Public transport in Cyprus

In this article we will talk about public transportation in Cyprus (in the part of Cyprus that belongs to the Republic of Cyprus, without Turkish part).

Initially public transport in Cyprus was not developed. Many locals use personal vehicles.

About 10 years Cyprus government reorganized public transport and at this moment there are routes within large cities and intercity buses.

There are no trolleybuses and trams on the island, the railway was dismantled in 1952.  

There are some routes where buses run quite often, but there are also a routes that run once a day.

Transport numbering

Each bus route has its own number, which depends on the region:

• from 1 to 31 - city day routes of Limassol;
• from 40 to 95A - suburban daily routes of Limassol;
• from 100 to 259 - daily routes of Nicosia;
• 300s - night routes of Nicosia;
• 101, 102, 201, 301 and 500 are daily routes for the Famagusa/Ayia Napa area;
• 400s - Larnaca;
• 600s - Paphos;
• 700s - Larnaca - Famagusta / Ayia Napa;

routes with the N prefix are Limassol night routes.

Prices for travel in city buses

Fares are divided into 2 categories - day and night.

Day ticket (from 04:00 to 21:00):

• 1 trip on city buses will cost 1.5 euros.

Night ticket (from 21:00 to 04:00):

• 1 trip on night transport will cost 2.5 euros.

Travel cards

• Day pass - 5 euros (from 04:00 to 21:00).
• Weekly pass - 20 euros (from 04:00 to 21:00).
• Monthly pass - 40 euros (any time of the day or night).
• Children under 6 years old - free of charge. There are discounts for local students and holders of local social cards.

Intercity bus fares

Prices for travel in intercity buses depend on the cities and the distance between them.

Current price table (in euros):

Route map with prices and timetables

All detailed information on how to get from one point of Cyprus to another can be found on the website www.cyprusbybus.com.

There are route maps, bus stops and even prices.

There is a mobile application of the same name (but it requires Internet connection).

Useful information

What you need to know before using buses in Cyprus:

• Entry to the bus is only through the front door. Payment could be made directly to the driver.
• Exit is in the back (central) door. Before getting off, you need to make signal to the driver that you want to get off at the next stop. The sign is given by pressing the red button inside the cabin (usually there are a lot of these buttons, you can reach any of them from almost anywhere). After pressing this button, there will be a sound signal and the "STOP" sign will light up in front part of the bus. 
• If you have large luggage, leave it in the luggage compartment of the bus (for large busses with separate luggage storage). On some large intercity buses, the luggage compartment opens automatically, but in most cases, be prepared to manually open and close the luggage compartment of the bus by yourself. There is no separate charge for baggage.
• Buses run quite infrequently, but usually adhere to the schedule. Check bus schedule in advance (especially for the return trip).
• When you stay at the bus stop and see your bus approaching it is also advisable to give a sign to the driver, otherwise there is a risk that he may pass by. This is especially critical if the next bus is in a few hours or this bus is generally the last one on the route.
• Bus drivers speak good English and understand everything related to the number and type of tickets you buy. Sometimes they suggest stops at popular tourist places.
• If you have a day pass, it is enough to show it to the driver when boarding the bus.
• Travel cards for a long time are applied to a special device, which is also located next to the driver.
• Eating and drinking is prohibited on board.
• At very many stops, bus route numbers are not indicated (as well as there is no timetable). The most common bus stop is just a signpost. Often there is not even a bench to sit.
• During the trip next stop names are often not announced. The most convenient way to track your location is to use a map with GPS. But there are also bus routes where stops are announced in many languages.