Havana Central railway station

Havana Central La Habana Central
Ferrocarriles de Cuba (Inter-city & Commuter)
Exterior facade of the station building
Location	401 Avenida de Bélgica Havana, Cuba
Coordinates	23°07′47″N 82°21′19″W / 23.129673°N 82.355286°W / 23.129673; -82.355286Coordinates: 23°07′47″N 82°21′19″W / 23.129673°N 82.355286°W / 23.129673; -82.355286
Owned by	National Government
Platforms	Below-grade
Tracks	10 (covered)
Connections	Metrobus, Omnibús Metropolitanos (OM), ASTRO (Inter-city)
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Platform levels	4
Parking	yes
Bicycle facilities	yes
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	1912
Traffic

Passengers (2009)	7.5 million^[1]
Location

Map of the urban railway network of Havana

Havana Central (Spanish: La Habana Central; the "Central Railway Station", Estación Central de Ferrocarriles), is the main railway terminal in Havana and the largest railway station in Cuba, is the hub of the rail system in the country. Today, the Central Station serves for the arrival and departure of national and divisional commuter trains, and is home to the national railway company, Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Cuba (FFCC), the only intercity passenger rail transport operating in the Caribbean.^[2]

It is considered a National monument for its architectural and historical values^[3] and is, along with the stations of Santiago, Camagüey and Santa Clara, a network's divisional headquarter.^[4]

Design

The eclectic architecture building has four floors and a mezzanine. On the main facade, there are two high towers on Belgica Avenue representing the Coat of arms of Cuba and Havana, respectively.

The main architect was the American Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison, who was inspired by a decorative style Spanish planteresque, which are clearly visible in the elements of the shields and shells of the facade. The station's platforms are nearly one kilometer long and a total area of 14,000 square meters.

History

By 1910, the 71-year-old Villanueva Railway Station (currently the Capitolio grounds), the first of Havana, had exceeded its capacity due to increasing urban development and population of the city. On July 20, 1910, the Congress of Cuba authorized to build the new railway station on the Arsenal public grounds instead of the Villanueva Station private grounds. The value of the old arsenal grounds and buildings was about US$3.7 million at the time, while the Villanueva grounds were about $2.3 million. This transaction caused heated debates within the political community and in general throughout the population of the city, because the value of Arsenal land was more than a million dollars to Villanueva, so it was unknown where that amount would go. This resulted in heated debates in the Congress. The Chamber representative Silverio Sánchez Figueras, commander of the liberation army, denounced the trade as a "dirty business", and the action was contradicted by congressman Colonel Severo Moleón Guerra. The confrontation culminated in a duel to death on December 9, 1910, where Congressman Moleón died. Two years later, on November 30, 1912, the new Central Railway Station was opened on the former arsenal grounds.

Service

Overview

Central Railway Station has a network of suburban, interurban and long-distance rail lines. The railways are nationalised and run by the FFCC (Ferrocarriles de Cuba – Railways of Cuba). Rail service connects the Central Rail Station to various Cuban provinces. In 2009, the annual passenger volume was roughly 7.5 million,^[1] almost 400,000^[1] less from the previous year, and 3.5 million^[1] less than 2004, mainly after the government upgraded ASTRO's long-distance inter-city buses fleet with brand new air conditioned Yutong buses. Santiago de Cuba is the busiest route from the Central Station, some 836 kilometres (519 mi) apart by rail. In 2000 the Union de Ferrocarriles de Cuba bought French first class airconditioned coaches.

Fast trains line 1 and 2, between (Central Station) and Santiago de Cuba, use comfortable stainless-steel air-conditioned coaches bought from French Railways and now known as the "Tren Francés" (the French train). It runs daily at peak periods of the year (Summer season, Christmas & Easter), and on every second day at other times of the year. These coaches were originally used on the premier Trans Europ Express service between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam before being replaced with high speed Thalys trains. They were shipped to the Cuban Railways System in 2001. It offers two classes of seating, basic leatherette "especial" and quite luxurious "primera especial".

Route diagrams

Annual passengers transported 2004-09^[1]
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Total Passengers	(?) 11.0 million	11.0 million	10.5 million	10.3 million	7.9 million	7.5 million

Cuban rail network for passenger transportation


Long-distance intercity rail lines^[5]
Train Route #	Destination	Notes
1	Santiago de Cuba	The express flagship "Tren Francés" ("French Train"). Stops in Santa Clara and Camagüey. Offers "first class" service with air-conditioning, and cafeteria car.
3	Ciego de Ávila	Final destination is the city of Morón
11	Santiago de Cuba	Stops in all major cities. Services offered: buffet, air-conditioning, reclining seats, restrooms, and hostesses.
11/30	Guantánamo	via Santiago de Cuba
13	Bayamo	-
13/32	Manzanillo	via Bayamo
15	Holguín	Stops in all major cities. Not air-conditioned. Services offered: restrooms, reclining seats, and hostesses.
17	Sancti Spíritus	-
19	Cienfuegos	Evening departure
21	Cienfuegos	Morning departure
23	Pinar del Río	-

Gallery

Detail of building's facade

Station hall

A Cuban flag hanging inside the station building

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Havana Central railway station.

(Spanish) Havana Central railway station on EcuRed
Google. "Havana Central railway station" (Map). Google Maps. Google.

Public transport in Havana

Networks	MetroBus Suburban Railway (Hershey Electric Railway) Tramway (defunct)

Main structures	Central Station Omnibus Terminal Harbor Airports José Martí International Ciudad Libertad Playa Baracoa

Landmarks and attractions in Havana

Commerce, government	Bacardi Building Coppelia (ice cream parlor) El Capitolio FOCSA Building Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital Lonja del Comercio building Manzana de Gómez Palacio de los Capitanes Generales Russian embassy Oriental Park Racetrack^† Tropicana Club

Education	ELAM (Latin American School of Medicine) University of Havana

Fortifications	La Cabaña Castillo de la Real Fuerza Castillo San Salvador de la Punta Morro Castle Castle del Príncipe Santa Clara Battery Torreón de la Chorrera

Hotels	Hotel Capri Hotel Habana Riviera Hotel Inglaterra Hotel Nacional de Cuba Hotel Sevilla Hotel Tryp Habana Libre Meliá Cohiba Hotel

Monuments	Central Railway Station Colón Necrópolis Fuente de la India El Templete José Martí Memorial USS Maine monument

Museums	Museo del Aire^† Museum of Decorative Arts Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana Museum of the Revolution Napoleon Museum

Natural	Almendares River Havana Harbor

Neighborhoods	Centro Habana Miramar Old Havana (La Habana Vieja) Vedado Others

Religious	Havana Cathedral Iglesia de Jesús de Miramar San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Cathedral Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis Christ of Havana

Streets, parks	Calle 23 ("La Rampa") John Lennon Park José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform (Wall of Flags) Malecón Paseo del Prado Plaza de la Revolución Plaza Vieja

Theatres	Amadeo Roldán Theatre Gaia Gran Teatro de La Habana Hubert de Blanck Theater Karl Marx Theatre National Theatre of Cuba Teatro Miramar

^†closed

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