Internet Access in Cuba – Wifi in Cuba in 2024

It may be the first thing you question about traveling to Cuba.  Is there Internet in Cuba for tourists? Is there wifi in Cuba?   The good news is that there are at more than 1100 public places you can get internet and wifi in Cuba in 2024.  The bad news – it’s still government-run, it’s not free and there are a few hoops that you need to jump through to get online in Cuba.  This guide will explain all about Internet access in Cuba.  You can access the internet via terminals in ETECSA Cuba offices or other public spaces – like parks and you can generally get wifi in Cuba.  There is wifi in parks, navigation rooms in some public spaces and other public places. Plus you now have the option of mobile access – a Tourist sim card that you can use for up to 30 days inside Cuba.

In this guide, we’ll answer all the questions you have about internet access in Cuba

• What’s the best way to get internet access in Cuba?
• Can you get internet in Cuba?
• Can you get wifi in Cuba?
• Where to buy internet access in Cuba?
• What is the cost of internet access in Cuba?
• How to logon to wifi in Cuba
• Do I need to log out of Cuba’s internet access?
• What is the 1.1.1.1 logout?
• Where are the wifi hotspots in Cuba?
• Can I get mobile internet in Cuba?

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

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TLDR:  WiFi in Cuba / Internet in Cuba 2024

It’s available.  You can easily buy access to get on the Internet.  It’s not fast, you shouldn’t rely on it and you will find that some sites that you try to access are blocked.   You can also buy a tourist SIM card to get mobile internet access.

Buy a tourist SIM here – Or read about it here.

However. This article is about WiFi and general internet access, not mobile data, so lets carry on.

You will find internet access points in most towns and cities in Cuba in 2024. 

You should make sure you get yourself a VPN before you get to the country – to protect your personal data and ensure you can access all the sites that you want to.  There’s more here on what else to do BEFORE arriving in Cuba. A VPN will allow you to access the sites that the Cuban government blocks.  But you will need to download the VPN BEFORE you get to Cuba.  Access to VPN download sites is blocked from Cuba.

Don’t know what a VPN is?  Read more about using VPNs in Cuba here.

Get the best VPN that we’ve found that works in Cuba.  This link gives you THREE MONTHS for free as a reader of Cuba’s Best. You can read more about VPNs in Cuba here.

Wifi in Cuba is provided by ETESCA Cuba

Internet access in Cuba is provided by a Cuban Government-owned telecommunications company called ETECSA   (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A).  ETECSA strictly controls where you can access the internet, although the number of locations is increasing quickly.

There are two types of services provided for Cuban internet access.  ETESCA provides for internet access ‘ temporary and permanent accounts.  Permanent accounts are only available to Cuban residents. However, you might end up using one (read on for more on this).  Temporary accounts are what the vast majority of Cubans and all tourists end up using.

Temporary Internet Access in Cuba for Tourists

A temporary internet account allows access to the internet through pre-paid non-rechargeable cards.  You might hear these referred to as the Cuba Internet Card or the Wifi Card.  Cuba tourists need to use one to access the internet.  These are valid for 30 days from the first date of use. You do not have to use all the time purchased at one time, you can log off and use your minutes at a later date.

Permanent Internet Access in Cuba

A permanent internet account isn’t really a permanent account, it’s an annual contract.  It gives access to cheaper rates for access than the temporary account.  However, that said, it won’t be available to you as a tourist unless you seek it out on the black market.  (see more below).

What’s the difference between ETECSA and NAUTA

You may hear others using the terms ETECSA and NAUTA interchangeably.  ETESCA is the company that provides Internet access in Cuba.  NAUTA is the name of both the permanent account and the temporary card that you buy to give you access to the Internet.

Where to Buy Your NAUTA Cuba Internet Card

There are FOUR primary places to buy a NAUTA Cuba internet access card.

Buying Wifi Access in ETECSA Offices

This is where the Nauta internet cards will be the cheapest.  They will be the standard government-listed price.  The Cuban Government listed prices are here. You will pay the same price in these offices as Cubans do.   There will always be a line to buy your cards here.  Mostly the line will be outside the office, as only a few people are allowed in at a time.   You WILL need your passport to buy the card.

Most ETECSA offices are open 7 days a week from 0830 until 1900, although there may be some differences as you move across the country.  You can find an up-to-date list of ETECSA office locations on their website here.  There are several offices of ETESCA Havana and Varadero.  Note that while many ETECSA offices have PCs where you can access the internet and many have wifi access at the office, not all of them do!  You can ask for a NAUTA internet access card or NAUTA wifi card – it’s the same thing

We bought Nauta wifi cards from the ETECSA Varadero office and queued for 5 minutes.  Unfortunately, they did not have wifi.  Varadero wifi spots included the Complejo Todo por Uno shopping mall. We cover where else to get wifi in Varadero in our guide to Varadero here.

