Cuba Guide
Getting around
Mastering Cuban transport can be a fascinating, if sometimes frustrating, experience; understanding its nuances can take years. However, with a public bus service aimed at tourists, a proliferation of car rental agencies and an abundance of reasonably priced state-run taxis, it's actually much easier for most foreign travellers to get around the country than it is for many Cubans, whose incomes keep them confined to the inferior peso-priced transport services.
Hitching a lift in Cuba, or coger botella as it is known locally (meaning literally "catching a bottle"), is as common as catching a bus. Crowds of people wait by bridges and junctions along the major roads waiting for vehicles to stop. Drivers often ask for a few pesos, and tourists, though they are likely to attract a few puzzled stares, are welcome to join in. The usual hitchhiking precautions apply.