Getting to Northern Cyprus is a little different from getting to Southern Cyprus. As the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is only recognized by Turkey, no airline other than the Turkish one flies to this part of Cyprus at the moment! You can find out how to get to the Turkish side of Cyprus relatively easily here.
When I flew to Cyprus for the first time to visit our apartment in the shell, I chose a flight with Turkish Airlines from Nuremberg via Istanbul to Ercan. I have put together an overview of flights from the most popular German airports.
On average, the prices in 2023 are around 350-450 euros per person. But it can be even cheaper. The red planes show you the airports that are available. The two in the south are located in the EU and are therefore served by many providers without a stopover. For example Ryanair!
With Ryanair to Northern Cyprus - is that possible?
Of course Ryanair does not fly directly to Northern Cyprus, but indirectly it is possible: namely with Can’s help!
I know Can personally. He was born and raised in London and later flew back to his home in Northern Cyprus. His father lived here before the division of the country and so Can also has his roots here. He speaks very good English with a British accent, so I could understand him perfectly straight away.
Can has founded a cab company and picks people up from the airport. But the best thing is that he also takes care of another aspect for vacationers: the rental car!
With Can’s help, we were given a rental car right outside the apartment door so that we had a car when we arrived.
And because Can can pick you up directly from Paphos, a flight from Memmingen or Cologne, for example, is also possible for little money. In February 2023, for example, we only paid 770 euros return from Memmingen to Paphos as a family of five.
How much does the transfer from the airport cost?
Here are the current prices Can has quoted me for 2023 (one-way):
- From Ercan airport: €60,- (approx. 45 minutes)
- From Larnaca airport: €90,- (approx. 1h 20 min)
- From Paphos airport: €160,- (approx. 3,5h)
Can can transport up to 7 guests at this price. So add these prices to your travel costs and see which flight makes the most sense for you.
Across the border from the south (EU) to the north (TRNC)
The second time I came to Cyprus with my family, we flew to Paphos. There I immediately hired a rental car, which we drove to the border in Nicosia (or Lefkosia for the Turkish name) over the next few days. But: The EU rental car is not allowed to cross the border! So we had to leave it there and walk across with our luggage to hire another rental car.
Where is the best place to leave the EU rental car?
I spent a long time looking for where other tourists left their cars while visiting Northern Cyprus. Among other things, I found an interesting article by Sarah and Michael describing their trip across the border in a rental car. But that didn’t help me any further. So I searched further and found a forum that showed me various parking garages not far from the Ledra Palace border crossing. I saved these locations and then set off with the family.
When I arrived at my destination, however, I found a parking space right here: https://goo.gl/maps/G8fN2FRqug7wA3Pt8
I paid the parking lot attendant 12 euros for 4 days and we left the car (which was insured) there. First of all: there were no problems when we returned.
Crossing the border on foot with luggage
We then unloaded our luggage and walked the 500 meters to the border.
The transition was very quick and easy. We didn’t have to open any suitcases or have anything else checked. We were on the Turkish side within minutes!
Continue with a second rental car
I rented a Ford Focus from Pacific Rentals. A bit cramped for 5 people, but it worked out! And the price was around 25 euros per day, which was also very good.
Conclusion
The easiest way is certainly to get a cheap flight and then have Can pick you up. This is because Cyprus has left-hand traffic and not everyone wants to try it out on their own (although it’s not particularly difficult!). You can then continue with your own rental car, which Can will also organize. The prices can be arranged with him beforehand. Just send him a WhatsApp: +90 533 872 28 65 or contact him via his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/quickcyprustransfers
If you want to see both parts of Cyprus, it is best to book a rental car from Pacific Rentals in Northern Cyprus and select the option “Using vehicle in SOUTH CYPRUS”. Bear in mind that you will also need to take out insurance here, which is also valid in Southern Cyprus.
Any more questions? Put them in the comments!
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