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Local buses
Taking a city bus you will be transported like (smoked!) sardines as the regular city buses are always overcrowded. There are 2 types of city buses: guaguas and camellos. Guaguas are old yellow buses, although a few years ago the fleet was renewed with Japanese buses of which some (not all) are air-conditioned. In La Habana they cover almost all of the city on well-established routes identified with the prefix P (see below). The fare is 0.40 Cuban pesos per ride (throughout Cuba), to be paid to the conductor or to be thrown in the box place near him/her.
Camellos are buses from the soviet era, the front part of it is a truck and the passengers (up to 300!) are seated in a space with two elevated humps, hence the name camello. Routes covered by these camellos in La Habana are marked with the prefix M. However, nowadays, few of them operate in La Habana, but you will see plenty of them in the provincial towns. The fare of these buses is 0.20 Cuban pesos a ride which you pay when getting on.
To get on a city bus you will have to queue. You get in line by asking who is last (el último). Generally there are 2 lines: one for sentados (people who want a seat) and another for parados (people willing to stand). The second line moves faster and is best if you are going only a short distance and carry no luggage. Always mind your possessions in the city buses as often there are pickpockets about.
An alternative to local buses
Instead of taking the regular city bus in La Habana you could opt for a tourist bus, such as the HavanaBusTour. For 5 CUC you can hop on and off as many times as you want during one day (operating hours 9:00am to 9:00pm). The bus stops at 60 different places and operates 3 different routes.
Long distance buses
For long distance routes from La Habana there are two bus companies: Astro and Viazul.
In theory, tourists are not allowed to take Astro buses. Only two tickets per bus are available for foreigners on each departure (although if there is space left 30 minutes before departure, seats will be sold to anyone). Whereas the Cubans pay in Cuban pesos, you most certainly will be paying the far in CUC which works out only slightly cheaper than the Viazul fare.
Astro buses run services to slightly more off-the-beaten track places. They depart from the Terminal de Ómnibus, at the corner of Av de la Independencia and Calle 19 de Mayo, Vedado), near the Plaza de la Revolución. Tickets are sold at the Venta de Boletines, down the hall to the right of the main entrance of the bus station.
Víazul buses only do the tourist destinations. Viazul tickets can be booked through the internet (www.viazul.cu), but you better buy at the ticket offices as the information given in the website is not always up-to-date and you would be paying an 8% more. Tickets can also be booked at the main bus terminal near the Plaza de la Revolución, at the international airports, Infotur and often at tour agencies. The main Víazul station is located in Nuevo Vedado, La Habana, across from the metropolitan zoo, from where all Viazul buses leave La habana.
Viazul tickets can be bought immediately prior to departure, but if you want to be sure to get a seat, you better reserve your bus ticket in advance, especially during the months June and August, Christmas and Easter.
Víazul buses are punctual, modern and have reasonably comfortable chairs and lavatories on board. They are air-conditioned (you might want to bring a sweater) and on longer trips films are shown. Children aged 0 to 4 travel free, children aged 5 to 11 travel at half fare (with a minimum of 5 CUC), children aged 12 and over pay full fare.
There is also a daily Havanatur bus that runs Habana-Soroa-Viñales, with further connections from there. This is the only public transport service that brings you to Soroa.
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