Bafra is where the biggest resorts and casinos in North Cyprus were built, on an empty stretch of east coast at the foot of the Karpaz peninsula. It is also a long way from every airport, which is exactly why the transfer is worth booking properly rather than improvising at arrivals.
Bafra transfer times from each airport
| From | Distance to Bafra | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Ercan Airport (ECN) | 90 km | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Larnaca Airport (LCA) | 130 km | 2 hours |
| Paphos Airport (PFO) | 230 km | 3 hours 10 minutes |
| Famagusta (Gazimağusa) | 45 km | 40 minutes |
| Kyrenia (Girne) | 115 km | 1 hour 40 minutes |
The Ercan to Bafra transfer runs east through Famagusta and then north up the coast past İskele and Boğaz. It is a good road the whole way, but it is a genuine seventy-five minutes, and considerably more at the end of a delayed flight.
The Bafra hotels
Bafra was developed as a purpose-built tourism zone, which means a small number of very large resorts rather than a town. Concorde Luxury Resort, Kaya Artemis, Noah's Ark Deluxe Hotel and Elexus Hotel are the names most guests are travelling to, and each is a self-contained complex with its own beach, pools and casino.
They sit within a few minutes of one another along the same coast road, so the transfer time is effectively identical whichever you have booked. Give us the hotel name at the time of booking and the driver takes you to the correct entrance — several share access roads.
Why a private transfer matters more on this route
Two things make Bafra different from a Kyrenia or Famagusta arrival.
The first is distance. Seventy-five minutes each way means a driver is committing two and a half hours to your journey, and it is not a run that a rank taxi at Ercan will price kindly at one in the morning — assuming one is available at all.
The second is isolation. There is no town at Bafra, no taxi rank, and effectively no public transport. Whatever you arrange for the arrival, you will need to arrange again for the departure, and the resorts are a long way from anywhere that can produce a car at short notice.
Booking both legs together is the standard approach here: it is cheaper as a pair and it removes the only genuinely awkward part of staying on this coast.
Casino and group transfers
Bafra draws a lot of group travel — casino trips, corporate weekends and wedding parties, often arriving together on the same flight.
Minibuses seating up to sixteen cover the route at a per-vehicle price, which for a group of twelve works out well below any per-seat alternative. For larger parties we run multiple vehicles from the same flight, meeting together inside arrivals so nobody is left waiting in the terminal.
Late returns are routine on this route. A 3am departure from a casino hotel is a normal booking, not an exception, and it carries no night surcharge.
Beyond Bafra: the Karpaz
Bafra sits at the entrance to the Karpaz peninsula, the wildest and emptiest part of Cyprus. Golden Beach, the wild donkeys and the Apostolos Andreas monastery are all an hour or more further north-east.
If you are staying at Bafra and want to see the peninsula, it is worth arranging a day transfer rather than assuming a taxi will be available — Dipkarpaz is another fifty-five kilometres up a road with very little on it.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the transfer from Ercan Airport to Bafra?
About 1 hour 15 minutes for the 90 km journey east through Famagusta and up the coast. From Larnaca it is around 2 hours including the border crossing.
Which hotels does a Bafra transfer serve?
All of them, including Concorde Luxury Resort, Kaya Artemis, Noah's Ark Deluxe and Elexus. They sit along the same coast road, so journey times are effectively the same — give the hotel name when booking so the driver uses the right entrance.
Is there a night surcharge for late Bafra transfers?
No. Late departures from the casino hotels are routine on this route and cost the same as a midday transfer.
Can you take a large group to Bafra?
Yes. Minibuses seat up to sixteen at a per-vehicle price, and we run multiple vehicles from the same flight for larger parties, meeting together inside arrivals.
Book one of these transfers
Get a fixed price for your transfer
One price per vehicle, luggage and child seats included, meet and greet inside arrivals and free waiting time if your flight is late. Available 24 hours a day across Cyprus.
