Particularities of driving in Cuba
Before you set off in your rental car in Cuba, it can be helpful to be mentally prepared for a few things. Cuba is an extraordinary country where things work differently than anywhere else in the world, and you should be open to this.
With a little patience and a sense of humor, you can always get further and you should not only see the rental car as a way to get from A to B, but also as an opportunity to experience additional adventures. In Cuba, traffic is on the right and the traffic rules are basically similar to those in Europe. With the following tips, we would like to draw your attention to the deviations and special features of driving in Cuba.
1. Stopping and turning
Let's get straight to the first peculiarity: instead of indicating, some Cubans stick their arm out of the window when turning left and some people who turn right do not indicate at all. This is either due to a lack of indicators or habit.
With traffic lights, make sure that they are always behind the crossroads and not where you have to stop. However, there are more and more traffic lights with second counters that are clearly visible.
Even on good roads in the countryside, unexpected potholes can appear in the road surface and the warning lights often fail at level crossings, where you always have to stop - just like at a stop sign. This is also often checked by a motorcycle police officer shortly after the level crossing. It is advisable to drive slowly over rails, as these sometimes protrude high above the road level and you could ruin the oil pan of the car.
2. Do not forget to sound the horn!
It is important to listen carefully at obvious junctions, bends or exits from underpasses to see if anyone is honking! As a rule, horns are always sounded as a warning. As there are hardly any traffic mirrors in Cuba, you should honk very slowly to make yourself aware of other road users. At night, if possible, you should not drive outside the big cities in a rental car, as the risk of accidents due to unlit cyclists, carriages, animals and unnoticeable road damage is enormous.
3. Hardly any road signs in Cuba
Good orientation is essential when driving overland. Although there are well-developed main roads, there are few signs in general. It is therefore best to memorize the main towns in the direction of your destination, as the next town is unlikely to be indicated. A road map is helpful here. An alternative to this are offline map apps, which you can download to your smartphone free of charge. It is important that the maps also work without an internet connection. Just remember to download the maps before you start your journey while you still have internet.
And in an emergency, local residents will also be happy to help you. It should be noted that Spanish is spoken almost exclusively outside the tourist areas. A small language aid for this is
- straight ahead = recto
- continue straight ahead = siga recto / todo recto
- turn left = izquierda
- turn right = derecho
4. how to refuel in Cuba
There is a good network of filling stations in Cuba, but there are fewer filling stations in the interior and not every filling station has all types of gasoline. Super petrol (Gasolina Especial 92 octane) is available for rental cars and costs a standard 156 CUP per liter. However, payment is by credit card and costs the equivalent of approx. 1.30 USD/liter.) Diesel vehicles would be cheaper due to the cheaper diesel fuel, but are not currently offered by car rental companies. The largest filling stations are Oro Negro or Servi Cupet. The refueling procedure is normally as follows: You pay an amount at the counter and the pump is released for the corresponding amount. Alternatively, you can buy a full tank from the cashier, an employee fills the tank first and then you pay (“Lleno, por favor”). Sometimes there are attached stores or kiosks with drinks or other items.
5. Do not pick up hitchhikers!
At major junctions you will often see people who want a lift from trucks or other road users. The coordination is often carried out by state employees with yellow vests, also known as “amarillos”, who then hand over the waiting places. State vehicles are obliged to a certain extent to give people a lift. This does not apply to rental cars and it is not advisable to take other people with you, as there have also been cases of theft. If you still want to take someone with you, then ask: “A dónde?” (Where to?). The question: “Is this the road to XY?” should be avoided, as you often get false information from hitchhikers. They only see one chance to get a lift and then “overhear” your destination. In general, only stop if a police officer in uniform wants to check you. Especially on the highway between Havana and Viñales, scammers with high-visibility vests and whistles try to stop rental cars and make an official impression.
6. Parking & parking fees
Parking usually costs 100-300 CUP per hour, for longer periods you negotiate with the parking attendants. They often wear a red vest and come after the car has left to give the driver a slip of paper with the time of arrival. This slip of paper is then shown when paying. Self-appointed parking attendants are on the road without a slip of paper. You can still rely on private individuals to look after your rental car. At night, the owners of the accommodation should be consulted.
7. License plates for Cuban cars
Cuban cars have had the following license plates since 2014.
State cars have a blue stripe on the left, all others are white. The letters mean: B = state-owned company; F, M = army and Ministry of the Interior; C, D, E = diplomats; K = foreign entrepreneurs; P = private cars; T = rental cars.
There have been some changes since 2022, so you will also see W for private cooperatives, for example.
8. Speed limits
The speed limit in front of larger towns is usually 40 km/h, which you should definitely keep to. There is a fixed police post just behind and will stop you immediately if you speed. You are allowed to drive up to 100 km/h on highways. The conditions are better than on country roads, but you should still expect a few potholes, especially in the right-hand lane, and drive carefully. It is therefore also important to allow enough time, as the average speed for your rental car tour is 70 to 80 km/h. On country roads, the speed limit is up to 80 km/h and in cities the limit is 50 km/h. If you see the traffic sign H for Hospital, you must slow down to 40 km/h here.
9. Car breakdown on the road
If your car breaks down (including tires), always ask for help at one of the agency's rental offices. There is a list of contacts in the rental contract. Tires should not be changed by Cubans on the street, the nicely meant offer usually turns out to be very expensive. Once the replacement tire has been fitted, you should drive to the nearest office. Our customer support is available by telephone for any problems.
In the event of any problems with the vehicle (accident, burglary, etc.), please always contact the police and the rental car insurance company. The telephone number of the insurance company is handwritten on the contract. Please note that the insurance company will not cover any costs without a police report.
10. Driver's license
Every driver must be in possession of a driver's license. The driver's license of the home country is sufficient; an international driver's license is not required. It is important to note that copies of the driver's license are not accepted.
Important: Despite all the special features, you should not forget what should be a matter of course on the roads all over the world, whether in Germany or Cuba. Always drive with full concentration on the road and do not allow yourself to be distracted while driving - you can also stop if you have a nice view. And never drive overtired or under the influence of alcohol. Driving at night is generally not recommended in Cuba.