China, Russia help Cuba to revamp outworn railway systems

World 10:47 14.07.2019

Cuba’s first new train passenger cars in more than four decades set off on their maiden journey across the island on Saturday in what the government hopes will prove a total revamp of its decrepit railway system with help from allies Russia and China, reports Reuters.

Cuba’s railway system is one of the oldest in the world; its first stretch was launched in the 1830s. But it has suffered from a lack of maintenance and new equipment in an inefficient state-run economy under a crippling U.S. trade embargo that lacks cash.

Trains have for years been one of the cheapest but also least efficient ways to travel long distances on the Caribbean’s largest island, typically taking 24 hours to cross the nearly 900 km (600 miles) from Havana in the west to Santiago in the east - twice as long as by car.

Tickets are often elusive, with the ramshackle infrastructure unable to cope with the demand, and trains do not run on schedule. Passengers, meanwhile, must contend with missing windows and doors, and cracked seats. Accidents have become increasingly common in recent years.

But Cuba’s government is planning to change all that by 2030, starting with upgrading its equipment, before moving onto the more daunting task of restoring the railroads.

In May it received 80 Chinese-made, gleaming blue rail cars, including those that set off eastwards from Havana on Saturday, and expects to receive 80 more next year, according to state-run website Cubadebate.

“This is the first step of the transformation of the Cuban railway system,” said Eduardo Hernandez, head of the National Railway Co of Cuba.

Reflecting market reforms of the centrally planned economy in the socialist country, the new rail cars are split into first and second class, with the former boasting air conditioning.

“Cuba has not received new rail-cars since the 1970s,” Transport Minister Eduardo Rodriguez was quoted as saying by Cubadebate last month. “We had only received second hand cars.”

While the new trains are expected to shave off some travelling time, they will require new or restored track to run at their full speed.

Cuba has signed a deal worth almost $1 billion with Russia to modernize its railways, according to Interfax news agency, although details have not yet been released.

In 2017, state-owned monopoly Russian Railways (RZD) told Reuters it was also negotiating to install a high-speed link between Havana and the beach resort of Varadero.

Trains carried 6.1 million passengers in 2018, down from 10 million passengers in 2013, according to the statistics office.

Read more:

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Tomorrow in Abu Dhabi: Aliyev and Pashinyan Hold Crucial Peace Process Talks
12:30 09.07.2025
Heavy rainfall hits SW China, 5 missing in Sichuan
12:15 09.07.2025
U.S. Detaining Individuals from Three Continents at Guantanamo Immigration Facilities
12:00 09.07.2025
Israel eliminates Hamas commander in Lebanon — IDF
11:45 09.07.2025
South Korea sends 6 rescued North Koreans back across sea border
11:30 09.07.2025
US condemns Houthi attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea
11:15 09.07.2025
Trump says he considers agreeing to more sanctions on Russia
11:00 09.07.2025
Today is a Day of Diplomacy in Azerbaijan
10:45 09.07.2025
Mexico probes former president for allegedly taking millions in bribes from Israeli businessmen
10:30 09.07.2025
Trump, Israel’s Netanyahu meet for a second time about a ceasefire in Gaza
10:15 09.07.2025
Death toll surpasses 100, at least 160 missing in Texas
10:00 09.07.2025
Mediators move closer to securing Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza
09:45 09.07.2025
FBI launches probes into former FBI, CIA directors
09:30 09.07.2025
Trump's envoy says US 'hopeful' 60-day Gaza ceasefire agreed upon 'by end of this week'
09:15 09.07.2025
Azerbaijan hosts official reception at Gulustan Palace on occasion of professional holiday of diplomats
09:00 09.07.2025
Organisation of Turkic States, TURKPA congratulate Azerbaijani diplomats on professional holiday
08:45 09.07.2025
Rubio: US waiting for signing of Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty
08:30 09.07.2025
Russia charges former deputy defense minister with fraud, illegal arms trafficking
20:45 08.07.2025
Far-right Israeli ministers call to block Gaza aid, enforce starvation, halt ceasefire talks
20:30 08.07.2025
Ukraine appeals to OPCW to investigate possible use of chemical weapons by Russia
20:00 08.07.2025
Minister: Slovenia considers Azerbaijan key partner in green transition
19:45 08.07.2025
Ukrainian forces push back and hold ground in Russian regions, army chief says
19:30 08.07.2025
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan open new border crossing point
19:15 08.07.2025
Azerbaijan, Slovenia discuss green energy collaboration
19:00 08.07.2025
Baku hosts conference on role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in media development
18:45 08.07.2025
Another Training Session Held at IEPF Headquarters – Representation at the UN in Focus
18:15 08.07.2025
'We will de-risk our economies, but we do not want to decouple,' EU Commission president says on relations with China
18:15 08.07.2025
France’s Macron makes state visit to UK with migration and Ukraine on agenda
18:00 08.07.2025
Armenian Investigative Committee conducts searches at 51 addresses simultaneously
17:45 08.07.2025
4 killed, over 20 injured in Cairo data center fire
17:30 08.07.2025
Unknown individuals attack MPs in Armenian parliament
17:15 08.07.2025
Raids on illegal migrants in hostels, prayer houses in Moscow
17:00 08.07.2025
Hakan Fidan doesn’t rule out meeting of Russian, Ukrainian and US presidents in Türkiye
16:45 08.07.2025
Investigators raid head office of Electric Networks of Armenia
16:30 08.07.2025
Family of 4 killed after small plane crashes in North Carolina
16:15 08.07.2025
ASCO discusses port, logistics centers development with Chinese company
16:00 08.07.2025
Newcastle agree £55m fee for Forest winger Elanga
15:45 08.07.2025
Pashinyan says he will personally lead 'liberation' of Armenian church
15:30 08.07.2025
Russian emergencies minister thanks Azerbaijan for organizing evacuation of Russian citizens from Iran
15:15 08.07.2025
Azerbaijani parliament adopts in final reading improvement of requirements for services and work provided by NGOs
15:00 08.07.2025
Hamısı