Health Care System

Medical treatment and assistance in Cyprus is offered free of charge to international tourists in cases of emergency at the Accident and Emergency Department of Government Hospitals and Health Institutions. EU citizens must produce an E111 form issued by their country's health care authorities. Holiday makers can also use their health insurance towards their medical expenses, provided the policy covers the length of their stay on the island. More detailed information can be obtained from the Cyprus Ministry of Health

Vaccinations

Cyprus has no dangerous infectious diseases. Visitors do not require any vaccinations to travel to Cyprus.

Using your Car

Visitors who wish to bring their car to Cyprus can do so for a period up to three months provided the vehicle has a valid registration licence from its country of origin. This period may be extended, provided the motorist is considered to be a visitor by the Department of Customs and Excise.

Visitors from any of the European Union Member States, Switzerland, Croatia, Iceland and Norway, who bring motor vehicles with a registration plate of one of these countries to Cyprus will not be required to show proof of insurance cover at their point of entry, as it is assumed they are covered in their own country. If they are not covered, the International Insurance Bureau of the motorist's country will be required to compensate any claims under the Guarantee Agreement in force (Unified Agreement or Internal Regulations). Foreign visitors who bring a motor vehicle with a registration plate not belonging to one of the above European countries will be required to show a valid Green Card to Cypriot authorities. Foreign visitors may take out a valid Green Card even if their country of origin is not a member of the Green Card system. Foreign visitors with a valid “frontier insurance” issued in one of the European Economic Area countries, can use this cover in Cyprus until its expiry date. Motorists may have a valid Green Card, even if their car has European registration plates. In such cases, the registration plate prevails over the Green Card agreement. This means police should allow the vehicle to enter Cyprus without checking the Green Card.

Foreign motorists who do not have a registration plate belonging to one of the European Economic Area countries, or a valid Green Card covering Cyprus, are not allowed to drive their car here and must first secure insurance cover with a Cypriot insurer for the period of their stay. The granting of such insurance cover is at the absolute discretion of insurance companies who may decline. It is therefore advisable for non-European motorists to secure a Green Card before entering Cyprus . As Russia is not a member of the Green Card system, Russian motorists should take note of this requirement so as to avoid possible inconvenience.

Safety in Cyprus

Cyprus has an excellent reputation for being a safe and friendly place.  You can help us keep it that way. A few basic precautions can be enough to protect your belongings.

Driving in Cyprus

Driving in Cyprus can be enjoyable and in some cases essential as regular transport services to remote areas of interest are not always available. The minimum driving age is 18. To rent a car, drivers must be in possession of a driving licence for at least three years or be aged over 25. Visitors may drive using avalid international driving licence or their national driving licence, provided it is valid for the class of vehicle they wish to drive.

Fairly good surfaced roads complying within ternational traffic requirements link cities and villages. Four-lane motorways connect the capital, Lefkosia with the coastal cities of Lemesos, Larnaka and Pafos. Minor roads and forest roads are for the most par tun surfaced, but in good condition. Drivers should note that driving is on the left-hand side of the road, not on the right. All the international road traffic signs are in use and placed on the left-hand side of roads and highways. Distances and speed limits are posted in kilometres and kilometre/per hour (km/h) respectively. The maximum speed limit on motorways is 100 km/h and the minimum is 65 km/h. The use of seatbelts is compulsory both in the front and back, while the use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited while driving.  It is an offence to drive a motor vehicle or a pedal bicycle when under the influence of alcohol.

The legal limit in breath is 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit in blood is 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Rush hours in the cities are approximately between 07:30 - 08:00 and 13:00 - 13:30 and in late afternoon 17:00 - 18:00 in winter or 18:00 - 19:00 in summer.

Foreign Diplomatic Missions in Cyprus

Detailed information concerning foreign Embassies and High Commissions in Cyprus can be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Pharmacies and Medications

Medicine can be purchased at pharmacies on presentation of a doctor's prescription. Almost all brands of medicine are available in Cyprus . Pharmacies are all marked with a green cross.

Emergency Numbers

Wherever you are on the island you can call 112 numbers in case of emergency.

