Cyprus Property Select

Road

Bus: Services connect all towns and villages on the island every day except Sunday and public holidays. Service is efficient and cheap. Urban buses: They operate frequently during the daytime and, in some areas during the summer, timetables extend until midnight.

Rural buses: Limited to one or two services each day and can be slow; however, they are a good way of seeing the more remote villages.

Taxi: These run 24-hours between all the main towns on the island. Fares are regulated by the Government and all taxis have meters. Rural taxis can only be hired from the base station and do not have a meter. Transurban Service Taxis offers an excellent, cheap service using seven-seat taxis running fixed routes between main points. Taxis run to a timetable. Services operate every 30 minutes (Mon-Fri, 0600-1800; Sat and Sun, 0600-1700) and can be booked by phone. Fares under this system are often one-tenth of the usual rate.

Car hire: Cars are one of the best ways to explore the island. They may be hired at airports and commercial centres, but should be reserved well in advance during the summer season. Road signs are in both Greek and English. Traffic drives on the left. Although most roads are of a good standard, the driving standards of others are not. It should also be noted that there are strict repercussions for those not wearing seatbelts or a crash helmet, or using a mobile telephone/under the influence of alcohol whilst driving. Visitors wishing to bring their car to Cyprus can do so for up to three months provided the car has a valid registration licence for its country of origin. Motorcycles: Riders and pillion passengers must wear crash helmets if the motorcycle is over 50cc. Documentation: An International Driving Permit or national driving licence is valid for one year.

Urban

Nicosia has its own privately run bus company operating efficient services at flat fares, which offers a comprehensive service covering the urban area of Limassol and linking the port with the tourist area. For more details, contact the Limassol Urban Bus Company (E.A.L.) Limited, PO Box 51117 (tel: (25) 354 050. Taxis are widely available: a 15 per cent surcharge is in operation from 2300-0600. Tipping is expected.