You can get the tourist card (Tarjeta de turista) from us, your tour operator (starting at just 27.50 euros, including VAT / excluding shipping costs). You can also get the card from the Cuban embassy in Germany or from most airlines, directly at the airport. It is valid for 30 days of travel, but can also be extended on site (once for 30 days, for a fee of 25 CUC – in cash – at the airport). When entering the country, you must present the tourist card together with your passport. This visa, which you fill out yourself before entering the country, is stamped when you enter the country. You should keep the part that is not retained, because you will need it when you leave the country. If you lose your tourist card, this can lead to unnecessary discussions and a longer stay at the airport.
Visa cards work best in Cuba and are available in almost every Cuban city. With a Mastercard you may have problems at the ATM, but you can definitely use them to withdraw cash at the bank counter (be careful: queues).
Yes. You will also need a document written in Spanish confirming the validity of this international health insurance.
Without this, you may be refused entry. Ask your insurance company; they can issue you with this confirmation. We can recommend Hanse Merkur, ADAC, ERV or Allianzversicherung, for example. Experience has shown that nobody usually wants to see the document, but if you unexpectedly have to see a doctor, it is important to be able to present the receipt.
Driving in Cuba is no problem and very safe. But try to free yourself from the all-too-German driving style, because in Cuban traffic you will find every type of driver, from the Caribbean-relaxed to the temperamental. Road conditions and signage depend entirely on the region, as in all of Latin America. Tourist destinations and main roads are almost comparable to German quality workmanship, although on remote routes “pothole alert” and “no signs” are often the order of the day.
Petrol stations are available nationwide. However, you should of course expect national peculiarities, such as a petrol station that simply hasn’t been supplied or that unfortunately doesn’t have electricity when you visit (important when paying by credit card).
However, due to the various small peculiarities in traffic and, for example, the street lighting, night trips should be avoided so that everyone arrives at their destination safe and sound. Please do not let this text put you off: driving in Cuba is always more than worth it. Exploring uniquely beautiful landscapes on your own or getting to know the country and its people in a completely different way is always best done by car.
Important: There are occasional fuel shortages in Cuba. During such times, we explicitly advise you against using rental cars during our travel consultation, as these shortages can lead to you standing in queues for hours or simply not being able to get any petrol.
At the moment, the import of GPS-enabled devices, including GPS-enabled smartphones, is (actually) prohibited. As I said: “actually”. We have never heard of a case in which Cuban customs officials confiscated a cell phone from someone upon entry. The same applies to GPS trackers.
We keep hearing that GPS-enabled devices don’t work in Cuba. That’s not entirely true. In the Sierra Maestra, we had a GPS tracker with us on our hike and it worked perfectly.
In the meantime, the laws in this area are being relaxed step by step. Nevertheless, GPS navigation systems are still not allowed in Cuba. It is best to get a map in advance or install an offline map. That’s what we do when we travel with Cuba Buddy. One recommendation that we use ourselves is Map of Cuba offline.
If you need more tips, please feel free to ask us. The current apps have the advantage that they contain street directories, maps, points of interest, etc. and you can also enter your accommodation, for example.
We can also recommend Maps.Me, as the app works great offline. Install the apps while you are still in Germany and start them to test them. Often some settings still need to be updated or maps downloaded. So really take a short time in Germany and test all the apps. Try to see it as the start of your Cuba adventure. That way it will be more fun and easier.
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