Renting a car in Cyprus: driving on the left and the divided island

Cyprus is one of the few destinations in Europe where you have to keep two things in mind at once behind the wheel: you drive on the left, and you are moving around an island that is politically split in two. To outsiders that might sound like a double hurdle, but in practice it is manageable. The island is compact, the roads in the south are modern, and within a few kilometres driving on the left becomes second nature faster than you would expect.

It pays to understand how Cyprus fits together before you go. The Republic of Cyprus covers the south and the largest part of the island and is a full EU member. The north, which calls itself Northern Cyprus, is internationally recognised only by Turkey and lies outside the EU. Between the two runs the Green Line, a buffer zone guarded by the United Nations. For a rental car that is not a detail but a real planning factor, and we come back to it in detail further on.

This guide assumes you land and rent in the south, which is by far the most common choice for travellers. We work through driving on the left, the airports, the border question, the mountain roads of the Troodos and two concrete routes. That way you set off well prepared.

Do I need a car in Cyprus?

Yes, for most trips you do. Public transport in Cyprus consists almost entirely of buses, and although those serve the larger towns and some beaches, they will not get you to the remote bays, mountain villages and monasteries that make the island special.

The real beauty of Cyprus is scattered: deserted bays on the Akamas peninsula, wine villages high in the Troodos, the rocky islet of Aphrodite’s Rock along the south coast. Anyone who stays only at a resort can manage with taxis, but the moment you want to roam, a rental car gives you the island as a whole. Distances are small: from Paphos to Larnaca you typically drive a little over an hour on the motorway. So you can stand in the mountains in the morning and lie on the beach in the afternoon.

Why do you drive on the left in Cyprus?

In Cyprus you drive on the left, a legacy of the period when the island was under British rule. The steering wheel is therefore on the right, you change gear with your left hand, and on roundabouts you go clockwise.

For anyone who has never done it, the first moments demand the most attention: pulling out of the car park, easing onto a roundabout, and at junctions where instinct pulls you to the wrong side. A few practical habits help. Remind yourself that the driver always sits closest to the centre line of the road. On a roundabout you give way to traffic coming from the right and turn onto it clockwise. Bends and turns are the trickiest part, because your intuition is still set to driving on the right.

The single biggest piece of advice: rent an automatic. When driving on the left you already have to free up all your attention for the correct side of the road and the mirrors, and changing gear yourself with your left hand is a distraction you can do without. An automatic removes that layer, so you can focus entirely on the road. If you are torn between the two, first read automatic or manual rental, because for driving on the left this argument carries more weight than elsewhere.

Which airport do you fly into in Cyprus?

For a trip through the Republic of Cyprus you land at Larnaca (LCA) or Paphos (PFO), the two international airports in the south. Both have plenty of rental desks and sit logically in relation to the destinations most travellers head for.

Larnaca is the largest and most centrally located airport, handy if you want to explore the whole island or head towards Ayia Napa and Nicosia. Paphos lies in the west and is the logical choice if you build your trip around the southwest coast and the Akamas peninsula. The airport in the north, Ercan, belongs to Northern Cyprus and is not relevant for most travellers; flights there go via Turkey, and you would then be renting a car that is not allowed into the south.

Where possible, book your rental car at the same airport where you land, so you do not first have to take a taxi or bus to a pick-up point elsewhere.

The divided island: can you take your rental car across the border?

This is the most important question for anyone renting in Cyprus, and the answer is nuanced. A car you rent in the south may sometimes cross the Green Line into the north via a checkpoint, but your standard insurance often does not cover the north. A car rented in the north is usually not allowed into the south at all.

Let us pull it apart. The Green Line is not an ordinary national border but a UN-guarded buffer zone, with a number of official crossing points (checkpoints) where you can cross as a tourist on foot or by car. Whether your specific rental car is allowed into the north depends entirely on the rental company and the rental contract. Some companies allow it, others explicitly forbid it. So check this in your terms and confirm it when you pick up the car.

