driving to North Cyprus from England

doughboy


Joined: 22/04/2009
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 14:49

Has anyone either driven to Cyprus or have you any knowledge of what the problems could be. I am planning to load my car with household linen and small items to take to our new house. Any advice or comments would be appreciated

BigMart


Joined: 26/02/2009
Posts: 423

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 15:33

Hi,



We did the trip in September, camped all the way. The route was Ferry from Hull to Zeebruge drove through belgium, Lux, France, Switzerland, Italy, ferry from Ancona to Cesme. 3 nights on board, not a bad ship, just weather was a disapointment.



Drove and camped from Cesme to Tasacu then the dreaded and much talked about Filthy smelly Tub to Kyrenia.



The customs nightmare awaits, try and get a turkish cypriot to meet you there as this smooths the way no end.



If you want anymore info let me know.

MANDERS


Joined: 22/05/2008
Posts: 6

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 16:24

hello. We did the return trip TRNC-UK & back last year. From Girne TO Tacusu, then Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia Hungary, Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Dover. Back via Hull, Rotterdam, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy Greece, Turkey. Hotel stays en route.

The return journey from UK, via ferry Ancona - Igounoumitsa was easier that outward. You can get all the way on UK plates. Customs checks negligible until Turkey, but just the usual fags & alcohol questions there . No boot checks. Turkey to Girne is difficult.Police,Immigration & Customs forms for people & car to fill in & to pay for, numerous stamps on paperwork to obtain, differeent offices to go to. The officials are not unhelpful however, and many speak a sort of english & will advise on where to go next. Same procedures entering TRNC. I can e-mail more detail if you require.

RGDS

li n lee


Joined: 09/10/2007
Posts: 144

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 16:35

Be happy to let you know - we are leaving on the 22nd May for the long awaited journey! cant wait.

TJinthesun



Joined: 06/05/2009
Posts: 40

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 18:01

Anyone done UK - Kyrenia via the South?

elkiton



Joined: 15/03/2009
Posts: 514

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 18:13

Yes I did it last year. 6 important points,



1. Make sure you have the original log sheet / paperwork for the vehicle...photocopy not acceptable.



2. Insure for all countries, we changed to one not on the green card and it cost £100 at the border just to travel in Serbia for one day.



3. If you import the car, at Kyrenia and get the yellow form done by the shipping agent at the port, ensure you go back to customs within a month and get a stamp on it, they impounded my car after 8 months and fined me for that transgression.....stupid agent told me that I was clear for they year, I was except for.....as stated.



4. With a car load of goodies, you may be carrying more "loot" than some 3rd worlder's acquire in a lifetime...think carefully where you park your car at night.....we nearly finished up in the acid vat and the car broken up for spares....



5. Carry spare diesel / oil



6. Hotels in Turkey are few and far between when on the main roads....stop well before the end of the

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 20:24

My friends in Turtle Bay did it from Scotland over 2 years ago. No problems that I heard of.

MiketheBike


Joined: 01/04/2009
Posts: 159

Message Posted:
06/05/2009 21:11

We did the trip last year and back to the Uk, we camped in our Mazda Bongo and made an extended holiday out of the trip. We travelled down through France, Italy, ferry from Brindisi to Greece, then into Turkey following the coast most of the way, fantastic experience. Make absolutely certain you have the original Registration Document for the car and that the details ie full name and address are the same as your passport. My Registration Document had 'Mike' and 'Michael' in the passport, it took us two hours at Girne port to convince customs I was known as 'Mike' or 'Michael'. They were going to send us back to Turkey. Tax and MOT your vehicle just before you leave, if you intend to stay in TRNC for more than a few weeks/months. You will be given one months permission to keep the vehicle in the country, then you have to go to customs in Lefkosia to get an extension, ours was six months, then we had to leave with the vehicle as I had previously already imported a m/cycle.

donegal



Joined: 23/04/2008
Posts: 48

Message Posted:
07/05/2009 16:18

Can you not get a ferry to Limassol from Greece

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
08/05/2009 08:24

don't they have planes in your part of the world ?

Mr Vince


Joined: 24/07/2008
Posts: 696

Message Posted:
08/05/2009 09:09

Watch if entering Austria. You need to purchase a VIGNETTA or road tax sticker for 8 euro. If you do not then you will be fined 120 euro and given 2 days to leave the country.. VIGNETTA apparently available from office at border crossing. It was closed when we arrived last June but we were stopped by police within 20 minutes and fined on the spot. Police cars have credit card swipe machines.

donegal



Joined: 23/04/2008
Posts: 48

Message Posted:
08/05/2009 09:58

They have planes. However I heard there was a ferry from Avonmouth to Limassol

doughboy


Joined: 22/04/2009
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
03/07/2009 15:31

Have now done the trip as stated it is very much as Manders Elkinton and Vince said. The ferry at Tasucu goes at a snails pace and takes six hours to cross. You have purchase tickets before going to the port at A K Gunler shop in the town and take sleeping necessaries with you on the ferry. If anyone wants advice or information just ask.

crammy


Joined: 30/07/2010
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
30/07/2010 22:17

Pete & I are looking to drive from UK to Cyprus next spring we have a villa in Edremit looking to stay 3 months or so. We have checked various posts and got some really good info on routes, ferries etc.



One question not really sure of - dont want to import the car just have use while we are there. Can we, if so for how long any info greatly appreciated.

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 07:00

Yes you can.Just make sure the car has long enough tax/mot.

laptarunner



Joined: 02/11/2009
Posts: 217

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 12:01

We did it last year from Hastings to the TRNC , took 7 days went down to Germany Austria though Balkans Bulgeria, Turkey and ferry from Turkey.

Went back via Izmir to Italy.



Get breakdown cover, for route watch a lot only covers part of Turkey RAC was best, make sure your paperwork including bike doc's are right, we had problem as one letter was wrong on V5.

Serbia had problems with bad petrol, had to add octane boaster. Green Card only covers some EU countires, 3 months insurance min in Serbia and Turkey about 70 Euro's.

Hotels no problem, basic, everyone helpful. Watch out in Turkey on long plains south of Ankara police with radar max speed limit for bikes 57mph, no lee way, if your caught is auto downloaded onto computer, got caught both ways £80 a time, you can't leave country until fine is paid.

Customs in port in South of turkey a bit of a nightmare, also customs in TRNC would only issue 30 days visa had to get it extended. We enjoyed it,

mikec


Joined: 26/06/2009
Posts: 6

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 13:29

yes did it last year (summer time ) no problems with the wife and baby over to france- Belgium-Germany-Austra-Hungary-Romania-Bulgaria where we stoped as the wife is Bulgarian stayed in Varna where we also live, then to Turkey takes about 5 hours to get there, then all the way down to Ferry Tasucu seems that car ferrys only go at midnight then about 6 hours then you are there, its all paperwork if they ever runout of paper well, i have a Bulgaria car they let me stay 3 months but the car just one month after that i went to the customs and extended the car stay for 2 more months, then did the same return trip.