Cuba orders Russian long-distance coaches

THE director of Cuban foreign trade agency Tradex Mr José Antonio Arias signed a contract with Mr Andrei Solovey, CEO of Transmashholding subsidiary Tver Carriage Works (TVZ), on November 10 for 68 passenger coaches for Cuban Union Railways (UFC).

The agreement was signed during the visit of Cuban transport minister Mr Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila to Russia.

The order comes under the umbrella of a broader agreement between Russia and Cuba to modernise the railway network on the Caribbean island.

The coaches will replace ageing vehicles from Germany and Mexico on long-distance services. The poor condition of these coaches means that many long-distance services have been cut back to operate only every three days.