The newly refurbished Ercan (pronounced Airjan and approx 25 minutes from Kyrenia) airport handles the bulk of the tourist traffic.All flights to Northern Cyprus (at the moment) go via Turkey. There is usually a 45 minute turnaround in turkey then a further short flight to Ercan. Flights from the UK to Ercan therefore take approximately 5 hours.
Alternatively, it is possible to fly directly to Larnaca in Southern Cyprus, and then drive across the border. Larnaca to Kyrenia takes about 1 hr 12 minutes by car. No visa is required to N. Cyprus and if you prefer not to have your passport stamped when entering the country, you can have a blank piece of paper stamped. It has been reported that several airlines, including BA, Virgin and Ryanair have applied for permission to fly directly to Ercan. If, as and when, this becomes a reality, the property market, tourism industry and general economy of Northern Cyprus, will – in the view of most informed commentators – take off.
Direct flights from all overseas countries will be the key to Northern Cyprus, but the road to financial stability and prosperity for the Turkish Cypriots may be impeded for some time yet by the intransigence of the Greek and British/US attitudes.In addition to air travel, there is a selection of car and passenger ferries from Turkey to the island, the fastest being two and a half hours from Kyrenia to Tasucu.
Map of North Cyprus
