You may have heard that there is no wifi in Cuba or that connecting to the internet is difficult. Well, that is still kind of true, with some modifications, as things are changing slowly but surely.
I have traveled to Cuba regularly for five years, often working online with Cuban Wi-Fi, and that has not been without challenges.
But it gets easier for both locals and tourists, as the Ministry of Tourism prioritizes Wi-Fi access.
Undeniably, Wi-Fi in Cuba is not like in the US or Europe, but it is not that difficult to get online anymore. Here is all you need to know about Wi-Fi, data, cell phones, and more to get online in Cuba.
Wifi In Cuba | Internet In Cuba For Tourists
Internet in Cuba is often slow, expensive, and unreliable. It is too expensive for every Cuban to have a router in their house, but most are now regularly online.
Internet coverage in Cuba is improving rapidly, and there is also 4G network in an increasing number of areas.
However, 4G in Cuba is still scarce, and if you move out of the big city hubs, you will drop down to 3G in a flash or even edge.
The most common place (or way) to connect is still wifi parks and hotspots. This costs money in public spaces.
📍 NEW: Click to check out how to buy a sim card with data online before your stay and have it delivered to your casa particular or hotel in Havana!
As a tourist, your foreign phone will not have access to the 4G data network Etecsa.
With a foreign phone and sim card, your only option to go online is to connect to the Etecsa wifi network at a Wi-Fi hotspot.
You can also buy a Cuban SIM card for your holiday in one of the Etecsa stores in Cuba.
Wi-Fi is free in some high-end hotels and large resorts in Cuba. In wifi hotspots (which are generally parks and large hotels), access to the internet is regulated and costs around $1 per hour.
Internet In Cuba For Tourists Becoming More Accessible!
The number of Wi-Fi hotspots in Cuba is increasing, and according to the Minister of Tourism in Cuba, improving internet access is a priority.
As a result of this, Wi-Fi in Cuba hotels is more and more common, and even some casa particulares (private rental homes) have Wi-Fi you can connect to (for a fee).
When you do get online from Cuba, many web pages and services will not be accessible from a Cuban server because of ongoing sanctions.
This means that you will be blocked from entering certain social media platforms, online support, business pages, shops, and possibly also your bank while you are connecting from a Cuban server.
To avoid this, it is smart to invest in a good VPN for Cuba before you go, which gets you all the services you need.
I would not have been able to work online from Havana without ExpressVPN, the best one I found for Cuba after trying out a few free and paid options.
📍 Click to get a quote for ExpressVPN Before Your Trip Here!
My favorite VPN for Cuba and traveling in general!
Wifi Parks In Cuba & Internet Scratch Card From Etecsa
When you walk around Havana, Santiago, Trinidad, or any of the cities in Cuba, you will suddenly pass a corner or a little park where there are lots of people hanging around immersed in their phones.
When that happens, you have come to a wifi park, where you can connect to a wifi hotspot. To be able to do that, you first need to buy a scratch card with a username and password to log on to the Etecsa internet.
You can buy them at any Etecsa store in every city and village in Cuba. Etecsa is the governmental telephone and internet provider in Cuba, which has a monopoly on both services on the island.
As a tourist, you can buy Cuban wifi cards at any Etecsa store.
You need to show your passport and pay in cash with Cuban pesos (also called CUP or Moneda Nacional), and then you can use them to go online from any wifi hotspot in Cuba.
Exeption: Some of the large hotels have their own servers, so you need to get or buy a Wi-Fi card at the hotel reception to go online.
Also read: How To Travel to Cuba from the US
This Is The Cuba Wifi Card!
The price of the 1-hour card is €1/CUP 125, and the 5-hour card is €5/CUP 625 for surfing time.
At the Etecsa store, you show your ID or passport, and each Wi-Fi card you buy will be registered to your ID number.
You will also be able to buy Etecsa scratch cards in major airports and selected hotels where Etecsa has small stands.
Also, you may be able to buy Etecsa scratch cards on the streets, around the wifi park, and at small shops and kiosks around Wi-Fi hotspots.
Be aware that when you buy your Wi-Fi card outside the official Etecsa shop, the prices will also be higher, normally double.
You really pay to dodge the queues that often form when entering any Etecsa store (get used to it; there are often long lines to do stuff in Cuba).
When you have secured your Wi-Fi card, you can find a wifi hotspot on a corner or a park and go online.
