We are considering travelling from Havana to Santiago using the Tren Frances overnight train in April 2010.
Has anyone any recent experience of this train and it's reliability?
Also how do you find out which days it runs on?
Thanks
We are considering travelling from Havana to Santiago using the Tren Frances overnight train in April 2010.
Has anyone any recent experience of this train and it's reliability?
Also how do you find out which days it runs on?
Thanks
Contributor
14,561 posts
1 review
1 helpful vote If you want the fastest, most reliable and most confortable way to get between Havana and Santiago, I strongly suggest taking the Viazul bus:
If you want to interact more with the Cubans, and don't mind the possible delays and the fact that mid way, the train could stop and to be transfert in a bus for the rest of the way, then the train is surely a great aventure, and something you will talk about for days!
I did it about 18 months ago. The Tren Frances turned into a non-airconditioned, non-reclining seat train of Mexican cars, and although we were supposed to arrive in Santiago around 9am, at about 7am they loaded us into Astro buses (about 1200 people) and bussed us all over south-west Cuba before we got there around 3pm. Btw, I think I was the only tourist on train, and staff I interacted with did not speak any English, from the ticket counter to the car attendant.
Was it an adventure- yes
Was I glad to do it- yes
Would I do it again - lets just say, been there, done that.
PM me for more details and link to pics of trip.
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