Resumption of Train Service Between Bayamo and Manzanillo at a Cost of 400 Pesos

The province of Granma has reinstated a critical transportation link. The local train service connecting Bayamo and Manzanillo is back in operation after months of suspension, with a fare set at 400 pesos for the full journey, as reported by the state-run newspaper Granma.

Yuritza Licea Ampudia, director of the Granma Railways Business Unit, detailed that the service will initially run three times a week in each direction. Departures from Bayamo are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:15 PM, while trains from Manzanillo will leave on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 5:00 AM.

The train will include four cars with a total capacity of approximately 800 passengers, along with an express van for cargo. The journey, lasting about two hours and 40 minutes, will make 16 intermediate stops: Acopio, Infantil, Malvango, La Redonda, Mabay, Julia, Becerro, Veguita 11, Veguita 7, Veguita 14, Yara, Coboa, Jiménez, Las Novillas, Faxas, and Palmares.

Ticket prices are derived from a cost breakdown that considers fuel, wages, repairs, maintenance, and lubricants. Students, children under 12, and individuals with disabilities—upon presenting the appropriate identification—will pay half the regular fare.

The express service for excess weight will have variable rates, with transporting a bicycle between the two cities costing 480 pesos. In stations equipped with ticket offices, those who fail to purchase a ticket in advance will incur a double surcharge.

Licea Ampudia emphasized that this is a state-operated service with no involvement from non-state economic actors, and the fuel is supplied by the Union of Railways of Cuba. However, she warned that the service's sustainability depends on the availability of this resource.

The service resumption follows the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Cuba on October 29, 2025, severely damaging the Granma rail network, particularly between Las Torres and the Bayamo-Combinado line crossing. The hurricane forced the cancellation of over 322 train services, keeping the national route from Havana to Bayamo-Manzanillo out of service until at least October 11, 2026.

Current Transportation Challenges

This reopening occurs amid a broader collapse of the Cuban railway system. National operations were cut by 74% in July 2026, dropping from 62 monthly services to just 16, with only 12 to 14 heavy locomotives operational out of the 34 required. During this shortage, informal transportation between Bayamo and Manzanillo soared to 2,000 pesos in September 2026, five times the newly announced state fare.

This route has a history of sporadic reactivations. It was previously slated for revival in July 2022 and again in June 2024, leading to reasonable skepticism about its long-term viability.

Commercial Officer Olaida Estrada Silvera mentioned plans to increase the service frequency to operate from Sunday to Friday, reserving Saturday for cleaning and maintenance. Licea Ampudia concluded with a cautionary note to travelers: "We must take care of the little we have, which has been so hard to restore."