Even if you are enjoying a pampering holiday in the Cuban resort heaven Varadero, you can easily visit the infamous Cuban capital, Havana, for a day or two with the convenient Varadero to Havana bus service.
It is super easy and super cheap to take the bus (and yes, there is air conditioning on the bus, so don’t worry). You can also take a private taxi or a taxi collectivo, a shared taxi from Varadero to Havana. Or join an organized tour, if you prefer.
After traveling to Cuba for five years, I really want to inspire you to visit this weird and extraordinary city, even if you prefer to stay close to your resort pool most of the time on your Cuba holiday.
Varadero To Havana Bus With Viazul
The easiest and cheapest option to travel from Varadero to Havana is the Viazul bus company.
You can book a bus ticket securely online and have it sent to your email, which is super convenient and requires no lines in Cuban bus stations.
(Unless you have an American credit card, which is not accepted in Cuba).
Here is how to:
- Book your bus ticket on Viazul before you arrive in Cuba, or
- From Cuba: activate your VPN and place yourself in the US, Canada, or Europe
- Open the Viazul home page
- Find the distance from Varadero to Havana.
- Go to secure payment.
- Confirm payment
- Receive the ticket in your email.
- Take a screenshot of the ticket in case you are offline when traveling
- Be at the bus station a minimum of ONE HOUR prior to departure time.
- Show the digital ticket or screenshot at the bus station.
Bus Varadero To Havana Schedule
Daily departures from Varadero to Havana with the Viazul bus service:
| From Varadero | From Havana |
| 12:55 | 08:30 |
| 16:00 | 16:40 |
The one-way ticket from Varadero to Havana bus fare is $9, which means $18 per person for a round trip!
The bus trip takes around 3 hours, and it stops at Varadero International Airport in both directions.
Viazul Bus Station Varadero
The bus station in Varadero is in Varadero Town, so unless you are staying in a casa particular in Varadero Town, you probably need a taxi from your resort to the bus station.
The Viazul also has routes between most destinations in Cuba that you might want to visit, like Vinales, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, and Santiago de Cuba.
Note: You need to be at the bus station to check in one hour before departure.
📍 EpicNomadLife Tip: All the information you need to research & plan your Cuba journey!
📍 Can Americans Travel To Cuba? How To Travel From US in 2024!
📍 42 Legendary Things To Do Havana Cuba! Ultimate Guide 2024!
📍 9 Best Tours In Varadero Cuba!
📍 19+ Unique Things To Do In Trinidad Cuba!
📍 14+ Amazing Things To Do In Vinales Cuba 2024
📍 FAQs Cuba Travel
Can Americans Use Viazul Varadero To Havana Bus?
The Cuban state owns the Cuban Viazul bus company. In compliance with the US Cuba restricted list, Americans traveling in Cuba can not use services that are owned by the Cuban state.
Consequently, American travelers visiting Cuba can not legally use the Viazul bus service, and they also do not accept American credit cards.
Excursions & Things To Do Havana
📍 EpicNomadLife Tip: 3 Top-rated Tours In & Around Havana I recommend:
There are a plethora of things to do in Havana, a lot more than what you can cover in one day!
I have created a list of the top-rated organized tours you can take in Havana, as well as an overview of things to do, both excursions and activities you can do on your own.
If you decide to stay a while, check out my overview of the best hotels in Havana. I have tried and tested quite a few over the years!
If you want to have an authentic experience, you might prefer to stay in one of the best and highest-rated casa particulares in Old Havana instead!
NB: American citizens visiting need to make sure the accommodation you choose are not on the Cuba restricted list from the US Government!
Excursions & Things To Do Varadero
Outside the resort area in Varadero, there are a myriad of things to do.
Take the hop-on hop-off bus, stroll around in the Varadero center and market area, or book one of the organized tours in Varadero.
Here is a collection of top-rated tours and excursions in and around Varadero.
How To Get From Havana To Varadero Without The Bus
If you don’t want to take the bus because departure times don’t fit your plans, or for whatever reason, there are other options for the trip from Varadero to Havana!
