Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The individual offices can also be contacted directly:
Nicosia
(
%
2273 0888;
www.travelexpress.com.cy
),
Lemesos
,
You can get to and from Nicosia, Lemesos and Larnaka by service taxi, but usually not directly to or from Pafos; a
change in Lemesos is often required.
The fixed fares are competitive with bus travel. Either go to the service taxi office or phone to be picked up at your
hotel. Note that pick-ups can often be up to 30 minutes later than booked, so build this into your plans if time is tight.
Similarly, if you're departing from a service-taxi depot, expect to spend up to 30 minutes picking up other passengers
before you actually get under way.
The North has minibuses (sometimes referred to as
dolmuş
) between Kyrenia, North Nicosia and Famagusta only,
which cost about 6TL per person.
TOURIST TAXI
The 'tourist' taxis that await you near the Turkish Cypriot checkpoint at the Ledra Palace Hotel in North Nicosia will
take you anywhere you want to go around Northern Cyprus. A round-trip day tour to Kyrenia, Famagusta, Bellapais
(Beylerbeyi), Buffavento Castle and St Hilarion Castle costs around €30 to €50. (Although euros are not in general use
in the North, most people will accept them if you have no other currency; Turkish taxis at crossing points will always
quote their prices in British pounds.)
Tours
Travel agencies around Cyprus offer a wide variety of pre-packaged excursions. Two reputable tour agencies in the
South:
Salamis Tours Excursions
(
%
2535 5555;
www.salamisinternational.com
;
Salamis House, 28 Oktovriou, Lemesos)
Land tours in the South usually run from the main tourist centres. They include full-day tours to Troödos and the
Kykkos Monastery from Pafos (from €30); day trips to Nicosia from Agia Napa or Larnaka (from €30); boat trips to
Protaras from Agia Napa (from €25); and half-day tours of Lemesos, a winery and Ancient Kourion (from €25). These
kinds of tours are not available in the North.