Flying into Cyprus (Ercan) & Options
May 31, 2012, 7:33 am
#1
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Flying into Cyprus (Ercan) & Options
I am flying into Northern Cyprus and Ercan with TK via Istanbul.
I arrive late into Ercan and need to stay the night in a half decent hotel not too far away and hopefully not too far from the airport.
My final destination is Paphos on the West Coast.
Where can I find somewhere to stay? Are there any decent options?
What is Ercan airport like and what is the closest major city i see Nicosia, how far is this and how long would a taxi take to get here?
I arrive late into Ercan and need to stay the night in a half decent hotel not too far away and hopefully not too far from the airport.
My final destination is Paphos on the West Coast.
Where can I find somewhere to stay? Are there any decent options?
What is Ercan airport like and what is the closest major city i see Nicosia, how far is this and how long would a taxi take to get here?
May 31, 2012, 3:52 pm
#2
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Ooops ... you're likely to be in trouble. At least officially, you are not allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus (the southern part) coming from Ercan.
Technically, you can take a taxi from Ercan to the demarkation line, then walk trough the demilitarized zone controlled by UN and enter the Republic of Cyprus (if they let you in, but they are not supposed to ...). Then you could hail a taxi to a hotel or to Paphos (which is a long distance and likely to be expensive). Obviously, you take the same (high) risk of not being let through on the way back.
Bottom line: Not a good idea to fly to Ercan if your final destination is Paphos.
I'd strongly recommend to travel via LCA (and thus not via IST).
Technically, you can take a taxi from Ercan to the demarkation line, then walk trough the demilitarized zone controlled by UN and enter the Republic of Cyprus (if they let you in, but they are not supposed to ...). Then you could hail a taxi to a hotel or to Paphos (which is a long distance and likely to be expensive). Obviously, you take the same (high) risk of not being let through on the way back.
Bottom line: Not a good idea to fly to Ercan if your final destination is Paphos.
I'd strongly recommend to travel via LCA (and thus not via IST).
May 31, 2012, 11:06 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2011
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In reality you won't encounter many problems if any at all. I fly do a lot of business in Limassol and regularly fly in via Ercan because I don't have the time to waste going to LCA via another country. Never once have I had a problem. I travel on an American passport
As for the hotel, the nearest city is Nicosia. I would recommend taking a taxi from Ercan to the Ledra Palace checkpoint and crossing on foot there. Once you pass the checkpoint there are a number of hotels within about five minutes walking, including a Holiday Inn. I don't particullarly recommend staying the night on the Turkish Cypriot side as the hotels are not of the best standard and many are part of casinos.
Hope that helps
As for the hotel, the nearest city is Nicosia. I would recommend taking a taxi from Ercan to the Ledra Palace checkpoint and crossing on foot there. Once you pass the checkpoint there are a number of hotels within about five minutes walking, including a Holiday Inn. I don't particullarly recommend staying the night on the Turkish Cypriot side as the hotels are not of the best standard and many are part of casinos.
Hope that helps
May 31, 2012, 11:12 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Meant to add that you should make sure to have the authorities at Ercan stamp the visa paper they have at passport control and not stamp in your actual passport. keep that paper as it will be stamped again at the checkpoint by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. The Greek Cypriot authorities don't care about this paper and don't want to see it. You'll be lucky if they even do a cursory glance at your passport.
May 31, 2012, 11:34 pm
#5
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In reality you won't encounter many problems if any at all. I fly do a lot of business in Limassol and regularly fly in via Ercan because I don't have the time to waste going to LCA via another country. Never once have I had a problem. I travel on an American passport
As for the hotel, the nearest city is Nicosia. I would recommend taking a taxi from Ercan to the Ledra Palace checkpoint and crossing on foot there. Once you pass the checkpoint there are a number of hotels within about five minutes walking, including a Holiday Inn. I don't particullarly recommend staying the night on the Turkish Cypriot side as the hotels are not of the best standard and many are part of casinos.
Hope that helps
As for the hotel, the nearest city is Nicosia. I would recommend taking a taxi from Ercan to the Ledra Palace checkpoint and crossing on foot there. Once you pass the checkpoint there are a number of hotels within about five minutes walking, including a Holiday Inn. I don't particullarly recommend staying the night on the Turkish Cypriot side as the hotels are not of the best standard and many are part of casinos.
