Ercan Cyprus. Buy air tickets to northern Cyprus. Ercan airport board

Your vacation starts from the airport. And if you have a desire to enjoy the cleanest sandy beaches of Northern Cyprus, the favorable Mediterranean climate and the gentle sun, then you should be careful and correctly plan the route, as well as fill out the documents. Let's talk about this in more detail. So, Northern Cyprus is an airport.

Ercan Airport

You should not expect that all airfields in resort areas are exclusively giants. There are some very modest ones among them. This is also Northern Cyprus, the arrival airport of which can only receive 7 aircraft at a time. In addition, the length of the strip here is only 2.5 kilometers, which does not allow large airliners to be accommodated. And yet, Ercan Airport (Northern Cyprus) - this is its full name - copes with a very dense tourist flow (several thousand people per day). One can only envy the clear dispatch of airfield traffic.

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However, it is not the technical aspects of the issue that are of interest, but the algorithm of actions of travelers in the case of the destination “Northern Cyprus, Ercan Airport”. The fact is that the northern part of the island is a so-called unrecognized republic, which received its de facto independence in the absence of political consensus. In this regard, the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus (Southern part) rather tolerate their neighbors (not wanting military escalation) than have good neighborly relations with them. And it is important for travelers not to become a hostage to this difficult political situation: in other words, not to fall between a rock and a hard place and end up with a lot of administrative problems. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Geographical location and features

But first, a few words about what it is like, the Northern Cyprus airport. This is an extremely conveniently located transport hub, located in close proximity to Nicosia and Kyrenia. By public transport the journey will take no more than 40 minutes, and by taxi or rented car - no more than 10. In addition, resort towns such as Famagusta and Guzelyurt are within an hour's drive.

Due to the fact that Ercan Airport is located in an unrecognized republic, you most likely will not find it in the list of official code abbreviations. If you want to visit an unrecognized state and ask the question: “Northern Cyprus: airport, in which city,” do not get confused - there is only one there! Its designation is ECN, and in addition, it makes sense to be guided by the name of the locality where this object is located.

Unlike, for example, Domodedovo Airport, which, in fact, is located in Domodedovo, Ercan Airport is located in the city of Lafkosha. By the way, earlier (until 1980) the airfield was called Timvu - this was the name it inherited from the British. (Cyprus was a British colony during the First World War).

Currently, the airport is gradually expanding (of course, parking for 7 aircraft cannot satisfy the growing tourist passenger flow of this destination). However, this is being done rather slowly. The reason is simple - the very modest republican budget from which the expansion is financed.

Northern Cyprus: how to get there - possible flight routes

Northern Cyprus is not recognized as an independent political entity not only by the Republic of Cyprus, but also by the entire world community. This imposes restrictions on passenger connections with it. So, you can get there by air directly only from Turkey and only through Ercan Airport. (That is why it is pointless to decide: Northern Cyprus, which airport to choose - it was emphasized above that there is only one receiving airport there). The same applies to flights: first from an unrecognized state to Turkey (usually to Istanbul or Antalya), and then to third countries.

Flights are operated by 6 carriers (there is competition), so the passenger can always find the company that satisfies him in terms of price/comfort ratio.

Northern Cyprus Ercan Airport - a hidden threat to travelers

The authorities in the southern part of the island cannot stand it when tourists visit the territory of an unrecognized state (especially when they spend their money there). The authorities of the Republic cannot establish a blockade (due to the agreements reached within the framework of the political settlement of the conflict), but to significantly complicate the life of both those arriving and the entire unrecognized country - this turned out to be quite achievable.

The largest specialized point through which you can get from the southern to the northern part is located in Nicosia. In fact, this is a full-fledged border checkpoint where passport service employees of an unrecognized country issue visas to everyone who wants to visit this territory. Only now their colleagues in the southern part of the island carefully monitor (by stamps in the passport) whether each citizen has documentary traces of his stay in the North. And if found, immediate sanctions follow.

The holder of such a passport will never again obtain a Cyprus visa. And recently, his data has been entered into a global database throughout the Schengen area, and difficulties arise with trips to all European countries. (There are two options here: either sue or change your passport).

Therefore, tourists who are informed about this often ask passport control officers of an unrecognized state not to put a stamp (visa) directly in the passport, but only in a special separate insert (so that later they can deny everything in front of passport officers of a neighboring state). And the first ones treat these requests loyally (that is, with understanding).

