• 30+ days - $12/day

*Apart from your rental it is $30/day if you go over

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Renting a Scooter in Trinidad: What to Expect

Renting a scooter is a super fun way to explore the different cities in Cuba, as well as their surroundings - especially when it comes to places that can be a bit more pricey by taxi!

Scooters aren't always the most reliable though, and this is something we experienced a few times with our different rentals. While it was a fun way to get around, the scooters aren't all maintained in the best way, and therefore can break down (like they did for us a few times). 

The company was super nice about it and came to switch it out for us, but it certainly took some time away from our travels, so we'd recommending asking them to check it. They also aren't super powerful, so make sure you are discussing your route with Cubacar before starting your drive. (For example- scooters can't make it to El Nicho due to the roads going up and down hills)

Renting Scooters in Cuba: Conclusion

Now that you know all about renting a scooter in Cuba, we're going to wrap things up with a little recap.

 Is it Worth Renting a Scooter While in Cuba?

Renting a scooter is a super fun way to explore cities like Trinidad, Cienfuegos, and other places with nice nature around it. it's also an excellent way to do short day trips, and to travel with a more flexible schedule.

Scooters in Cuba are best suited for short distances, and you'll want to have Cubacar's contacts ready in case anything goes wrong.

So are you ready to explore adventurously? We hope our guide about renting scooters in Cuba has been helpful for you! However, if you have any other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below.

Want to learn more about traveling in Cuba? We have a bunch of other Cuba Travel Guides, as well as more coming up! Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all of our latest updates, as well as exclusive content that's only for our email subscribers.

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