This Thursday, Cuba's Ministry of Transportation (MITRANS) enforced the most drastic cutbacks on national transportation since the onset of the energy crisis.
The newly imposed restrictions have significantly curtailed the movement of Cubans between provinces to an unprecedented low.
The measures impact national buses, trains, the Nueva Gerona-Batabanó maritime route, and the APK Viajando app, which has been temporarily suspended under the official pretext of "reinstating safety measures."
National buses linking Havana with provincial capitals will now operate only three times a week instead of daily. Meanwhile, routes to Baracoa, Manzanillo, and Moa are reduced to just one weekly departure.
Additionally, journeys between Santiago de Cuba and San José de las Lajas and Artemisa will also be limited to once a week, and national trains heading to the eastern region will run every 16 days—twice the interval established since the February 2026 cutbacks.
The maritime route between Nueva Gerona and Batabanó will function with two weekly services, and for now, domestic flights remain unaffected.
A significant change is the end of open ticket sales. For an indefinite period, seats will be allocated by provincial committees based on priority criteria such as medical appointments, hospital discharges, family bereavements, returning to one's place of origin, and urgent family needs.
All tickets sold up to June 17 will be honored in full, according to the official announcement.
2026 Sees Third Major Transport Adjustment
MITRANS had preemptively declared a "state of emergency." In February, they suspended standby lists, last-minute terminals, and daily worker commutes. Trains were reduced to a frequency of once every eight days. In May, an intermediate frequency cut was applied before reaching this Thursday's definitive adjustment.
The root of the issue is the collapse of external oil supplies: Cuba went without imported crude between December 2025 and April 2026 following the cessation of shipments from Venezuela and Mexico.
Urban transportation collapse is not a new phenomenon in Cuba, but the crisis has intensified since January. In Ciego de Ávila, only two out of 135 bus routes have been operational this year, while in Havana and Matanzas, intermunicipal services have been virtually at a standstill for months.
On the black market, fuel prices soared to 6,000 Cuban pesos per liter during April and May, a cost that is unaffordable for most Cubans. Currently, a liter of gasoline costs $5.50.
Key Questions About Cuba's Transportation Crisis
What are the new restrictions on interprovincial travel in Cuba?
The new restrictions have reduced bus and train frequencies significantly, eliminating open ticket sales and limiting transportation primarily to essential travel based on priority criteria.
What has caused the current transportation crisis in Cuba?
The crisis is primarily due to the collapse of external oil supplies, particularly from Venezuela and Mexico, which has severely affected fuel availability in the country.
How has the fuel shortage affected urban transportation in Cuba?
The fuel shortage has led to the operation of only a small fraction of bus routes in cities like Ciego de Ávila, while intermunicipal services in Havana and Matanzas have been nearly paralyzed.