🇨🇺 Travel facts Cuba
✓ Last checked:The most important practical answers for your trip to Cuba — entry, tipping, socket, customs and more. Compactly verified, with source references.
| Capital | Havana |
|---|---|
| Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Cuban Peso (CUP) |
| Timezone | UTC-5 |
| Flight time from Germany | approx. 10–11 hours |
| Emergency number | 106 · Police 106 · Emergency 104 |
| Plug | Type A/B/C · 110/220 V (mixed) / 60 Hz · Adapter needed |
| EU / Schengen | not an EU country · not Schengen |
Do I need a visa for Cuba?
Passport plus tourist card (Tarjeta de Turista) required — valid for 30 days, extendable.
Travel health insurance is a requirement for entry (no US provider); passport must be valid for 6 months. Binding information: German Federal Foreign Office.
How much should I tip in Cuba?
10%, often already included as service — give in cash
Hotel: 1–2 USD per service, 2–5 USD per day for housekeeping
Taxi: 10%
Which plug adapter do I need in Cuba?
Adapter needed: plug types A / B / C, 110/220 V (mixed) / 60 Hz.
Voltage and plug types often vary within the same building — bring a universal adapter, check voltage.
Can you drink tap water in Cuba?
No, tap water is not recommended for drinking.
Never drink it, not even for brushing teeth — only bottled or boiled water.
What can I bring back from Cuba to Germany?
Non-EU country: On return to Germany, goods up to €430 (by air travel), 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits are duty-free. Cigars: max. 50 pieces duty-free (keep official receipt).
Will my mobile phone work in Cuba?
No EU roaming; internet is limited (ETECSA/Wi-Fi cards, partly eSIM data packages) — inform yourself in advance.
Card or cash — how do you pay in Cuba?
Cash is essential (bring euros and exchange); cards from US banks do not work.
What should I know about health in Cuba?
Travel health insurance is mandatory upon entry; bring medications/travel pharmacy.
Sources & Note
Information from the perspective of German citizens, as of August 2026, without guarantee. Entry and security information can change at short notice — binding is the German Federal Foreign Office (Cuba travel information) . Health information does not replace medical travel advice.
