General Havana Information - Real Havana: Explore Cuba Like a Local and Save Money - page 96

Transportation
There are many options for transportation when getting around Havana. The city is
not particularly large and most people will be able to walk from Old Havana to
Vedado in about 45 minutes. Walking offers you a great opportunity to see the city
and meet people, but it might become tiring after a while. Furthermore, if you are
only spending a short while in Havana, you might wish to take a faster form of
transportation. Public transportation is not very convenient and should probably be
avoided. Buses are often very crowded and pass infrequently. Moreover, there are
no maps or indications as to where the bus routes begin and end. Even local
Cubans are often confused by the organization. The majority of Cubans move
around on foot, on bike, or by using a well developed and cheap system of taxis.
Bici Taxis
In Old Havana and Central Havana there are bicycle taxis. These are small, three
wheeled vehicles which can seat two passengers in the back, while a Cuban driver
pedals in front. Bici Taxis are cheap and safe. They are a common form of short
distance transportation for both locals and foreigners. Always negotiate the price
before starting the trip. To give you an idea, you should be able to get from one
end of Old Havana to the other for about 1 CUC.
Coco Taxis
Another form of transportation in Havana is the Coco Taxi. These are small, three
wheeled, motorized vehicles which seat a driver and two passengers. They are
painted bright yellow and look a bit like coconuts on wheels. You can use them to
get around or to take a scenic tour of the city. Coco Taxis are noisy and seem less
safe than traditional taxi cars, but they are fun and affordable. Expect to pay about
1 CUC per km.
State Taxis
If you are going further and want to get there faster, there are always hundreds of
taxi cars on the road which will take you anywhere, very inexpensively. State taxis
are painted yellow and black; these will take you from any destination directly to
another destination. For example, you can take one from the Capitolio, all the way
to the front door of a casa particular in Vedado. That trip might cost 3 CUC. As
always, negotiate the price first. If you are a tourist, then you can expect the taxi
driver to propose an artificially high price, so you should always negotiate it down
substantially. If the driver says 10 CUC, tell him you will pay 3 CUC. If he says 5,
just say 3 again. Within Havana, 3 CUC is more than enough to get you from one
end of the city to another. Note: Late at night, prices increase substantially as
there are fewer state taxis operating.
Communal Taxis