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The idea of a vacation in Cyprus entails getting into the interiors of the city and experiencing its beauty to the core, which implies traveling through the wood, the hills, the mountains and even the coastline. The travel options must therefore be carefully understood and picked before packing your bags and leave for a holiday to this eternal destination.

Getting There

Reaching Cyrus is not difficult. Once you’ve picked it as your vacation destination and rightly so, all that is left is arranging your luggage and booking the tickets to the next flight Cyprus. The island has airports at Larnaka and Pafos and is connected via air route to the most of European and Middle Eastern regions. Earlier, there was an international airport at the island’s capital city Nicosia, but this Airport has been closed down since 1974. North Cyprus too has an airport but only the Turkish flights can access it. Please note that an area of Cyprus is dominated by Turkish rule and driving is not permitted there.

The other entry to the beautiful island is through its ancient route i.e. the sea route. By sea the entry can be made via Greece and Israel from the port in Lemesos. The main harbors of the island are Limassol harbor, and Larnaca harbor, which service cargo, passenger, and cruise ships. The former is the larger one and caters to more traffic. A smaller cargo dock also exists at Vasilikos, near Zygi (a small town between Larnaca and Limassol). Smaller vessels and private yachts can dock at Marinas in Cyprus. For Greece, a change at Athens is on the chart. There are ferries from North Cyprus to Turkey, but an exit from Cyprus cannot be planned this way unless the entry point is Turkey.

As for the important traveling mode railways, there are no options in Cyprus. The last railway was dismantled in 1950 and since then there has been no effort or a requirement sought to rebuild it.

Another entry point is through highways. You can drive right into the city. The driveway is on the left side of the road.

Welcome to Cyprus

Once you reach here, it is about traveling within the Cyprus boundaries that must be planned for. Cyprus is a destination marked by less and even thinning public transport with private means of commuting taking over as the preferred means of travel. For inland travel options, the story begins with self-driving options and ends there. Public transportation options whatever present is not enough and hence not suggested for tourists on a holiday in Cyprus.

Public Mode of Transportation

Public transport for Cyprus in its broadest sense refers to public buses operating between key stations and some taxis, limited to Nicosia, known as service taxis. It is a shared taxi service. The bus service too is restricted just to the main urban stations. Bus timetables and schedules are available from tourist offices or directly from the bus company. The services stop early (about 18:00) and there is no bus service on Sundays. Bus fare is paid directly to the bus driver; make sure to bring change.

The locals have thus realized the need of private car and have registered themselves as in the category where private car ownership in the country is the 5th highest per capita in the world. Lately however, there are plans announced to increase the availability and reach of public transport extensively throughout Cyprus with European Union Development Bank playing a key role to augment the dwindling public transport in Cyprus.

The routes served by bus service are as below:

The service taxi routes and operational hours as followed in Nicosia are mentioned below:

Working hours

The service runs every half hour as per the details given below.

Operational Routes

The Way Out

The limited availability and frequency of public transport for domestic travel in Cyprus thus leaves no other option but to travel by a rented or a hired car. Cars are easily available for hire in Cyprus. Your own private car can also be brought in, provided it is complemented by adequate insurance cover and a valid international driving license.

Driving rules as followed in Cyprus are similar to other international norms. Roads are in good condition and are pretty safe for travelers. Wearing a seat belt is must while traveling and children below 5 years of age are not permitted on the front seat. For those between an age group of 5 to 10 years a child seat belt must be fastened properly.

The roads are adequately marked with clear signboards in English and Greek. The speed limit varies with track and is marked in km/h. The driver should be completely hands free while driving or else is liable to a penalty which could go to an extent to debarring him the driving rights.

There are no issues with fuel availability, yet the stations are in major cities and therefore while planning a long excursion, keeping the tank full is advised. Parking area also is adequately marked and hence it is not an issue. The city is overall safe for traveling during late hours.

Cyprus is a serene island and the beauty can be assimilated only in the interiors, which can be easily accessed by a car. Reaching there is not an issue but book your flights in advance to avoid any last minute hassles. So, just chart your trip out to Cyprus and have a great vacation ahead!