A video released this Saturday shows the deteriorated interior of the train cars on the Morón-Camagüey route, where tickets cost 1,500 pesos (CUP) per person.
The images, shared on Facebook by journalist José Luis Tan Estrada, were taken in a low-light environment and reveal carriages in dreadful conditions.
The recording emerges just a day after the service was reactivated, following months of suspension due to a lack of fuel.
The ticket price is particularly high for the incomes of a significant portion of the population. The 1,500 CUP represents nearly half of the national minimum wage, which has been set at 3,210 CUP since July.
The conditions shown in the video sparked numerous criticisms among Facebook users. One commenter labeled the service as "a scam" and "a disgrace," while questioning the existence of a Minister of Transport given the situation depicted.
Another user pointed out that the price represents "a disrespect to the people" due to the service conditions, while a third person compared the cars to spaces intended for transporting livestock and reported that seats and aisles are often occupied by bags and other cargo.
The criticism also included references to the historical decline of the service. "It hasn't changed at all; I took it back in 2000 to go to Morón, and it was a horror movie, indescribable," commented another user.
Not all comments were negative. Some pointed out that the state-owned company Cupet is purchasing fuel from private sources to help restore routes, a situation that, according to those users, helps to explain the high ticket prices.
"I agree that the price is quite high for a transportation service that has always been considered cheap and accessible. However, given the current conditions, it makes sense, because that same route by truck can cost double or even triple," stated one of the commentators.
"Everything remains the same, and even worse: the same poor conditions at higher prices," summarized a Cuban in the comments, a sentiment shared by other forum users in response to a transportation system that demands more from those who have less.
The reactivation of the route occurs in a context of sustained railway collapse. In March, the seven train routes in Ciego de Ávila were completely paralyzed and only two out of 135 state-run bus routes remained active in the province.
On a national scale, the trains operate only 16 services per month compared to 62 at their historical peak, representing a decline of 74%, and the system is functioning with only 12 to 14 locomotives out of the 34 required, according to official figures.
The debate about railway fares is a national issue. In Guantánamo, authorities announced changes to the train prices that are still pending approval from the Ministry of Finance and Prices.
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