Hope that helps
I would recommend that the OP spend some time visiting the ancient Venetian harbor, castle and old town of Kyrenia (Turkish name is Girne).
Here's the website for the Ercan airport.
http://www.ercanairportnorthcyprus.com/
Jun 1, 2012, 2:41 am
#6
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My flight arrives into Ercan 00:50 which is not an ideal time.
Can a taxi not take me from Ercan to the the Holiday Inn Cyprus directly?
How about if I book transportation directly with the hotel?
The last thing I want it to get out in the middle of the night to cross a border by foot with my luggage.
I am a British Passport Holder and would fly back via Paphos.
Can a taxi not take me from Ercan to the the Holiday Inn Cyprus directly?
How about if I book transportation directly with the hotel?
The last thing I want it to get out in the middle of the night to cross a border by foot with my luggage.
I am a British Passport Holder and would fly back via Paphos.
Jun 1, 2012, 4:22 am
#7
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The Holiday Inn is not likely to pick you up given the politics involved. Therefore if you do think it best to stay on the Turkish Cypriot side then I would recommend the Merit Lefkose hotel. It is one of the newest hotels in Lefkose (Nicosia) and I've stayed there a couple of times myself. www.merithotels.com
Jun 1, 2012, 4:43 am
#8
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The problem is i need to hire a car to get from Nicosia to Paphos, I understand you cant do this from Ercan to Paphos.
What I need is some sort of transportation option from Ercan to the Nicosia in Southern Cyprus, then pick up a car and continue my journey from there.
What are the valid and best options for my situation?
What I need is some sort of transportation option from Ercan to the Nicosia in Southern Cyprus, then pick up a car and continue my journey from there.
What are the valid and best options for my situation?
The Holiday Inn is not likely to pick you up given the politics involved. Therefore if you do think it best to stay on the Turkish Cypriot side then I would recommend the Merit Lefkose hotel. It is one of the newest hotels in Lefkose (Nicosia) and I've stayed there a couple of times myself. www.merithotels.com
Jun 3, 2012, 11:41 am
#10
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The Merit hotel looks ok and as im arriving at 1am it seems best to stay there.
Is the best option to get a taxi from the Merit hotel to cross the border, also when booking a car to hire from Southern Cyprus where is the best place to get one from?
Is all this safe to do for a british passport holder who is travelling with his wife with wife?
Is the best option to get a taxi from the Merit hotel to cross the border, also when booking a car to hire from Southern Cyprus where is the best place to get one from?
Is all this safe to do for a british passport holder who is travelling with his wife with wife?
The Holiday Inn is not likely to pick you up given the politics involved. Therefore if you do think it best to stay on the Turkish Cypriot side then I would recommend the Merit Lefkose hotel. It is one of the newest hotels in Lefkose (Nicosia) and I've stayed there a couple of times myself. www.merithotels.com
Jun 4, 2012, 12:05 am
#11
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Taxi from Merit to the Ledra Palace crossing would be easiest. Should cost maybe 15 lira at most. You could then tell your hired car to pick you up at the Ledra Palace check point as well. There is a traffic circle and a taxi stand on the Greek Cypriot side of the checkpoint. Pretty much any driver would be familiar with where to get you. You should not have a problem at all on a British passport
Jun 5, 2012, 10:50 am
#12
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Hi there,
Does a British passport holder need a Visa for Turkish Northen Cyprus?
Does a British passport holder need a Visa for Turkish Northen Cyprus?
Taxi from Merit to the Ledra Palace crossing would be easiest. Should cost maybe 15 lira at most. You could then tell your hired car to pick you up at the Ledra Palace check point as well. There is a traffic circle and a taxi stand on the Greek Cypriot side of the checkpoint. Pretty much any driver would be familiar with where to get you. You should not have a problem at all on a British passport
Jun 5, 2012, 6:05 pm
#13
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TRNC issues their own "visas" on arrival to anyone and everyone. Just make sure you have them stamp it on a separate piece of paper that they have at passport control as opposed to directly in your passport (obviously make sure you keep the paper with you as you'll need it when you go to cross the checkpoint).
Jun 24, 2015, 12:39 pm
#15
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Ask Pacific Rentals to do it - http://pacific-rentals.com/
I've used them from Ercan on a number of occasions, they are very helpful and even if it's not something they usually do I'm sure they will find a way to help you.
I've used them from Ercan on a number of occasions, they are very helpful and even if it's not something they usually do I'm sure they will find a way to help you.