On your card, there are two areas with numbers.
The first line is the username you will be using, and the second, which you scratch open, is your password for the duration of the card.
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Connecting To Wifi In Cuba
When you connect to the Wi-Fi in Cuba, you find a Wi-Fi hotspot, open your phone, and locate available networks. From there, you choose Etecsa, and a sign-in form will appear on your phone.
On the card that you have bought, you scratch the two scratchable areas. The first (long) number you get is your username, and the second one is your password.
Fill out the two fields with the correct numbers, press connect, and you should be online using Cuba’s internet.
Important: Remember to sign out of connection when you have finished before you close down the tab on your phone. If you don’t do this, your credits may run out while you are doing other things.
If you are connecting through a laptop, open your Wi-Fi options and click on Etecsa (or the name of your hotel or casa).
On your laptop, this tab will have a countdown clock, so don’t close it while you are online. To turn off your browsing session, click on the button that says “cerrar session“; close the session.
You will receive a confirmation that your session is closed OR an error message that it has not, so pay attention to which message shows up.
This may happen if the Wi-Fi is really slow and the router is not able to communicate your closing.
If you don’t check that your timer has stopped counting, your browsing time countdown counter keeps running, and your online time is gone before you know it.
Is There Internet In Cuban Resorts?
It is becoming more and more common to have complimentary internet in the big Cuban resorts; access to Wi-Fi in Cuba in high-end hotels and large resorts is increasing, but not all.
In some places, you can be online 24/7, even in your room; in other places, you can connect in common areas like the lobby or bar.
In some hotels, you still need a scratch card to connect for a certain amount of time, and others do not yet have internet. You will get this in the hotel reception.
The Ministry of Tourism in Cuba stated at the end of 2021 that they are working toward a goal of making the internet more accessible and faster, not just in the large hotels and resorts but also in smaller hotels across the island.
Also read: How To Get A Tourist Card For Cuba
Internet In Cuban Vacation Rentals Airbnb
Some Casa Particulares, Cuban private rental homes, will offer wifi in Cuba now.
Be aware, though, that there are things you need to check if you book a place through Airbnb or Hostelworld that says the accommodation has wifi.
Domestic wifi in Cuba is very expensive, something most Cubans can not afford.
So first, it may be that the apartment is connected to a nearby Wi-Fi park through a series of extension routers.
This means that you will be sharing the Wi-Fi with all the people in the Wi-Fi park, and it will be slow and probably fall out from time to time.
The name of the casa particular network may be something other than “Etecsa”, but apart from that, the process to connect is the same.
Second, it may be that you will be able to connect your phone through shared data from a Cuban smartphone available for the guests at the casa particular.
This can work well, but remember that this has a cost by the minute, and you will pay the internet bill to your landlord when you leave.
Make sure you know and understand the prices and how the connect-and-disconnect works in order not to get a surprise at the end of your holiday!
📍 EpicNomadLife Tip: Click here to check out the amazing, top-rated Casa Particular in Old Havana: Hostal Balcones Muralla in the heart of the old city!
Havana Airport Wifi
There is an Etecsa Wi-Fi connection available at major airports in Cuba.
At the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, there is nowhere to buy Wi-Fi cards in the arrival area. When you get to Havana for the first time, you will still be offline with your foreign phone.
Recently, two hours of free Wi-Fi has been implemented at Jose Marti Airport’s arrival terminal, but it is also often out of service.
EpicNomadLife tip: If you have booked someone to pick you up from the airport through your hotel or casa particular, ask beforehand if they can bring a Wi-Fi card for the pick-up if you need to connect quickly to Wi-Fi upon arrival – and pay them in cash when you get there.
Cuban Cell Phone Service
As Etecsa is the sole provider of communication services in Cuba, this is also where sim cards and phone subscriptions are sold.
If you are staying in Cuba for a longer period, it may be a good idea to buy a Cuban SIM card for the duration of your stay.
This is not difficult; you bring your ID or passport to the Etecsa shop and buy a sim card that will be connected to your name and ID number.
This SIM card will be active almost immediately and will allow you to be online and use 4G with data outside Wi-Fi hotspots.
Your Cuban sim card can be topped up by buying top-up cards, or you can enter credits online via different services like Ding, Fonoma, Fonmoney, or Recargasacuba.