If crossing is permitted, there is still the insurance question. Because the north falls outside the EU and outside the normal insurance area, your policy from the south often does not cover the trip north. In practice you then buy a separate car insurance for the north on the spot at the checkpoint, valid for a number of days. Count on having to pay this in cash, and keep your green card and vehicle registration papers to hand.

A practical alternative that many travellers choose: leave the rental car on the southern side of a checkpoint and cross on foot for a day trip to, for example, old Famagusta or the northern part of Nicosia. That way you avoid the whole insurance story. Always bring your ID card or passport when crossing, because it is a genuine border check.

What is driving in Cyprus actually like?

Calm and manageable, with the mountain roads and the narrow village streets as the main challenges. The major arteries in the south are modern motorways with multiple lanes, while it is the side roads and the Troodos that demand your attention.

The Troodos mountains deliver the most beautiful but also the most demanding drives. Expect narrow roads with hairpin bends, sometimes without a guardrail, and places where two cars can only just pass each other. Drive down the mountain in a low gear to spare your brakes, give a short blast of the horn before blind bends and leave room for oncoming traffic. In villages the streets are often narrow and winding, with parked cars making them tighter still; take your time here.

Speeds in Cyprus are given in kilometres per hour, not miles, despite the driving on the left. The distance signs are therefore in km, which is reassuringly familiar. Bear in mind that the local driving style can be somewhat more assertive than at home, with overtaking in spots where you would not do it. Stay calm yourself, let faster cars past and force nothing in the mountains.

Parking, fuel and documents

For the Republic of Cyprus your driving licence is sufficient; you do not need an international driving permit. Parking is straightforward in most places, and you simply fuel up yourself.

In towns parking is often in paid car parks or on the street with parking meters. Watch out for coloured markings and signs, because, as everywhere, there are zones where you may not stop. In villages and at beaches you will usually find free spots, although it can get busy in high season. Petrol stations are plentiful in and around the towns, but in the Troodos and on the Akamas peninsula they are further apart. So fill up before you head into the mountains or along a remote stretch of coast.

When picking up the car, keep the rental agreement, your driving licence and the credit card for the deposit to hand, and take a round of photos of any existing damage before you drive off.

Route 1: the south coast from Paphos to Cape Greco

This route follows the sunny south coast from west to east and is ideal to drive over two to three days. You combine archaeology, seaside resorts and a dramatic coastline.

Start in Paphos, where you can visit the archaeological site with its Roman mosaics. Then drive a short way to Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou), the rocky islet that, according to myth, is the birthplace of the goddess; allow for a brief stop for photos. Continue to Limassol, a large coastal city with a lively promenade and an old harbour, good for lunch or an overnight stay. From there you drive east towards Larnaca, passing the salt lakes and a palm-lined promenade along the way.

The eastern highlight is the area around Ayia Napa and Cape Greco. Cape Greco is a nature park with clear bays, walking trails along the cliffs and sea caves. Ayia Napa itself is known for its beaches. Plan this route so that you do the busiest coastal stretches in the morning and save the mountains for another day. Keep the timing generous, because stopping for views and a swim is exactly what makes this drive special.

Route 2: the Troodos mountains, monasteries and wine villages

This route heads into the interior, up into the Troodos mountains, and is a world away from the coast. Count on a full day, possibly with an overnight stay in a mountain village.

From the coast you climb gradually into the mountains, past slopes covered in vineyards. Cyprus has a long wine tradition, and in the mountain villages you will find small wineries where you can taste; do that only as a passenger, of course, not as the driver. Along the way lie historic monasteries, the best known of which is Kykkos, richly decorated and set high in the mountains. Several small village churches in the Troodos are on the World Heritage list for their painted interiors.

The highest point is Mount Olympus, the peak of the Troodos. In winter there is even snow here and you can ski, a surprising contrast with the beaches lower down on the island. The roads up are winding and narrow, so allow plenty of time and drive defensively. A day in the Troodos feels slow in the best sense: short distances, lots of stops, and views you do not see from the motorway.