If you are in a group, you can book a private taxi (taxi privado) for 4 people (sometimes even more than 4 fit in a taxi) and split the cost. This is still a bit more expensive than the bus, but it is not expensive!
A taxi privado one way from Varadero to Havana will cost around $130 if you book online.
If you are really good at negotiating (in Spanish), you might be able to get a better price while on the ground, but I doubt it.
A seat in a taxi collectivo (a taxi you share with other travelers, you just buy a seat) will be around $35 one way, and the trip will be a little faster (just over 2 hours).
The taxi collectivo will also pick you up from your hotel and drop you wherever you want in Old Havana.
Organized Day Tour To Havana
If you want to visit Havana but don’t want the hassle of organizing things yourself, you can opt for an organized day tour.
This way, you will be picked up at your hotel and do a whirlwind tour of Havana, where you get to see the city’s highlights that one day allows!
If you also want to stay a while and want to experience a casa particular in any of the Cuban destinations, you will find top-rated ones here!
8 Reasons To Spend At Least One Day In Havana!
Make sure to visit Havana from your resort in Varadero one way or another; I’ll give you the transport tips below, but first!
Here are the top eight things to do and see in Havana which all are great reasons to go here for at least one day.
- Stroll the historic colonial UNESCO-protected Old City either by yourself or with a guide
- Take a guided tour of the Capitolio (which looks exactly like The White House)
- Do a Classic Car tour in Havana, which is an iconic bucket list item.
- Eat at the amazing San Cristobal restaurant in Central Havana, with excellent food, service, and ambiance (Obama was here)
- Walk the Malecon at sunset for an amazing view of the sea
- Go to the Havana fortress at 8 pm and watch the 1-hour guard ceremony
- Dance salsa at Casa de la Musica
- Have a nightcap at La Guarida rooftop bar for stunning city views
If you are already inspired and want to know more, visit this article, which contains 43 amazing things to do in Havana, although that will take you more than a day or two.
Wrap-Up Varadero To Havana Bus
Super easy, cheap, and convenient to take the bus from Varadero to Havana if the schedule fits your plans!
The current schedule is unfortunately not great for one-day trips, but you could always combine a taxi one way and a bus the other. Or, just stay in Havana for a night or two, in a casa particular?
Either way, I hope you find a way to visit Havana during your amazing resort holiday – or one of the other spectacular Cuban destinations!
Related blog posts:
Is Female Solo Travel In Cuba Safe? A Local Woman’s Advice
Hi Hege!
I wanted to know do you know of long term accomodations in Havana that is safe, clean and reasonably priced for a single woman? Also, I was interested in taking some ballet lessons. Do you have a way to contact a school in Havana? Thank you!
Hi Sarah! In Havana, as it is hard for foreigners to “move” there, there really are not a lot of options for long-term apartment rental – at least, not places that are intended for that. That said, you can quite easily find a long-term rental with a workaround. I don’t know if you have been there before? Anyways, what I did was, I rented a place via Airbnb for one month. I knew what area I wanted to stay in, and I found a place in that area online with good reviews and booked that. Booking for one month (30 days) will unlock a rental discount on the Airbnb price, and it also allowed me to find out if this place was good for me. After the month was up, I decided to stay on and set up a monthly rental contract with the landlord for long-term rental, and paid the rent directly, which is a better option for most people. I may be able to connect you to someone in Havana who can help you out right now, let me know, and I will check it. About safety, when you are renting in Havana, the Cuban landlord will feel very responsible for your well-being and safety. It would actually hurt their social reputation if something happened to you while “in their care.” Also, crime against foreigners (including women) is very low for a variety of reasons, and there are no specific neighborhoods that are inherently unsafe (although, as always, things can happen, not trying to tell you to let your guard completely down). I would focus on what part of Havana I wanted to stay, and take it from there. I have never focused on ballet in Havana, but I did a search, and there is a place called ProDanza (Fb, not sure if they are still active). You could also contact the Casona del Son in Old Havana and ask for advice about ballet classes. That is where I go to dance, and they are great! They don’t have ballet, but they might be able to give accurate advice. They have a web page, and are also on Fb: https://www.facebook.com/@LaCasonadelSon. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions! Best, H. 🙂