Getting There

Ercan Airport photo by: Meltem Erden [ enlarge photo ]

Getting to North Cyprus

North Cyprus flights mostly arrive at Ercan International Airport. Gecitkale Airport is a military airport and it was used during 2004 while Ercan Airport was being renovated. You can also fly into Larnaca airport in South Cyprus, and cross the Northern Cyprus border. Alternatively, you can visit North Cyprus by ferry.

North Cyprus Airports

Ercan International Airport North Cyprus
All Northern Cyprus flights must first land in Turkey, and then continue on to Ercan International Airport in Northern Cyprus. Over ninety flights a week arrive at Ercan, with the main airlines providing flights to North Cyprus being Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Cyprus Turkish Airlines and Atlas Jet. From the UK, you can fly to North Cyprus via Turkey from Stansted, Gatwick or Heathrow. Most flights to North Cyprus from the UK arrive in the evening. The stopover in Turkey is not usually more than an hour, and you do not usually need to change planes when flying to Northern Cyprus with Cyprus Turkish Airlines. The short Turkey to Northern Cyprus flight takes less than ninety minutes. Charter airline Atlas Jet offer North Cyprus charter flights from London Stansted and Manchester in the UK, most major airports in Germany, as well as Northern  Cyprus flights from France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and even Dubai! Pegasus Airlines also offer Northern Cyprus charter flights from Germany.

Larnaca Airport South Cyprus
If you choose to land at Larnaca airport, the easiest to get to North Cyprus is to take a taxi. Sit back and relax, whilst your North Cypriot taxi whisks you from Larnaca airport direct to your villa or hotel in Northern Cyprus. Alternatively, most North Cyprus car rental firms will collect you from Larnaca airport in South Cyprus, take you to their offices in North Nicosia, and rent you a modern, clean car for touring North Cyprus at your own pace. The taxi driver will do all the North Cyprus border paperwork for you too! You can hire a car at Larnaca airport and drive across the North Cyprus border, but you will need to purchase special North Cyprus car insurance when you cross. Getting a taxi is a lot less hassle, and the journey to the border at Nicosia takes only about 30 minutes.

You can also arrive the way the ancients used to, by sea. The North Cyprus passenger ferries run from Mersin, Tasucu and Alanya on the Turkish mainland to either Kyrenia or Famagusta. There is also a slower North Cyprus car ferry service to and from the same Northern Cyprus ports. The North Cyprus passenger ferry from Kyrenia to the Turkish coast takes about two hours, the Northern Cyprus car ferries take more like five hours.

North Cyprus Dual Centre Holidays

You can also get a North Cyprus ferry from the popular Turkish resorts of Alanya, Antalya and Anamur to Kyrenia, North Cyprus during the summer months, to create your own dual centre Turkish holiday. You can also book a three day North Cyprus excursion from Tasucu harbour, which includes the two hour passenger ferry to North Cyprus and Kyrenia accommodation. Remember, when looking at any North Cyprus ferry timetables, the Turkish mainland refer to Kyrenia as Girne.

Northern Cyprus Passport Requirements

North Cyprus visitors require a valid passport. EU residents do not require a visa for Northern Cyprus, nor do residents of Turkey, USA, Canada, Mexico, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Israel, Azerbaijan, Australia and New Zealand. You will need proof of your Northern Cyprus arrival and departure dates.