How to visit Northern Cyprus

If you are planning to visit Northern Cyprus, you can do so by air or by sea.

Visiting Northern Cyprus by air

The easiest and fastest way to reach North Cyprus is by air. There are two important international airports you can fly to. You can fly to Northern Cyprus International Airport (Ercan) from England, Turkey and Germany on the national carrier, Cyprus Turkish Airlines (CTA). All flights are via Turkey. CTA will soon be commencing flights from Scandinavia and Italy. Since the border between the North and the South opened in 2003, you can now fly in the south of Cyprus.  Larnaca International Airport is the most convenient with a journey time of around 40 minutes to Lefkosa or 1 hour 20 minutes to Kyrenia.

Visit Northern Cyprus by sea

Ferryboats cruise from Kyrenia (Girne) and Famagusta (Gazi Magusa) to Turkey's south coast ports of Mersin, Alanya and Tasucu. There are three routes which operate between: Kyrenia -Alanya, Kyrenia -Tasucu and Famagusta - Mersin.

Ferryboat services from Turkish Mersin to Famagusta in Northern Cyprus operate three times a week while ferryboat services from Turkish Tasucu to Kyrenia operate daily. The journey takes about two hours by a fast ferry, by the slower one, it takes about four or five hours. During the summer, ferry operates also from Turkish Alanya to Kyrenia. There are also direct ferry services from the TRNC to Syria.

Passports and Visas

When entering Northern Cyprus, you need to show a valid passport and a visa can be obtained on arrival.