Car or bus? What you need to know about getting around Cyprus

Living in Cyprus Busescyprus guideTop Newstransport Car or bus? What you need to know about getting around Cyprus Relevant News Villa bought by fugitive Malaysian Jho Low goes to auction after Cyprus court order 9 June 2026 Car or bus? What you need to know about getting around Cyprus 9 June 2026 Elderly woman lay dead in Larnaca flat for months before neighbours raised alarm 9 June 2026 Daniel Zambartas 9 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber For many people moving to Cyprus, renting or buying a car can feel almost unavoidable. The island has no trains, the summer heat makes walking difficult, and bus routes are not always easy to understand at first. The obvious answer is often to get behind the wheel. But getting a car is not always simple, or affordable. So what are the alternatives and can buses realistically help newcomers get around? Pros and cons with a car There is no doubt that owning or renting a car is extremely useful in Cyprus. Many places are not within walking distance and, even when they are, the heat between June and September can make walking outside for more than a few minutes very uncomfortable. There is also no Uber in Cyprus, leaving Bolt and other taxi or car-sharing services as the main alternatives. There are no trams or trains, and while cycling options are gradually improving, there are still many situations, especially in the summer heat, where a bike is not the most practical way to get around. But cars can be expensive. Buying or renting one, paying for insurance, parking and petrol all add up. Driving in Cyprus can also be different, to say the least, and may take time to get used to. Some newcomers may not have a driving license, and obtaining one locally can take time, particularly for those without Cypriot citizenship. Others may simply find driving too intimidating, or see traffic as too much of a nuisance, and want to try public transport instead. That leaves buses. They do operate across Cyprus and can be useful, but they can also seem difficult to navigate and understand. BusCyprus That gap in the market is what prompted Tomasz Klapsia, a digital nomad who moved from Poland to Cyprus, to develop an app using open transport data from the Ministry of Transport. His aim is to make bus routes, real-time locations and journey planning easier to access. Klapsia’s app ‘BusCyprus’, was inspired by his experience arriving in Cyprus and noticing the lack of easily accessible transport information. “There was a lack of digital information when it came to buses so I rented a car myself when I first arrived in Cyprus,” Klapsia tells en.philenews. “A few years later, I saw that the Ministry of Transport had prepared open data, which allows everybody to see where buses are, what the routes are, and which transport agencies operate in Cyprus. “I combined the data with an established open-source public transport platform already used in cities around the world, adapting it specifically for Cyprus.” “Basically, the idea was born from what I was used to in Poland. I came to Cyprus, saw the lack of it, and then saw the information was available. I just wanted to put a front end to it in the form of the application itself.” The problems with buses and the efforts to solve them Klapsia says there is room for improvement, especially when it comes to route coverage and digital accessibility. “I understand where it comes from. Cyprus has traditionally been a place where everybody has a car. “Of course, I would be happy if my app actually helps the government develop better routes, because I can see what people are using and which routes they are using. “I also know that the Ministry of Transport has its own system for monitoring what is happening, so I think they are doing what they can with the available budget and possibilities. “But Cyprus is a small island, so it is a bit slower here than in major continental European countries.” Performance and competition The app is currently available on Android, with an iOS version planned if it reaches around 10,000 downloads. Klapsia says he chose Android first because it has higher usage in Cyprus. The creator also explains that routes and real-time data are now mostly available on Google Maps, although not perfectly, and that his app helps fill some of those gaps. He adds that the app already includes bike-sharing through nextbike Cyprus and could eventually expand to include other mobility options, such as e-scooters, car rental or car sharing. So, car or bus? It depends on how often you need to get around, where you plan to go, your budget, your family situation and, perhaps most importantly, how much patience you have while learning a new system. For many newcomers, the answer may not be one or the other. A hybrid approach can often make the most sense: using a car for longer trips, late-night journeys or more remote areas, while using buses for city travel or airport connections where the service is more straightforward. Public transport in Cyprus is not always as intuitive as it is in larger European cities, but it is usable once you understand its limits. The key is to plan ahead, check routes before travelling, allow extra time and avoid assuming that every journey will be as direct as it would be by car. And if you are going to use a bus, real-time information is going to be helpful, and this is where tools such as BusCyprus can help, particularly for people who are still learning the island’s routes. How do you use buses and how much do they cost? Bus fares in Cyprus generally range from €1.50 to €9.00 depending on the distance and type of service. For city and urban routes, a standard daytime ticket costs €2.00 between 4:00 AM and 9:00 PM, while the fare increases to €3.00 for night travel. If you plan to ride frequently throughout the day, you can purchase an unlimited daily pass for €6.50. Frequent travelers can also buy a rechargeable plastic Motion Card for a one-time fee of €5.00, which lowers single city journeys to €1.50 and includes free 60-minute transfers. To use the bus system, you can easily board any vehicle and pay the driver directly in cash. It is highly recommended to carry exact change or smaller notes, as drivers rarely have change for large bills like €20 or €50. Most standard urban buses stop running by late evening, typically between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM on weekdays. Intercity buses connecting different towns generally do not offer overnight services at all. 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