Driving to northern cyprus from UK, and staying for a while

seekerofhaq


Joined: 23/08/2011
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 07:03

hi

I visit northern cyprus regularly and occasional stay over for a few weeks/months.

I have hired cars in the past. I am thinking of driving my own car there from the uk, what would be the procedure.

also whats the restriction on having others insured to drive it who i am travelling with (but of course i would be the owner of the vehicle), or would the other person have to own the vehicle in order to drive it in southern and northern cyprus.



hope i have been clear with my question, and hope someone can help with this query.

Cheers

lotech


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 295

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 09:36

Hello,

If you come only for a visit I think you are better off flying and renting a car. It will cost you min. of 600 pounds to bring your car here.

lotech


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 295

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 09:49

I suppose if you are 3 persons or more it might be worhtwhile. I think a good route is via Belgium, Germany, Italy and Ferry from Italy to Igoumenitsa (Greece). Then from Tasucu to Girne by ferry. You can get European Cover in the UK and Turkey Insurance at the border. You just have to make sure the logbook of the car is in your name.

nctaxis


Joined: 03/09/2010
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 10:58

ı can vouch for that go the way lotech saıd but ıts not wqorth the head ahce same money if you just hire a car

with flights ect

Dunkindonut


Joined: 22/08/2011
Posts: 5

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 12:06

We brought our car over last year and to be honest what a nightmare. We (being two of us) drove from Dover via Germany Austria Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey etc and it was an experience and a half. Everybody wants 100 quid at each border, the border into Tukey took 8 hours to get through. Time did not permit us to use the ferry route from Italy but it definitely sounds a more civilized route (time permitting obviously)



As a journey it was brilliant, exciting, expensive and a once in a lifetime experience but not a journey I would have like to have done in reverse.......one way was more than enough as the purpose was to bring the car to TRNC on a permanent basis. The best advice fly first class, rent a car and save mega bucks against the cost of driving........ bon voyage

seekerofhaq


Joined: 23/08/2011
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
24/08/2011 17:17

thanks you for your comments.

we are taking the car for someone to use for a short while. as far as my reasearch tells me that we can only have the car there for 6 months before having to register and pay duty etc.

What about if we go via ferry to southern cyprus and just come the border through Nicosia. I know a guy who took a car from the uk and spend six month there with the car and then bought it back. he used go to the Greek Cyprus daily with it. but in a nutshell the car must be in my name? what about when i want to leave it there for someone to use. I must transfer it into their name?

Geoff


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 1370

Message Posted:
24/08/2011 17:30

No, if it is in your name just have them as named drivers on your insurance policy/ies.

Geoff

Tonyta


Joined: 11/06/2011
Posts: 122

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 14:23

Hi Seekerofhaq



I drove to Cyprus in March of this year returning to the UK in July.



The only problem I had was in Bulgaria when on two occasions a powerful car sped up to my rear with all lights flashing expecting me to stop. Having previously read about this practise I gave them a sign that I did not intend to stop and they fell back.



It can be quite expensive for the return trip but it does tick quite a number of boxes on life’s lists of should have don’s. The cost is ameliorated by the fact that you do not have to pay for a hire car, which is also expensive over a three-month period.



My Journey started on the Chunnel from Folkstone, quite a good experience, we passed through France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey taking the car ferry from Mersin to Kyrenia/Gurne.

Tonyta


Joined: 11/06/2011
Posts: 122

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 14:24

. The ferry is timed to leave Mersin at midnight but did not leave until 0200, food id rubbish and seating is not too good for a seven hour run, but hey-ho this is what experience is all about.



Customs at Turkey was the worst but still got through in about an hour, both ways. The real problem with Turkey is the road tolls, you need to buy a card at the shell stations but there is no publicity.



When entering TRNC you will be given a months visa for your car but within that month you can extend the stay for 12 months by visiting the customs office in Lefkosa.



If you like driving go for it, if you are not sure then take a plane.

IanBetts


Joined: 21/05/2011
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
26/08/2011 18:10

If you have spent more than 8 weeks in Northern Cyprus during the last 8 weeks and try to take a car in you will have to pay duty at an exorbitant rate something like 65 % on a European car and 86 % on any other nationality. You will almost certainly need expert help. Have you thought of going by train and buying an old banger when you arrive? Type in trains to Istanbul on a search engine. If you stay more than three months you will need a residence permit.

If you do drive you could consider taking a ferry from Ancona to Turkey drive across Turkey and then Ferry to Cyprus, the Italy Turkey leg is a pleasant three day cruise.



Hope this is helpful