Insurance, deposit and season

With a rental car in Cyprus you get a basic insurance with an excess as standard, and that excess can run high. It is wise to understand in advance how the deposit and the excess waiver work, especially because you will be driving on narrow mountain roads and gravel stretches where a scratch happens in no time.

The rental company usually blocks a deposit on your credit card equal to the excess. If you incur damage, that amount is drawn on. You can buy off the excess through the rental company or through a separate excess insurance that you arrange in advance; the latter is often cheaper. Before you decide which route to take, read excess and deposit, so you do not end up buying an expensive waiver under pressure at the desk. With Cyprus, pay particular attention to whether damage to the underside, tyres and windows is covered, because those are exactly the risks on mountain roads.

In terms of season, Cyprus is mild year-round, with warm, dry summers and gentle winters. The high season around summer is the busiest and most expensive, while spring and autumn are pleasant for driving without the greatest heat and crowds. If you want to go to the Troodos for snow, winter is your window. Above all, book your car well in advance in high season, because availability fills up then.

There is little hard to say about costs without guessing: rates depend heavily on season, class and how early you book. Count on an automatic generally being a little more expensive than a manual car, and on the excess waiver being a serious item. Book early, compare the total price including the waiver, and do not let yourself be surprised by additional costs.

Common mistakes when renting a car in Cyprus

The biggest blunder is underestimating the border question and assuming you can simply drive your southern rental car into the north, fully insured. Sort this out in advance. A few other common mistakes:

• Taking a manual car when you are not used to driving on the left, which means you have to learn two things at once.
• Only arranging the excess waiver at the desk under time pressure, often more expensive than in advance.
• Not filling the tank before a drive into the Troodos or the Akamas, where petrol stations are scarce.
• Not photographing existing damage at pick-up, leading to disputes on return.
• Underestimating the mountain roads and planning too tightly, so that you end up driving narrow hairpin bends in the dark.
• Forgetting to bring your ID when crossing into the north.

Anyone who knows these pitfalls avoids them easily. For general preparation, 12 tips also help, and if you combine your trip with the Greek islands, renting a car in Greece is a logical next step, although there you do drive on the right.

Frequently asked questions

Is my driving licence enough to rent in Cyprus?

Yes, for the Republic of Cyprus your national driving licence is sufficient and you do not need an international driving permit. Always bring it together with your ID card or passport, especially if you are considering a crossing into the north.

Can I drive my southern rental car into Northern Cyprus?

Sometimes you can, but it depends entirely on your rental company and rental contract. Even if it is allowed, your insurance from the south often does not cover the north, and you have to buy separate insurance on the spot at the checkpoint. Ask about this explicitly when booking and when picking up.

Is driving on the left difficult in Cyprus?

You get used to it faster than you expect, but the first moments demand extra attention, especially on roundabouts and when turning. An automatic helps enormously because you can then focus entirely on the side of the road instead of on changing gear.

Which airport should I choose?

Larnaca is the most central and handy for the whole island, Paphos is more logical if you build your trip around the southwest coast and the Akamas peninsula. Where possible, rent your car at the airport where you land.

Do I need an automatic or a manual car?

For driving on the left we strongly recommend an automatic, because changing gear yourself with your left hand is a distraction you are better off without while getting used to things. Read through the trade-off in our guide on automatic or manual rental.

What about the deposit and the excess?

The rental company usually blocks a deposit on your credit card equal to the excess. You can buy off that excess, most cheaply via a separate insurance arranged in advance; with Cyprus, pay particular attention to cover for tyres, windows and the underside of the car.

When is the best season to drive in Cyprus?

Cyprus is mild year-round. Spring and autumn are ideal for driving without the greatest heat and crowds, summer is the busiest and most expensive, and winter is your chance for snow in the Troodos. Book well in advance in high season.

What does a rental car cost in Cyprus?

That depends heavily on season, class and how early you book, so hard figures are difficult to give. Count on an automatic being a little more expensive than a manual car and on the excess waiver being a serious extra item. Always compare the total price including the waiver.