Here you can find out how to get there by air, land and sea: .

In addition, there is officially only one formally safe and legally legal way to visit an unrecognized state:

A citizen must enter the southern territory of the island with a local (Schengen) visa, and then through specialized checkpoints one can enter the territory of an unrecognized country. At the same time, the unofficial recommendations are the same: try not to leave traces of your stay in the northern part of the island on your passport. In case of leaving an unrecognized state, the process “spins” in the opposite direction. It is prohibited to enter the southern part and exit through the airport of an unrecognized state! (If marks are found in the passport, and they will inevitably appear, sanctions will follow).

It turns out that there are two models of behavior:

1. Enter the Republic of Cyprus, and then, if you really want to visit an unrecognized state, then follow the road map described above (for entry/exit).
2. Fly into an unrecognized state directly to Ercan Airport (or arrive by ferry), relax only in this territory, without showing up in the southern state and without wondering through which airport to fly from Northern Cyprus. (The only option is Ercan only).

In general, when moving from a southern state to a northern one, make sure that there are no traces of this left in publicly accessible documents that must be presented everywhere (such as a passport). The same applies to cases of targeted visits to an unrecognized state. Accuracy and thoughtfulness of actions is the guarantee that you will not have administrative problems with visas in the future.

Summary

Northern Cyprus. Airport. In addition to arrivals/departures, as well as movements between the southern state and an unrecognized jurisdiction, there is another “deep-sea administrative mine” that can complicate the life of a tourist. These are arrival stamps issued by the party receiving flights from an unrecognized state. So, for example, if you leave the northern territory on a ferry going to the Turkish shores, then the very fact of a stamp in your passport from the Turkish border guards (with the emblem of a water transport mode) will indicate that you have visited the northern part of the island.

Now, if this stamp catches the eye of the border guards of a southern state, it will definitely be qualified as a violation of the border of a sovereign republic (because their administration considers the unrecognized state to be its territory). In this case, the tourist will not have a chance to relax, but in the future, “fascinating” administrative difficulties will arise.

So, if you choose a holiday destination from an unrecognized state:

• it is recommended to remain within this jurisdiction at all times;
• arrive and depart through Ercan Airport;
• put all visas and marks about crossing the border of an unrecognized state exclusively in a separate passport insert.

Pay a little attention to the administrative features of the relationship between the two jurisdictions, and then the North Cyprus airport will become a real gateway to a fabulous holiday on the Mediterranean coast. Here you can find out about the best places worth visiting: .

Airport name: Ercan. The airport is located in the country: Cyprus. IATA airport code Ercan: ECN. The IATA airport code is a three-letter unique identifier assigned to airports around the world by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ICAO Ercan airport code: LCEN. The ICAO airport code is a four-letter unique identifier assigned to airports around the world by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Geographic coordinates of Ercan Airport.

The latitude at which the airport is located: 35.150000000000, in turn, the longitude of the airport corresponds to: 33.500000000000. Geographic coordinates of latitude and longitude determine the location of the airport on the earth's surface. To completely determine the position of the airport in three-dimensional space, a third coordinate is also needed - height. The height of the airport above sea level is 123 meters. The airport is located in the time zone: +2.0 GMT. Airplane tickets always indicate the local time of departure and arrival of the airport according to time zones.

Ercan Airport is the local airport of Northern Cyprus and a popular destination during the summer holidays. Ercan Airport is only 35 minutes from Kyrenia, 15 minutes from Nicosia (Lefkosa), 30 minutes from Famagusta and 45 minutes from Guzelyurt.

The new Ercan Airport terminal was opened in May 2004. Airlines designate Ercan Airport with the ECN code. However, due to the fact that the airport is located on the territory of an unrecognized republic, you will not find the code of this airport in the official IATA or ICAO lists. The airport is located east of the capital of Northern Cyprus - the city of Lefkosa. Lefkosa is the arrival city when booking plane tickets. Let us explain again: the name of the airport is Ercan (ECN code), the name of the city of arrival is Lefkosa.

Every day 20-30 planes fly to Ercan. This airport has only one terminal. Ercan Airport currently has a 2.5-kilometer runway. In the near future, it is planned to privatize the airport, as well as build a new runway, terminal and shopping center. Northern Cyprus has direct air connections only with Turkey. From Ercan Airport there are daily flights to Ankara, Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir and other cities in Turkey. There are also flights to many countries around the world with a stopover in Istanbul or Antalya.