📍 NEW: Click to check out how to buy a sim card with data online before your stay and have it delivered to your casa particular or hotel in Havana!
Is There 4G In Cuba In Now?
Yes, there is 4G in Cuba, but the 4G coverage is not great.
You will normally be able to get 4G coverage in the most central areas in the big cities, and once you are outside the mainstream parts, you will “fall down” to 3G or worse.
Cuba Cell Phone Tourist SIM Card
You can buy a time-limited Cuban SIM card intended for tourists staying on the island for 30 days. As this is a tourist service, you need a foreign passport to buy this SIM card.
NB: American citizens do not have this option, as the mobile provider is owned by the Cuban Government.
You can buy it directly before your trip on the home page of Cubacel Tur, online through the Recargas a Cuba, or at SuenaCuba.
There are several pick-up locations around the island at Etecsa stores where you collect your SIM card after arrival, including at the airport in Havana.
Check which pick-up location is best for you before your trip. Along with the SIM card, you will receive instructions on how to use it.
The SIM costs € 27.51 (US$ 29,52), which includes 6 GB of data, 100 minutes of calls, and 100 SMS for national and international destinations. You can also top up your Cuban tourist sim card while in Cuba.
Once you have credits on your Cuban sim card, you can transfer from your balance to data packages from your phone. Be aware that the instructions are in Spanish.
If you dial *133# and press call, you are able to do transfers; just follow the instructions. If you dial *222# and press the call button, you will receive your current balance.
Do I Need A VPN In Cuba?
Well, you might not NEED it for a short holiday, depending on how indispensable you are at work, on social media, or for your friends and family.
Yet, before your journey, downloading a good VPN for use in Cuba might be a good idea.
A good VPN service will not only help you keep your internet traffic and device secure but also put you in the geographical location you need. When connecting from a Cuban server, you will be blocked from various pages and services.
I have been working online from Cuba for long periods of time, and I have tried and tested several free and paid VPN services in order to make this work.
I have found that the one that works best for me is the Express VPN. This allows me to enter most sites and services I need to be able to work online without problems.
📍 Click to get a quote for ExpressVPN Before Your Trip Here!
Be serious about your gadget security when you are traveling!
Sanctions And Internet In Cuba
Cuba has been subject to sanctions from the US and international companies since 1962, and this will also affect access to certain internet services in Cuba.
Any governmental service or commercial service based in the US or with US stockholders or any form of relation to the US will probably be restricted from providing services to you while in Cuba.
This is because when you log onto the internet from a Cuban server, a page or service you need to access will automatically not allow the transaction of information through this server.
You need a good VPN for things like booking a stay through Airbnb, booking.com, or hotels.com for Cuba when you are in Cuba.
I have needed friends at home to make bookings in Cuba for me in the past and then send them the money because I was unable to do it myself from Cuba.
Also, some social apps like Snapchat do not work in Cuba without a VPN.
Wifi In Cuba | Internet Speed
Internet speed in Cuba is ok. But it all depends, and it can not be compared to that of the US or Europe in any way.
You can make a video call while connected to Wi-Fi in Cuba, but the network might have trouble streaming music, movies, or games.
When you connect to the internet in a Wi-Fi park, it will depend on the number of other people connecting at the same time you share the internet access.
If you are in a high-end hotel that has internet access, the internet will probably be quite fast, at least close to the hotspots or routers. Sometimes, the Cuba internet will just not work for no apparent reason.
Also, it will depend on the weather! When it rains in Cuba, the internet speed drops dramatically or even goes away entirely.
When there is a thunderstorm, which happens frequently in the wet season, you often need to disconnect your router in order to protect it from lightning strikes.
The electricity system in Cuba is old and fragile, and a lightning strike might destroy any appliance connected to the electric system.
Cuba Shopping Online And Shipping
Online shopping and shipping to Cuba can be a challenge due to the sanctions. The online shop you want to visit might not open its page if you enter from a Cuban server without a VPN.
Or you might be able to do your shopping online, but shipping to Cuba might be a problem.
In the past, shopping online and shipping to Cuba was almost impossible, but that is not the case anymore. However, it is still not easily available, and be aware that shipment to Cuba might take time.
If you need something sent to Cuba, check with the provider to see if the item you want is eligible. If not, a package forwarder can ship it to Cuba.