Get the best VPN that we’ve found that works in Cuba.  This link gives you THREE MONTHS for free as a reader of Cuba’s Best. You can read more about VPNs in Cuba here.

Buying Cuban Internet Access in Hotels

Many hotels will sell you a NAUTA internet access card, simply ask the concierge.  You will NOT need your passport to buy a card.    The Hotel Seville sells NAUTA Cards. The hotel also has wifi access and their lounge is generally full of tourists accessing the internet.  The wifi here at the Hotel Sevilla can be accessed with ANY NAUTA card, not just one bought from the hotel itself. 

Buying Cuba Wifi Access in ETESCA outlets

You’ll also find some ETECSA outlets, where customers can buy recharge for their mobile phones.  These places also sell NAUTA cards.  They will be more than the standard government rate per hour, but usually not a great deal more.   You’ll need to take your passport with you to buy the NAUTA Card.

Buying a NAUTA Card on the Black Market – i.e. buying a NAUTA card in the park

You’ll always be able to find someone willing to sell you a price-marked-up NAUTA card.  Cubans will go to the ETECSA store, buy their allowance of cards and then come to a wifi hotspot and look for tourists to sell them to.  It’s certainly simpler than finding an ETECSA store, and likely cheaper than the seriously marked-up hotel prices.  Make sure that the card has NOT been scratched before you buy it.

You may also be able to buy Cuban internet access WITHOUT a NAUTA card.  This means accessing someone’s permanent account.  The cost differential between temporary internet access accounts and permanent internet access accounts is HUGE. 

An hour of internet access with a temporary NAUTA card costs 25 CUP from an ETECSA office.  An hour of internet access with a Cuban’s permanent account costs 2.50 CUP to view local content.  It costs 12.50 CUP per hour to view international content.   Yes.  You read that right.  So if you’re offered internet access at a public wifi spot and the “vendor” needs to input a username and password into your device, then you’re accessing their permanent account.  They’re paying 12.50 CUP for the hour they’ll sell you.  And you’re paying whatever you negotiate.

The choice is oours as to where you buy from and whether you want cheap or quick.

What does a NAUTA Cuba Internet Access Card look like?

There are two types of cards sold.  The first and older type looks like this.  There is a scratch-off on the reverse of the card which contains your username and password.

The newer Cuban Internet access card is similar to receiving a new debit/credit card PIN.    You rip open the card – carefully – and your username and password are on a separate slip inside.

What’s the Cost of Wifi in Cuba in 2024

Cuban citizens get cheaper wifi access than tourists.  The cost since 2020 for Cubans to access the internet is 2.50 CUP per hour for accessing local content and 12.50 CUP per hour for accessing international content.  Tourists and visitors pay more. You can see the tourist rates here.

To get on the internet in Cuba you need to buy an ETECSA Cuba internet access card – the NAUTA card. 

• 30 minutes:  12.50 CUP
• 1 hour: 25.00 CUP
• 5 hours: 125.00 CUP

These are the prices from an ETECSA office.  Other locations, such as hotels, outlets ,and Cubans selling them on the black market will charge more.

Get the best VPN that we’ve found that works in Cuba.  This link gives you THREE MONTHS for free as a reader of Cuba’s Best. You can read more about VPNs in Cuba here.

Some hotels, especially in tourist areas will charge up to 10 times the cost of the ETECSA fee to get online.  In most hotels, you will be able to use the NAUTA card that you have purchased elsewhere.

Where to get Wifi & Internet Access in Cuba

In 2024, there are more than 1100 wifi hotspots to get Internet Access n Cuba.  In September 2016 there were 200 locations.   Some ETECSA offices also provide “internet terminals” where you can log on using your NAUTA card and access the internet.  You can find the locations of these rooms here. Be very wary about inputting your personal details into these PCs.

The ETECSA navigation/surfing rooms that are in telepuntos and service centers are open seven days a week from 0830 until 1900.  Other surfing rooms may have different opening hours that are displayed locally.

Increasingly as Cuba gets online internet access is being provided in hotels (and some Casa Particulars – although these are few and far between).  If you’re looking for Havana hotels with wifi then the Hotel Seville is a good place to start.

Where are Cuban Wifi Hotspots?

• Airports – Havana, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero now provide internet access.  It might not, however, always be working.  And it might be overwhelmed with demand. Read more here about what to expect when arriving in Cuba.
• Hotels and Resorts – you can find wifi in Havana or Varadero in higher-end resorts and hotels.
• Some Casa Particulars have wifi – read more about Casa Particulars here.
• Public Parks throughout Cuba
• At ETECSA offices/stores.

