Matanzas is about 90 km east of Havana along the Via Blanca coastal highway. By car or taxi the drive takes around 90 minutes. Viazul buses connect Matanzas with Havana daily, and the journey is around two hours. Local trains also run between Havana and Matanzas, though schedules are unreliable.
From Varadero, the resort peninsula 30 km to the east, there are regular buses and shared taxis to Matanzas — the journey takes about 30 minutes. Most visitors combine Matanzas as a half-day excursion from either Havana or Varadero.