Buses

There are three types of buses in Cyprus that can help you move around:

• Transurban buses that link all towns on a daily basis and with frequent routes
• Rural buses that link almost all villages with the nearest city but with limited frequency once or twice daily except Sundays.
• Urban buses that link different areas within the cities and operate frequently during daytime. In certain tourist areas, during summer period, their routes are extended till late in the evening.
  

Taxis

There are three types of taxi services available, covering the entire island:

• Transurban service which offers the opportunity to share a taxi with 4 - 7 other passengers. It provides connection between all major cities of Cyprus, every half an hour, from Monday to Friday starting at 06:00 in the morning until 18:00 in the evening. On Saturdays and Sundays the service finishes an hour earlier at 17:00. Seats can be booked by phone or online from the providing companies.
• Rural service operates in village areas and can only be hired from and to their base station. These taxis are not equipped with taximeters and charging is based on kilometre/tariff rate.
  

An indication of the charges is listed below:

Tariff I: Single trip 31 cents (0,53 Euro) per kilometre.

Tariff II: Single trip from 23:00 – 06:00 35 cents (0,59 Euro) per kilometre.

Tariff III: Return trip 24 cents (0,41 Euro) per kilometre.

Tariff IV: Return trip from 23:00 – 06:00 31 cents (0,53 Euro) per kilometre.

For every luggage weighing more than 12 kg 31 cents (0,53 Euro) per piece.

Delay or waiting time charge:

For tariff I and III 7,07 CYP (12,08 Euro) per hour.

For tariff II and IV 9,21 CYP (15,74 Euro) per hour.

Minimum Charge: 1,78 CYP (3,04 Euro).

• Urban service is a 24hours service provided in all cities. Taxis can be booked or hired on the street. Urban taxis are obligatory provided with taximetres and charging commences upon the entering of a passenger in the taxi. An indication of the charges is listed below:

From 06:01 - 20:30:

Initial charge 1,80 CYP (3,07 Euro)

Fare per km 0,35 CYP (0,59 Euro)

Delay or waiting time per hour 8,00 CYP (13,68 Euro)

For every luggage weighing more than 12kg 0,58 CYP (0,99 Euro)

Public Holidays surcharge 1,15 CYP (1,96 Euro)

From 20:31 - 06:00:

Initial charge 2,35 CYP (4,01 Euro)

Fare per kilometre 0,42 CYP (0,71 Euro)

Delay or waiting time per hour 9,20 CYP (15,73 Euro)

For every luggage weighing more than 12kg 0,58 CYP (0,99 Euro)

During the following public Holidays, taxis charge an extra supplement of 1,15 CYP (1,96 Euro) per ride: 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st December, 1st January, Good Friday, Good Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and 1st May.

The transport of pets is allowed only when they are carried in small pet-carrying boxes and the charge in such cases is 32 cents (0,54 Euro) per pet.

Cruises

A number of short cruises sail from Cyprus with trips lasting typically between two-to-five days on board large and comfortable ships. You can either book while on holiday in Cyprus or through tour operators abroad who feature the cruises in their holiday brochures.There are also many short boat trips from and to various destinations around the island sailing from almost all marinas and fishing shelters.

There are two major international airports in Cyprus, Larnaca International and Paphos International. Many major airline companies fly to Cyprus from many UK and International airports, Carriers including British Airways, Cyprus Airways, KLM, Thompson's and Olympic Airlines, amongst others.

Larnaca International Airport is located in the southeast of the island near the popular resort of the same name and receives a lot of air traffic in the summer months, mainly from the UK, Scandinavia and Germany.

 

Larnaca Airport has one terminal which at the moment is under a considerable upgrade to encourage additional low cost carriers to take up the route over the next couple of years, Larnaca International Airport is busiest between May to November.

Intercity buses provide public transport to Larnaca and other towns and cities throughout Cyprus, while there are also taxis operating from outside the terminal.

Paphos International Airport is located in the west of the island and serves the nearby resorts of Paphos, Limassol and Coral Bay.

Paphos Airport is a small facility with minimal services, however with the opening of it's additional terminal in 2008 will undoubtfully increase the already bustling tourism in the area and supply and facilitate common low cost airlines, Paphos International airport to date receives about 1.5-million passengers per year who mainly arrive on flights operated by charter airlines.

 

Situated just east of the city, buses provide access to Paphos and other nearby resorts, while taxis will take you anywhere you want to go.