Havana Central railway station

Central Station Estación Central
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Cuba (Inter-city & Commuter)
File:Havana Central Rail Station PIC079.png Exterior facade
General information
Location	401 Avenida de Bélgica Havana, Cuba
Coordinates	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
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	1912
Passengers
2009	973,600

File:Andén, Estación Central La Habana.jpg

Platform

The Central Railway Station (Spanish 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 (FCC), the only railway operating in the Caribbean.

It is considered a National monument for its architectural and historical values​​.

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 the year 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 20th, 1910, the Congress 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 $3.7 million dollars 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, l912, the new Central Railway Station was opened on the former arsenal grounds.

Service

Central Railway Station has a network of suburban, interurban and long-distance rail lines. The railways are nationalised and run by the UFC (Union de Ferrocarriles de Cuba – Union for Railways of Cuba). Rail service connects the Central Rail Station to various Cuban provinces. In 2009, the annual passenger volume was roughly 973,000, almost 100,000 less from the previous year, and 800,000 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".

File:Train at Central Station, Havana PIC075.png Commuter train

File:Havana Central Station, new MDU trains.jpg Looking down the platforms

File:Estación Central de Trenes, La Habana.jpg Station facade

File:Estacion Central de Ferrocarriles, La Habana.jpg ASTRO Inter-city buses also serves the station

Annual passengers transported 2004-09
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Total Passengers	(?) 1.759 million	1.513 million	1.233 million	1.286 million	1.056 million	973,600

Long-distance intercity rail lines
Train Route #	Destination	Notes
1	Santiago de Cuba	The express flagship "tren francés" ("French train"). Stops in Santa Clara and Camaguey. Offers "First Class" service with air-conditioning, and cafeteria car.
3	Ciego de Ávila	Final destination is Morón Municipality
11	Santiago de Cuba	Stops in all major cities. Services offered: buffet, air-conditioning, reclining seats, restrooms, and hostesses.
11/30	Guantanamo	via Santiago de Cuba
13	Bayamo	-
13/32	Manzanillo	via Bayamo
15	Holguin	Stops in all major cities. Not air-conditioned. Services offered: restrooms, reclining seats, and hostesses.
17	Sancti Spiritus	-
19	Cienfuegos	Evening departure
21	Cienfuegos	Morning departure
23	Pinar del Rio	-

See also

National Railways of Cuba (FCC)