Paphos Airport to Nicosia by Bus (Kapnos Shuttle or 613 + Intercity 26)

Nicosia is about 140km inland from Paphos Airport, across the island. Two bus options actually work: a direct airport shuttle that takes roughly two hours and runs most of the week, or a two-ticket public route that costs less but only runs in the day and needs a change in Paphos town.

The two options also finish in different places in Nicosia, which is worth knowing before you pick. Read the drop-off section first.

Timetables on this page load live from BusCyprus. They follow the operator's current schedule, not a snapshot from the day this guide was written.

Quick answer

• Want the direct ride? Take the Kapnos Airport Shuttle from the coach bay outside Paphos Airport arrivals. About 1 hour 55 minutes to Nicosia Station on Kyrenias Avenue, with departures all week.
• Want the budget route and do not mind a change? Take OSYPA route 613 into Karavella Bus Station, then Intercity coach 26 to Nicosia. About two and a half hours of riding plus the wait, and two separate fares.
• Sunday is the lean day. Kapnos runs fewer Nicosia trips on Sundays, and the public 613 + Intercity 26 combination is thinnest then too. Check the live tables for your actual day.

Where to catch each service

Paphos Airport has separate stops for separate operators, a few metres apart on the forecourt outside arrivals. The stop name on your ticket matters.

• Kapnos Airport Shuttle: the coach bay for the shuttles to Nicosia and to Larnaca. Not the OSYPA city bus stop.
• OSYPA city buses (route 613 and others): the Motion city bus stop used by the Paphos Airport to the city guide, which walks the forecourt in more detail.

Option 1: Kapnos shuttle (direct)

Kapnos runs a dedicated Paphos Airport to Nicosia corridor. The coach leaves from its own bay, skips Paphos town entirely, and covers the trip in about 1 hour 55 minutes by the operator's own trip times.

Departures vary by day. In the current timetable we counted about six on a weekday, two on a Saturday and four on a Sunday from the airport, with the runs spread through the day rather than on a strict clock pattern. Check the live table below for your travel day.

The table shows the next scheduled runs from the airport stop. These are timetable times, not live bus positions. Kapnos has not verified this display inside BusCyprus.

The fare is a flat €20 one-way for a standard ticket, checked in the operator's own booking system on the day this guide was written. Children from 2 to 12 and infants ride free, which makes the shuttle much more attractive for families than the public route. Buy at the Kapnos desk in the arrivals hall, from the driver, or through their booking channels. This is a private airport shuttle, not part of the Motion card network, so a Motion card does not help here. Full amounts sit in the fare panel under Fares below.

Where Kapnos drops you in Nicosia

The shuttle terminates at Nicosia Station on Kyrenias Avenue. This is a suburban station roughly 2.5km north of the old town, not a city-centre stop. If your hotel is on Ledra Street or anywhere inside the walls, you have a short final hop left.

The stop Police Headquarters is a three minute walk from the Kapnos station, and it is a busy one. Intercity 26 passes through headed the way you came, and several Nicosia city routes call there with Solomos Square headsigns. Our Larnaca Airport to Nicosia guide covers that onward connection in more detail.

Option 2: Public route via Karavella (613 + Intercity 26)

This is the budget route across the island. You ride the OSYPA 613 from the airport into Karavella Bus Station, then change onto Intercity coach 26 to Nicosia.

Leg 1: Airport to Karavella on route 613

Route 613 is the Paphos Airport bus that runs into town. From the airport it reaches Karavella Bus Station in about 25 minutes, and it is the same route used to reach Kato Paphos from the airport.

Leg 2: Intercity coach 26 from Karavella to Nicosia

At Karavella, change to Intercity coach 26 toward NICOSIA. It reaches Dionysios Solomos Square in the centre of Nicosia in about two hours.

Frequency is the catch. Intercity 26 is a handful of coaches a day, thinnest on Sundays, and the last run toward Nicosia finishes in the afternoon. Check the tables below rather than memorising a clock pattern.

You need a separate intercity ticket on top of the OSYPA fare. Intercity Buses Ltd sets its own prices, typically a few euros, more than a city bus ticket but well below the shuttle. City centre to city centre (no airport) is covered in Nicosia to Paphos by bus.

Which option should I pick?

• Kapnos shuttle: about 1 hour 55 minutes direct, one flat €20 ticket with children free, running most of the week including evening departures. Drops at Kyrenias Avenue, so add a short hop if you are heading into the old town. Best for luggage, families, and anyone who wants the trip done in one.
• 613 + Intercity 26: cheaper, but two separate tickets and a change at Karavella, roughly three hours door to door, and mainly a daytime option. It puts you in Solomos Square without a further change.

The two are close enough on time that the shuttle is usually the sensible choice unless you are travelling on a budget and the day's times align. Both are daylight-leaning, so check the live tables for the exact day of your flight.

Fares and how to pay

The OSYPA leg uses the Paphos urban tariff:

Pay the 613 driver in cash. Buy the Intercity 26 ticket from the coach driver separately.

The Kapnos shuttle sits outside the Motion tariff:

For the money comparison: travelling alone, the public route saves you roughly €15 for about an hour more of your day. Travelling as a family, the free child fare on the shuttle closes that gap, and for two adults with children the direct shuttle is often the better deal overall.

Night and late arrivals

Neither route is a true overnight cross-island service. The Kapnos Nicosia corridor runs through the day but not as a late-night trunk like the Larnaca service, and the public 613 + 26 combination finishes in the afternoon. If you land at Paphos Airport late, check the live shuttle table above against your arrival time before you plan around it.

Live arrivals

• Paphos Airport city bus stop
• Kapnos shuttle stop at Paphos Airport
• Karavella Bus Station (Intercity 26)
• Nicosia Station - Kyrenias Avenue (Kapnos)
• Dionysios Solomos Square

Getting back to the airport

For the Kapnos return, board at Nicosia Station on Kyrenias Avenue. Departures toward Paphos are a handful a day, so check the table for your travel day.

For the public bus return, take Intercity 26 toward PAFOS from Dionysios Solomos Square, ride to Karavella Bus Station, then change onto 613 to Paphos Airport. It is the reverse of the route up, and the 613 leg through town is the one to watch on a late departure, so check both live tables.

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Working out the connection for your own flight time? The BusCyprus app shows live arrivals and plans the return trip from wherever you are staying. Looking for the budget cross-island option within Paphos town first? See the Paphos Airport to the city guide. Travelling from the other airport instead? Our Larnaca Airport to Nicosia guide covers the Kapnos run from the east. Planning a whole car-free week? How to travel Cyprus without a car covers which bases work on buses. Heading to the coast instead? Our Paphos Airport to Coral Bay guide covers the 612 and 615 route.