Because
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...
has no working
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
system, various other methods of
transport
Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipel ...
are needed to ensure the proper delivery of any cargo, be it human or freight. Since
the last railway was dismantled in 1952, the only remaining modes of transport are by road, by sea, and by air.
Roads
Of the 12,118 km of roads in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus in 2006, 7,850 km were paved, while 4,268 km were unpaved. In 1996, the Turkish Cypriot area showed a close, but smaller ratio of paved to unpaved with about 1,370 km out of 2,350 km paved and 980 km unpaved. As a legacy of
British rule
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, Cyprus is one of only three EU nations in which vehicles drive on the
left.
Motorways
*
A1 Nicosia to
Limassol
Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...
*
A2 connects A1 near
Pera Chorio with A3 by
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro ...
*
A3 Larnaca Airport to
Agia Napa
Ayia Napa ( el, Άγια Νάπα tr, Aya Napa, ), officially romanised Agia Napa, is a tourist resort at the far eastern end of the southern coast of Cyprus.
Etymology
The name Ayia Napa is derived from a Venetian-era monastery of the same ...
, also serves as a circular road for Larnaca.
*
A5 connects A1 near
Kofinou with A3 by
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro ...
*
A6 Pafos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city o ...
to
Limassol
Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...
*
A7 Pafos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city o ...
to
Polis
''Polis'' (, ; grc-gre, πόλις, ), plural ''poleis'' (, , ), literally means "city" in Greek. In Ancient Greece, it originally referred to an administrative and religious city center, as distinct from the rest of the city. Later, it also ...
(final plans)
*
A9 Nicosia to
Astromeritis
*
A22 Dali
Dali or Dalí may refer to:
Chinese history
* Kingdom of Dali (937–1253 AD), centered in modern Yunnan
* Kingdom of Nanzhao or Dali, Kingdom of Dali's predecessor state
* Dali, Emperor Daizong of Tang's third and last regnal period (766–779)
...
industrial area to
Anthoupolis,
Lakatamia (Nicosia 3rd ring road, final plans)
Public buses
In 2006, extensive plans were announced to improve and expand bus services and restructure public transport throughout Cyprus, with the financial backing of the European Union Development Bank. In 2010, the new revised and expanded bus network was implemented into the system.
The bus system is numbered:
* 1 - 33 Limassol daytime local routes
* 40 - 95A Limassol daytime rural routes
* 100 - 259
Nicosia daytime buses
* 300s Nicosia night network route
* 101/102/201/301/ 500s
Famagusta
Famagusta ( , ; el, Αμμόχωστος, Ammóchostos, ; tr, Gazimağusa or ) is a city on the east coast of Cyprus. It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under t ...
/
Ayia Napa district daytime route
* 400s
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro ...
area route
* 600s
Paphos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city of ...
area routes
* 700s Larnaca - Famagusta/Ayia Napa area routes
* N (prevex routes) Limassol night buses network
Some bus routes are:
* 30 Le Meridien Hotel 1 -
MY MALL up to every 10 minutes
* 101 Ayia Napa Waterpark - Paralimni up to every 15 minutes
* 610 Pafos Harbour Station - Market up to every 10 minutes
* 611 Pafos Harbour Station - Waterpark up to every 10 minutes
* 615 Pafos Harbour Station - Coral bay up to every 10 minutes
* 618 Pafos Harbour Station - Pafos karavella bus station Every 30 mins (Mon - Sat daytime)
Public transportation
Nicosia's residents rely on private cars to go around the city. With more than 629 automobiles per 1,000 people, Cyprus has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world, yet the country uses very little green transportation. Only 3% of journeys in the Greater Nicosia urban region are made by public transportation. Cycling is considerably less common—2%.
The government of Cyprus and authorities of Nicosia are developing a public transportation plan to ensure access to more areas and provide more options, apart from private cars.
Licensed vehicles

Road transport is the dominant form of transport on the island. Figures released by the International Road Federation in 2007 show that Cyprus holds the highest car ownership rate in the world with 742 cars per 1,000 people.
Public transport in Cyprus is limited to privately run bus services (except in
Nicosia), taxis, and interurban 'shared' taxi services (locally referred to as service taxis). Thus, private car ownership in the country is the fifth highest per capita in the world. However, in 2006 extensive plans were announced to expand and improve bus services and restructure public transport throughout Cyprus, with the financial backing of the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...
Development Bank
Ports and harbours
The ports of Cyprus are operated and maintained by the
Cyprus Ports Authority
The Cyprus Ports Authority (CPA, el, Αρχή Λιμένων Κύπρου) is a semi-autonomous government agency that is responsible for the supervision and oversight of the ports and port facilities of Cyprus. Established by the Cyprus Ports A ...
. Major
harbour
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is ...
s of the island are
Limassol
Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...
Harbour, and
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro ...
Harbour, which service cargo, passenger, and cruise ships. Limassol is the larger of the two, and handles a large volume of both cargo and cruise vessels. Larnaca is primarily a cargo port but played a big part in the evacuation of foreign nationals from
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
in 2006, and in the subsequent humanitarian aid effort. A smaller cargo dock also exists at
Vasilikos, near
Zygi (a small town between Larnaca and Limassol). Smaller vessels and private yachts can dock at Marinas in Cyprus.
Larnaca Marina in Larnaca ()
St Raphael Marina in Limassol ()
Paphos Harbour ()
List of ports and harbours:
Larnaca
Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District, district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro ...
,
Limassol
Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...
,
Paphos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city of ...
,
Vasilikos.
Public Bicycle sharing system

Bike in Action is the latest transportation system for the greater Nicosia area, similar to programs employed successfully in various cities around the world (Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Melbourne, etc.). Bicycles can be found at stations in all participating municipalities (Agios Dometios,
Aglandjia, Dali, Engomi, Latsia,
Pallouriotissa,
Strovolos) and returned after their use at any station.
Merchant marine
:''See full article on
Cyprus Merchant Marine''
''total:''
1,414 ships (with a volume of or over) totaling /
''ships by type:''
barge carrier 2,
bulk carrier
A bulk carrier or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo — such as grains, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement — in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, ec ...
442,
cargo ship 495,
chemical tanker
A chemical tanker is a type of tanker ship designed to transport chemicals in bulk. As defined in MARPOL Annex II, chemical tanker means a ship constructed or adapted for carrying in bulk any liquid product listed in chapter 17 of the Internat ...
22, combination bulk 40, combination ore/oil 8,
container ship
A container ship (also called boxship or spelled containership) is a cargo ship that carries all of its load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. Container ships are a common means of commercial intermoda ...
144,
Liquified Gas Carrier 6,
passenger ship
A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...
8,
petroleum tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined c ...
142, refrigerated cargo 41, roll-on/roll-off 45, short-sea passenger 13, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2 (1999 est.)
Airports
In 1999, Cyprus had 12 airports with paved runways. Of them, seven had runways of lengths between 2,438 and 3,047 metres, one had a length between 1,524 and 2,437 metres, three had lengths between 914 and 1524 metres, and one had a length less than 914 metres.
Of the three airports with unpaved runways, two had lengths less than 914 metres and one had a length between 914 and 1524 metres.
In 1999, Cyprus had six heliports and two international airports:
Larnaca International Airport and
Paphos International Airport.
Nicosia International Airport has been closed since 1974.
References
External links
{{Commons category, Transport in Cyprus