textile-less freedom on Aphrodite's island

Three currencies are in use in Cyprus. Euro EUR (in the south), Turkish lira TRY (in the north) and British Pounds GBP (inofficially in use for real estate prices and often for cars and rents; especially in the north)

In most places in North Cyprus you can pay in Euro – with a very very bad rate. You can pay with your credit card - most charge 3%. You can change cash at money exchange shops – mostly rates are not so bad. Also, rates at casinos are quite good usually (you load your card/ticket with Euro, play just one or two times for minimal bets - as low as 2 TRY - and then go to a different counter to get your money back in TRY)

The cheapest and most convenient way however is to get a debit card from one of the following services that are specialised on expats and internationtal travellers and that have very favourable rates for automatic currency conversations:

• Transferwise
• Revolut

As first step, you need to transfer a small amount (20 Euro) to the account and then can order your card for free.

Consider it as a prepaid card – you can use it both in North and South Cyprus. Technically it's a debit card, but it has a stamped numbers and, to our experience, you can use it everywhere where you can pay with credit card. Also, at some cash machines you can withdraw cash for free (limited amount)

Be sure choose always the local currency (TRY or EUR). If the cash machine or the restaurant offers you to make the bill in GBP, reject the offer and insist to charge you in the local curreny.

• Airport shuttle via Paralimni (15.50 Eur)
  • Take the Kapnos airport shuttle to Paralimni. (9 Eur)
  • Take a local bus to Deryneia checkpoint (1.50 Eur)
  • Take a taxi to Famagusta (5 Eur) or hitchhiking.

• Three local busses to Strovilia (8 Eur)
  • take a local bus from the airport to Larnaca centre. You will find the local busses departing outside the in the upper area (departure area!). The following busses go to Larnaca centre (ask driver for the correct direction!) 425; 407, 418, 419, 429, 456. (1.50 Eur)
  • take the bus 712 to Vrysoules/Strovilia (1.50 Eur)
  • from there it's still a 40 min walk to the checkpoint, or you take bus number 708 or 709 that goes directly to the checkpoint (drivers normally don't charge for such a short distance). Hitchhiking possible though cars not so frequent.
• Take a taxi to Famagusta (5 Eur) or hitchhiking.

• Through Nicosia - airport shuttle (12.00 Eur)
  • take the Kapnos airport shuttle to Nicosia (9 Eur). It will terminate in the outskirts of Nicosia
  • take a local bus (1.50 Eur) to Solomon Sq (main bus terminal) which is next to the old town.
  • walk through the old town and cross the green line at Ledra Street checkpoint.
  • walk further to the Itimat bus station and take the Itimat minibus service to Famagusta (~1.50 Eur)

• Through Nicosia - intercity bus (7 Eur)
  • take a local bus from the airport to Larnaca (see above, 1.50 Eur).
  • take the intercity bus to Nicosia (4 Eur). It will stop at Solomon Sq (main bus terminal) which is next to the old town.
  • walk through the old town and cross the green line at Ledra Street checkpoint.
  • walk further to the Itimat bus station and take the Itimat minibus service to Famagusta (~1.50 Eur)

• By (pre-booked) taxi:
  • Check out https://www.eniyitransfer.com/, https://cyprustaxi.net/ or https://www.cyprustaksi.com . The cheapest is around 50 Euro.
  • Check out GetTransfer.com for the distance between the airport and “Strovilia, Kato Deryneia, Cyprus” and wait one or two hours (Directly to Famagusta does not work on this webpage). You will get a couple of quotes, the cheapest around 50 Eur. Convince the driver to take you further to Famagusta (if he has the insurance) – or just cross by foot and take a taxi on the Northern side to continue (around 5 Eur)

• Hitchhiking:
  • Look out for North Cyprus number plates
  • You may talk to the people paying their parking fees (to get to the parking, go to upper/departure platform).
  • Hitchhiking from the mainroad North Nicosia to Famagusta is easy.Therefore if you find somebody going to North Nicosia or Kyrenia/Girne (through Nikosia), take your chance even though it's not the direct way.

That's easy. KIBHAS offers a frequent bus service between Ercan airport and Famagusta. Or, take a rental car at the airport.

• Deryneia Crossing insurance. Written on the insurance booth (Feb 2019): Opening hours Mo-Sa 9:30-16:00 + Mo from 6:30 on. Two phone numbers for outside the opening hours: 05428645182 (Vildan Uluçaylı) and 0035799622318

• GIS Portal of the Republic of Cyprus better sattelite map than google. You even add a layer to see how Cyprus looked like 1963 in birdsview.

https://armenius.com.cy/en http://www.isellandfix.com/