The transit is due to the fact that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is not yet recognized as an independent republic. Therefore, all planes flying to and from Ercan are required to land at one of the airports in Turkey, due to the fact that only Turkey has to date recognized Northern Cyprus as an independent state. Flights are provided by Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Atlasjet, Onur Air, AnadoluJet and others.

The airport is easily accessible by bus or taxi from anywhere in Northern Cyprus. The airport has a large paid parking lot for 800 cars. The taxi rank is located just outside the arrivals hall and taxis are available 24 hours a day.

The airport has all the amenities - currency exchange, luggage storage, unclaimed luggage room, mother and child room, play area, cafes, shops. Ercan Airport offers travelers several Duty Free shops. Prices are displayed in Euros, but you can pay in Turkish Liras, US Dollars or British Pounds. There are also several cafes where you can drink Turkish coffee or tea while waiting for your flight. Flight announcements are made in both Turkish and English. Each adult can bring into the territory of Northern Cyprus up to 400 cigarettes, 500 g of tobacco or 50 cigars, no more than 1 liter of alcohol or perfume.

Official website of the airport: www.ercanairport.co.uk. On the website in the "Arivals" and "Departures" sections you can see all flights that arrive and depart in real time. Here you can also see whether the plane's departure is delayed or not.

One of them is Ercan, located in Northern Cyprus. It is located near the village of Timvu near the capital of both states of the island, . All planes that land at Ercan Airport on , must make an intermediate stop in Turkey. True, in August 2005, a plane landing on a direct flight from Baku landed in Ercan - this event was so significant that the passengers of the plane were personally greeted by the Prime Minister.

A little history

After the division into two states in 1974, the airport in Nicosia, which was the main airport of Cyprus, was closed (today it is a UN peacekeeping base). An airport was built nearby on the basis of Timvu Airport, a former British military air base. Today Ercan is the main “gate” of Northern Cyprus.

Airport today

Ercan is a small airport: it has 2 runways – 2755 meters long (it is covered with high-quality concrete) and 1800 meters long. This is enough to accommodate fairly large aircraft, but they are not able to take off from runways of such length. Ercan Airport in Cyprus receives twenty to thirty aircraft daily from four airlines operating both scheduled and charter flights: Cyprus Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Atlas Jet and Turkish Airlines. The main passenger traffic is provided by Cyprus Turkish Airlines. The airport control tower is capable of tracking and controlling simultaneously several aircraft taking off or landing at the airport.

Ercan Airport terminal meets the most modern requirements. The new terminal was opened in 2004. The airport has two restaurants, Duty Free shops and a VIP lounge intended for heads of state and other high-ranking guests of Northern Cyprus. Last February, construction of a new terminal in Ercan was announced; it should be commissioned in 2019. Its capacity will be about 5 million passengers per year. It is also planned to expand the airfield and create new runways, which should double the number of aircraft received.

Transport

Regular buses owned by the carrier company Kibhas Ltd operate flights from Ercan Airport to Nicosia (Lefkosa), Kyrenia (Girne), Famagusta, Morphou (Güzelyurt), Lefka. There is also a taxi rank near the airport. You can book a car in advance directly on the airport website - this will help you avoid queues and order a taxi a little cheaper than if you hired one after arrival.

In addition, you can rent it at the airport - and to choose a cheaper option, it is better to book a car in advance, which can also be done directly on the airport website.

Despite the unrecognized status of the country, there are two airports in the country, one of which, the largest, is Erzhan Airport. The airport is located near the capital, and is the main port of arrival and departure for thousands of vacationers visiting this resort destination.
The new modern airport terminal is one building with separate arrival and departure areas. In 2004, during the grand opening of the airport, it was called the “gateway to Northern Cyprus”, which became the right name. The modern terminal building provides all the necessary services and amenities for passengers. More recently, additional renovation work has been carried out and significant upgrades have been made. The apron is designed to accommodate seven aircraft, and the length of the airfield is two and a half kilometers. The runway allows the landing of large aircraft, however, despite this, a new project has now begun to reconstruct the airport, including the apron and airfield, which will significantly increase the number of aircraft received. Today, two runways have artificial turf and are 2755 and 1800 meters long. A high-altitude air traffic control tower controls the operation of runways and airspace control.