In some locations, you can now sit in a café or a bar and access the Internet.  After you’ve squatted in a public park trying to get your email this feels incredibly civilized.   The further away from Havana and Varadero, we got the more pleasant the access got.

Great places to access the internet that we visited included

• Matanzas Wifi Hotspot – Plaza La Vigia cafe in the square of the same name
• Baracoa Wifi Hotspot– Cafeteria El Parque – our guide to Baracoa is here
• Sancti Spitirus Wifi Hotspot – the Taverna Yayabo, overlooking the bridge of the same name and the river – here’s our guide to things to do in Sancti Spiritus
• Santiago de Cuba  Wifi Hotspot – Cerveceria Puerto Del Rey on the river

How to Find Wifi Hotspots in Cuba

The most accurate and up-to-date location to find details of where you can get Internet access in Cuba is the ETECSA website. 

When you’re in Cuba, we highly recommend that you take a full download of the Cuban maps on maps.me. They’re excellent for finding your way around and they do mark SOME wifi hotspots (simply search for WIFI and you’ll get a list of places). We found it about 70% accurate.

You will generally get wifi access at the main park in each town or city.

How to Use Wifi in Cuba

Getting Online.

Getting online is simple

The screens are available in English and Spanish.

Turn on Wifi on your device.

Connect to the ETECSA wifi network, this will force open a browser window on your device and direct you to the login screen.

If it does not then you can open a browser and attempt to search for anything, it will force a redirect to the above page.

Input the username and then password from your NAUTA card.

Note that as soon as you log on, your oone-houraccess starts counting down.  Your card is valid for 30 days from the first use.   When you disconnect the clock stops.  It only starts again when you log on again.

Each time you logon on the browser window will advise you as to how many minutes you have remaining on your card. Don’t forget to open your VPN once you connect!

Regardless of how you access the internet in Cuba – please do consider using a VPN. If you plan on making online bookings (say for the Viazul Bus, or a Casa Particular), checking details of your return flight, or even using some social media sites then you’ll need a VPN in Cuba. The VPN that I use (12+ years now) and recommend is ExpressVPN – this link gives you 3 months for free

Using ETECSA.  Logout. 1.1.1.1. Logout

There is now no requirement (there hasn’t been since 2017 onwards) from ETECSA to logout.  Simply shut down your ETESCA wifi connection.  (It will save your battery anyways)  The clock will stop.  You will read many articles suggesting that you type in 1.1.1.1 to logout Etecsa into your browser window and then press the logout button.  If this is only in Spanish, then it will say CERRAR.  (close).  ETECSA’s own advice on their website also says, JUST DISCONNECT FROM THE WIFI SIGNAL.

We did NOT have to log out at all during our Cuban travels, and we tested it several times.  We simply disconnected and had no problems.  The time remained the same on our cards.

How Fast is Cuban Wifi and the Internet Speed in Cuba

We found Cuban wifi signal strength to be reasonably good in all locations.  We found internet speed in Cuba variable in different locations and times of the day.  Sometimes we were online and it disconnected and we could not reconnect.  Other times we simply could not connect.

We were able to use Skype.  Especially in Santa Clara, we saw many Cubans using Skype for voice communications and some video communications.

ETECSA says that each location, depending on the size of the connection should allow 50 consecutive users for smaller locations and 100 consecutive users for the larger locations.  It gives no details as to which locations are large and which are small.

The speed of connection in ETECSA offices, where you access via a cabled connection using one of their PCs is up to 2MBps.  We found the connections over wifi in all locations to be slow but steady.

Security on the Internet in Cuba

On some occasions, we could NOT access sites with HTTPS enabled.  On other occasions, we could.  We were able to utilize our VPN > Read more here about why you should use a VPN on public wifi networks.  The internet service is provided by a government organization in Cuba.  I preferred that my content was not visible to them.  I would always use a VPN in Cuba.  We use and recommend ExpressVPN whenever we travel.  You can get 3 months for free with ExpressVPN here.

Tips for Internet Usage and Wifi in Cuba

Before you Arrive in Cuba…

Don’t rely on getting internet service in Cuba.  All sorts of things could go wrong.

Before arrival in Cuba do all your research. Download Maps.Me and Cuban maps.

If you use Tripadvisor, get the offline version of Havana.

Print the list of locations where wifi is available if you know you’re going to need to connect – as a reminder you can download it from our subscriber content page.

Get a VPN before you arrive in Cuba

Wifi Access in Cuba

Make a list of what you need to do online.  Be ruthless

If you need to send information, then draft the information in a notes app, ready to cut and paste it into the relevant application.

Immediately upon connecting, set off the download for the email/documents you might need.