I have never used that, but you can check out Yoreoyster, explaining exactly how to get that done.
EpicNomadLife Tip: Get yourself a water bottle with a filter before your Cuba holiday, and you can drink water from anywhere. Sometimes bottled water is harder to find than rum!
Satellite Phone Cuba
If you think you can solve the phone issues by bringing a satellite phone to Cuba, you need to know that satellite phones are illegal in Cuba.
So be aware that you cannot bring a satellite phone into Cuba unless you have a specific permit from the Cuban Ministry of Informatics and Communications.
If you try to enter the country with a satellite phone or you are seen using one, you might be subject to severe charges and penalties.
Internet Cafes In Cuba
Internet cafes in Cuba are not common. Some Etecsa stores have a section with computers where you can sit down and use your Wi-Fi card to go online, but that is about it.
Some of the larger hotels may also have business centers with computers that you might use.
Best App For Offline Map Of Cuba
As you will probably be offline while traveling around Cuba, it is likely not going to be easy using an online map service when you need to find out where you are!
A good offline app for map service I recommend you download before your journey is MapsMe.
The MapsMe app has maps all over the world, which you can download and use without internet access.
After you download the app, you need to download the country map you need as well, and from there, you are good to go.
FAQs Cuba Travel
Why are US citizens not allowed to travel to Cuba?
This is NOT correct. US citizens ARE ALLOWED to travel to Cuba.
Americans can choose a reason for Cuba travel among 12 pre-approved reasons for traveling to Cuba, determined by the US Government.
Can US citizens travel to Cuba as a tourist?
Technically, US citizens are NOT allowed to travel to Cuba as a tourist. Americans choose between 12 pre-approved reasons for Cuba travel, among which the most common one is “to help the Cuban people”.
American citizens still need to buy a tourist card, also called a tourist visa, to enter Cuba.
What are the 12 requirements to travel to Cuba?
You can read about the 12 pre-approved reasons to travel to Cuba for US citizens here.
The easiest and most common reason for Cuba travel is “to help the Cuban people”. There is no paperwork or application process connected to this; you just choose your reason and state that reason if anyone asks.
What happens if a US citizen travels to Cuba?
Nothing happens if a US citizen travels to Cuba apart from hopefully, the US citizen will have a fabulous holiday and encounter with Cuban culture.
US citizens need to choose one of the pre-approved reasons to travel to Cuba and need to buy the PINK tourist card, also called a tourist visa.
Selected airlines sell this visa/tourist card, or you can buy one online.
What documents do I need to travel to Cuba?
You need the following documents to travel to Cuba:
- Passport valid for 6 months after the date of entry
- Tourist card / tourist visa
- Proof of travel insurance, including health insurance
- Fill out the d’viajero.cu digital document before your journey
Do Americans need to be vaccinated to enter Cuba?
No, there is no requirement for specific vaccines prior to entering Cuba.
Your country’s health department probably has recommendations for what vaccines you should consider before entering Cuba.
How Do I get a tourist card for Cuba?
You can buy a tourist card online from Easy Tourist Card, or from the Cuban embassy in your country.
You might also be able to buy a Cuban tourist card from your airline or at the airport prior to departure. It is possible to buy a Cuban tourist card at Miami International Airport at the check-in counter with American Airlines and Delta Airlines.
How Do I Get A Tourist Visa For Cuba?
A tourist visa is the same as a tourist card for Cuba. You can buy it from the following places:
- Buy one online from Easy Tourist Card
- Buy one from your airline if they offer this
- Buy one at the airport of departure if they offer this
- Buy one from the Cuban Embassy in your country
Is Travel To Cuba Allowed Right Now?
Yes, Cuba travel is allowed right now.
In addition, American citizens must choose one of the 12 pre-approved reasons for traveling to Cuba (Americans can not travel as “tourists”) and follow some simple guidelines for traveling in Cuba.
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Wrap-Up Wifi In Cuba!
As you can see, there are a number of factors influencing the Wi-Fi in Cuba and your online presence when you travel here.
Although not as easy as in “the world at large,” you will be able to get online and access most of the services, apps, and websites you need.
If you also plan a bit ahead, download Express VPN and lower your expectations, and you will be fine.
Or, maybe you can even try to enjoy a social media detox, not being online 24/7?
Related blog posts:
Currency in Cuba From A Local: Can You Use Dollars In Cuba?