The history of the airport dates back to the Second World War, when Cyprus was a British colony. At that time, Timvu Airport was built, the main purpose of which was as a military air base. After the declaration of independence of the island of Cyprus in 1959, the airfield was abandoned, and after the proclamation of the TRNC, it was rebuilt, expanded and renamed Ercan.
The airport codes are IATA (ECN), and ICAO (LCEN), however due to the unrecognized status of Northern Cyprus, they are not included in the officially recognized lists of international airports. Since 2006, the Turkish government has been trying to resolve the issue of organizing direct communication from Ercan Airport and the main seaport in the city of Famagusta, but this issue remains open today.

Since 2013, Ercan Airport has come into private ownership under a 25-year agreement to improve it for 300 million euros. In just one year, passenger flow to Northern Cyprus increased by 60% and air traffic by 16%. The number of flights also showed a noticeable increase: from 21,481 in 2013 to 25,000 in 2014, and the number of passengers arriving at the airport increased from 2,000,932 to 3,210,000 respectively. It is planned to open new air routes in the coming year.

Airport building

The technical and architectural improvements made put Ercan Airport on par with any modern airports in the world. The building has two restaurants located in two terminals, the work of which does not stop 24 hours on any day of the week. Here you can always order hot and cold dishes, as well as coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks. Duty-free shops can be found in both the lounge and the arrivals hall, and some of the goods offered here are much cheaper than on the island. The opening hours of the stores are coordinated with the arrival and departure of aircraft in Ercan.
It should be noted that Ercan Airport is equipped with facilities for people with disabilities. If you are accompanying such people, you must contact your escort company in advance. Unfortunately, the airport does not have a business center or VIP lounge, but there is a separate VVIP lounge that is used exclusively for heads of state, state guests and dignitaries.
Car parking
The airport parking lot is used primarily for short-term rentals and can accommodate approximately 800 vehicles. It is located directly in front of the terminal building, and the first rows are reserved for people with reduced mobility and wheelchairs. When entering the parking lot, you receive a parking ticket with the date and time of arrival, and when leaving, the ticket is presented at the ticket office, where you can pay for parking in cash or by credit card. The cost of parking depends on the time, so parking up to 20 minutes is free, up to one hour - 6.5 Turkish liras, up to 6 hours - 10 liras, up to 12 hours - 12.5 liras, 24 hours - 15 liras, per day, after the first day - 5 liras , and monthly parking is 120 Turkish lira.

Transport from the airport

The public transport system from Ercan Airport is underdeveloped, and transfers from the airport are limited by time and availability. As a rule, tourists organize a transfer in advance to avoid unnecessary costs. However, there are always enough taxi drivers waiting near the airport exit for all flights to arrive. Travelers can rent a car, which will be delivered to the airport at the appointed time. Car rental is also available at the airport building.
Flights
Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Atlas Jet play a leading role in ensuring that the maximum number of passengers travel to Northern Cyprus! Atlas Jet and Turkish Airlines operate direct flights to the country, however, when we talk about direct flights, we mean a short stopover in Turkey, since direct flights from different countries to the Northern Cyprus airport are not possible. Pegasus Airlines operates charter flights and is very convenient for the thousands of British visitors who come to enjoy sunny Northern Cyprus.

Entry, customs rules

Customs and customs regulations apply equally to citizens of all countries arriving in Northern Cyprus or from Ercan Airport, any of the seaports or land crossings from the Republic of Cyprus. There are restrictions on the import of currency and goods: for example, in Northern Cyprus, the import of 10,000 euros or the equivalent in another currency is allowed. Restrictions on goods: 400 cigarettes or 500 g of smoking tobacco, 1.5 liters of alcoholic beverages or beer, 100 ml of perfume, lotion or eau de toilette, ... Goods prohibited for import or export:
Controlled drugs, firearms and ammunition (including fireworks), archaeological goods, wild animals,

Visa

A visa is issued upon passing through passport control at Erzhan Airport. The visa can be placed on a special visa form or in a passport, at your request. The visa is issued for a period of 4 to 90 days. In case of visa violation, monetary fines are provided. If you want to extend your stay in Northern Cyprus, you must immediately begin applying for a Residence Permit, work or business visa. A foreign passport must have a validity period of at least 6 months.