DISCONNECT

Read what you need to read offline, and draft replies in a notes app.

Log back on. Copy and paste your responses.

The Internet in Cuba isn’t as bad as you think it’s going to be.  So long as you go in with the attitude that it’s going to be bad.  (she writes shrugging sitting here now with good, fast internet access).  You just need to plan.  And assume that you won’t have any access at all, but we hope we’ve managed to outline the how, where, and when of internet access in Cuba.

Useful On and Offline Apps for Cuba

We’d seriously recommend that you assume that you won’t have any internet access while in Cuba and plan accordingly.  Then everything is a bonus.   And so that means getting all your maps, and useful content downloaded before you arrive in Cuba.  Check out other things that you should do before you arrive in Cuba in our travel checklist here.  Here are some of the apps that we recommend you download and use while in Cuba.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is our go-to VPN – we use it whenever we travel (and at home too).  It meant that while we were in Cuba (and a few other countries with strict internet access regimes) we were able to access sites that were blocked by the government.  It also means that any personal data that you transmit over public networks is encrypted and more secure.  Get a discount on ExpressVPN here.

Maps Me

With Maps me you’ll always know where you are, even if you’re just wandering around the streets of Old Havana.  Get maps me before you arrive in Cuba and download the offline maps.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp usage in Cuba is as ubiquitous as it is elsewhere.   Download it and you might end up using it to connect with your next Casa Particular owner, or to book a tour.

Google Translate

The Cuban accent is tough to understand.  Sometimes you might need to resort to typing something in and translating it.  So get ahead of the game, get Google Translate, and download the offline dictionary for Cuba.

AlaMesa

While the reviews that are written here aren’t necessarily what we’d use to book a restaurant, what AlaMesa does give you is an idea of where the restaurants and paladares are.  Plus you can book some excellent cooking and cocktail classes here too. 

FAQS on Wifi in Cuba

Got questions about Wifi in Cuba? Or want to know more about internet access in Cuba and we haven’t answered your questions?  Check out our frequently asked questions about Cuban Wifi and beyond below, or ask us yours in the comments.

Can I use the card for ETECSA Office and Cuban internet in public spaces?

Yes. When you buy the access card it has credentials and you log on at any of the available spaces, using your credit.

How do I check how much credit I have left?

The user information portal includes details of your time used and time available. Checking this part of your account does NOT account for your usage – i.e. it’s free.

Do hotels have wifi in Cuba?

Yes, you will find that many hotels in Cuba have wifi.   However, you may be limited to a certain amount of time.  Access to wifi in Cuban hotels is via the same type of NAUTA card that you use when accessing wifi in public places in Cuba.  These cards are time-limited.  You’ll likely find that hotels provide an hour of free wifi per day.  You can always buy more time.

Do Casa Particulars have Wifi in Cuba?

Some Casa Particulars in Cuba do have wifi.  They’re able to provide this by using a wifi booster to amplify the signal from an ETECSA hot spot.  You can see some of these extended on rooftops in Havana – they look like white cylinders.  Before these became legal in 2019 they were smuggled into the country.   And no, you can’t tell which are legal and which are not.  However, you will need to buy a wifi card and log in, but you get the benefit of doing this from our casa particular.

Can you get mobile data in Cuba?

Mobile data is available in Cuba.  And 4G is available in some places.  But it’s expensive if you use roaming. You’re better off buying a tourist SIM card for mobile data.    Mobile data has been available in Cuba since 2018, but prices were lowered in December 2019. 

Some worldwide providers have agreements in place with Cuba, so you *may* be able to use your mobile sim from home. Check here to see if there is an agreement – and then check with your provider to see what the costs are.

Note that the ONLY countries that have agreements with Cuba are Canada, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Russia.

Is the Internet in Cuba Fast?

No.  Cuban internet access is not fast.  It’s adequate, but it’s not fast. 

What is the 1.1.1.1 logout?

There used to be a requirement to logout of your ETECSA session. There is no longer a 1.1.1.1 logout requirement and there hasn’t been since 2017. Many old articles tell you that you have to type 1.1.1.1 into your device to logout out of your ETECSA wifi hotspot (and so stop using your precious minutes. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. Just disconnect from the wifi. And yes I’ve tested this REPEATEDLY.

Final Words on Wifi in Cuba in 2024

The lack of ubiquitous internet access in Cuba probably marks it out as one of the more unique places that you’ll visit.  Even when there is a wifi hotspot the chances are that it will be oversubscribed, or you won’t want to sit around in the hot Cuban using it.  Or the sites that you want to visit are blocked by the Cuban Government.   We hope that our guide to wifi in Cuba gives you some sense of what to expect and how to manage some of the challenges of Cuban internet access. 

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