The Ministry of Transportation of Cuba (Mitrans) announced the implementation of a new service for the transfer of loads in national passenger trains, a tool that expands logistics possibilities and seeks to stimulate internal trade between the private and state sector in the country.
He Service is available for natural and legal persons, and covers the main national railway routes.
According to Mitrans on their social networks, and that the newspaper Granma reproduce, The service allows transporting volumes between one and six tons under the accompanied load mode, which implies that the client must escort The load making the trip on the same transfer date.
This novelty represents a safe option for the mobilization of goods within the Cuban territory.
Products and conditions for trains transportation
The set of authorized products for this new service is diverse, including parcels, packages, electronic equipment and varied goods, always subject to strict safety and packaging requirements.
As for means of transport such as bicycles, motorins or motorcycles, shipments with batteries installed or with fuel in deposits are prohibited, in line with current safety regulations.
The cost of the service was established in 14.98 Cuban pesos (CUP) per kilometer traveled from the point of origin to the final destination, with an additional surcharge of 5 % in cases where the client requests exclusivity of the service.
Enabled agencies and constant supervision
To facilitate access, national routes agencies located in Holguín, Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo are enabled to provide information and process requests related to this service.
He Mitrans assured that it will maintain constant supervision to guarantee compliance with technical and security regulations, emphasizing the promotion of this modality as a viable alternative to other transport options.
The most intensive use of the installed capacity of the Cuban rail system through these accompanied cargo services helps increase the efficiency in national transportation and reinforces commercial integration between different provinces and economic sectors.
Expected impact and sector difficulties
This new scheme contributes to diversifying the logistics options available for the merchandise transfer service, especially useful for small and medium enterprises, cooperatives and the state sector, which face historical challenges in the mobility of goods on the island.
LAt initiative, In turn, it seeks to boost the Internal trade when facilitating a flexible and cheaper alternative for the movement of loads. It can boost the availability of products in different territories, benefiting producers and consumers.
Rail transport in Cuba is an important means for cargo transfer, although it faces multiple challenges.
In 2024, eThe Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, reported On Facebook that although some advances in passenger mobilization were achieved, the lack of resources has affected the quality and stability of the service.
One of the main problems lies in the availability of locomotives and cars, because of the 20 necessary locomotives, only 14 were on average operations during 2024, which generated delays and irregularities in the itineraries, he reported The official.
Likewise, only 63 % of planned cars were in operation due to unresolved technical problems and the lack of foreign exchange for maintenance, Rodriguez said.
Despite these limitations, income from passenger transport reached 107.75 % of what is planned in 2024. This increase It should be a greater efficiency in the sale of tickets and a growing demand for trains as a transport option, from the point of view of prices, the most affordable to the population.
